1. Campaign Finance

2. In FAVOR of raising taxes on orphanages Took year-long vacation Proposed a bill that would give TREES the right to vote Is, in fact, three ducks in a man costume* * According to Weekly World News Squirrel hoarder

3. Cut taxes by 200% End the squirrel occupation Stop frivolous spending All your dreams will come true! PAID FOR BY AMERICANS FOR TRUTH

4. Campaign Finance – How Much $$$? Approximately $7 BILLION was spent during the 2012 election That amounts to $54 spent for every person who voted In some states, that number was more than double

5. Why spend on elections? Change government policy Values Self-interest Influence government officials?

6. How do you “spend” on an election? 2 ways: -Direct contribution (Can be regulated) -Independent Expenditure  Express advocacy (Much harder to regulate)  Issue advocacy (Only can regulate timing)

7. How do we regulate? Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) - 1972 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA or McCain-Feingold) - 2002

8. Opinion Poll

9. Money = Speech? In Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court essentially said that in fact spending money in express advocacy is equivalent to speech But, contributing directly to a candidate or political party isn’t, at least to the same degree

10. People vs. Corporations Citizens United – Corporate speech needs to be protected just like individual speech Justifications like “distortion” aren’t good anymore Dissenting Supreme Court Justices (and many others) still concerned

11. How is spending regulated? -Independent expenditure limits – No good -Contribution limits – On the way out? Limits on the amount of contributions to individual candidates are still OK Limits on your total amount contributions are not OK as of last year (McCutcheon) -Disclosure rules -Public financing

12. Going forward Little room for increased spending control – the only justification is preventing “quid pro quo” corruption or its appearance The money always finds a way in Contribution limits may be the next to go down Think about who’s behind the message and the candidate!