2.7 KiB
Campaign Finance
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
tightened reporting requirements and put limits on candidates' expenditures. After key race between Nixon and McGovern with $91 mill
Federal Election Commission
monitor and enforce regulations of the election process. Also sets standards for an election. a PAC must have 50 members, donate to 5 candidates, and register with FEC 6 months before election
Key Provisions of the 1974 Federal Election Campaign Act
- Limited individual contributions to $1000 per election
- Limited a candidate's own contributions to $50,000 per election
- Definition and Regulation of donations of PACs
- Created public fund to assist viable presidential cadidates
Hard Money
donation given directly. therefore can be traced and regulated
Soft Money
donation to party or interest group. therefore not as easily tracked and obscures the actual finances. Allows for massive spending
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)
in 2002. banned soft money contributions to national parties. but increased most other amounts in order to accomodate the changes
Required Court Case: Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Did the BCRA violate first ammendment? Yes
spending money from a pac is not a quid pro quo
Impact of Citizens United
Debates of free speech and elections heavily increased. usage of money in elections balooned
Dark Money
money that does not have any transperancy and is virtually unlimited
Think as a Political Scientist
Read the excerpt from James Madison's Federalist No. 10, and explain how it could be used as a justification for the concerns about PACs nad campaign finance.
having a group who is fundraising for canidates would protentially give that group control of the government which would represent them instead of the citizens of the republic
Connected PACs
Coorperations, labor unions and trade orgs working together for canidiates. But money must come from donations from the members and not from the company's treasures
Nonconnected PACs
no sponsoring organizations and are around a single issue. take donations from the general public.
Leadership PACs
type of non-connected PAC. created by current or former elected official . BUT cant be used for their own campaign's fundraising
Super PACs
most recent PAC. Opened for larg pacs and unlimited donations
Essential Question: How does the organization, finance, and strategies of national political campaigns affect the election process
- Factors in Campaign Finance
- unlimited because free speech
- regulations on usage and conflicts of interst
- Influence of Factors
- spending money on campaings in order get advertising which would support the