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Subscribe to RSSFormer presidential hopeful John McCain talks about the impact private donations have on the presidential campaign.
Arizona Sen. John McCain predicted a renewed effort of reform the nation's campaign finance laws as an outgrowth of the unrestrained influx of donations in this year's presidential campaign.
The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in the Citizens United case, which struck down many of the restrictions on political spending and spurred the advent of so-called "super PACs," was one of the worst in modern history, McCain said.
"I think there will be scandals as associated with the worst decision of the Supreme Court in the 21st Century — uninformed, arrogant, naive," McCain said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"The fact is that the system is broken," he later added. "I predict to you that there will be scandals, and I predict to you that there will be reform again."
McCain has long been an advocate of campaign finance reform; a landmark 2002 campaign finance law bearing his name was the subject of the legal challenge that led to the Citizens United ruling.
That decision did away with many of the limits on the magnitude of political contributions, fueling an inflation in the cost of campaigns, particularly on the federal level. Super PACs like American Crossroads, Restore our Future and Priorities USA Action have been able to spend tens of millions of dollars already on the campaign. They're able to cull their support from a handful of wealthy donors, the size of whose report is sometimes clouded by twin nonprofit groups associated with super PACs, which don't have to disclose their donors.
One of the largest such donors has been Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate who gave over $10 million to a super PAC in the primary that supported Newt Gingrich for president. Adelson's since pledged at least $10 million to the pro-Romney super PAC, Restore Our Future.
McCain fretted earlier this week that Adelson's contributions would be tantamount to "foreign money" entering the campaign, since Adelson's fortune is built in part by revenues from overseas casinos.
McCain said on Sunday that he's worried about Adelson's influence, but no more so than the influence of organized labor spending or other donors' impact on the campaign.
"Not any more than other people who will give lots of money; not any more than the trade unions, the labor unions have. The whole system's broken, and there's a wash. I don't pick out Mr. Adelson any more than I pick out Mr. Trumka," he said, referring to the AFL-CIO's president.
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John McCain is a lost soul he is out of touch with reality, nothing he says means anything. His idea of reform is to allow only the republican party to write their own constitution and do away with taxes on the 1%, of which he is one of them. This man no longer serves a useful purpose in congress or to the American people. This mans total reason for living is to keep the US military at war. This man loves war.
The Republican supreme court is the most corrupt court to ever be seated, the rulings they make will eventutally cause the largest civil war ever seen in the world. These justices, I don't fell have ever read the constitution by the rulings they are making. They rule along the republican party policy, and to hell with the contitution. There are no checks and balances in our government and if you think 9/11 was bad wait until the repubican supreme court is finished destoring the constitution.
If Christians are looking for their anti-Christ/satin, look no further than Justice Roberts.
Just when I had lost all faith in this man, he goes and make sense. Thank you McCain. Finally sanity from the right. Logical thinking. Facts used as intended.
Some one above mentioned the Health Care Act.. I just found out that this Act also includes establishing Obama's own private Army
H. R. 3590-496 (Page 496) SEC. 5210.
ESTABLISHING A READY RESERVE CORPS
Now, I ask you...currently we have the regular Army, the Marines, The Navy, the Air Force, the National Guard, state and local police, state troopers, first responders, firefighters, EMT, rescue workers of all kinds and in all locations, plus we have the Federal Emergency Management Agency, otherwise known as FEMA. So what exactly does Mr. Obama need a private "ready reserve corps" who are hand-picked by him and report directly to him for?
Oh, I don't know, maybe for the same reason that Bush ,in 2006, was able to smash the Bill of Rights by revoking writ of habeas corpus just so he could get our "enemies" by passing the Military Commissions Act. Who knows?
So, one President creates his own little detail, that you seemingly are just in a tizzy over, yet, another pisses on your rights?
Strange world we do live in.
bahrrt,
A little more to it... how about in this time of government over spending... Why are all the detention camps all over the USA being brought on line by FEMA under Homeland Security. Why relax the Mexican boarder for the sake of "commerce", why this amnesty for men and women of fighting age, why the drones? None of this makes much sense to me when we are so in debt...that is unless something more is coming. UN wants to remove the right to arm, and not even going to begin with homeland Security having the right to do away with the constitution. It is all the costs associated with all of this that I can not logically justify it.
You can't justify protecting our way of life, and liberty? Yes, overspending is the problem, but not spending.
You can't simply not spend to keep our way of life going. And still doesn't speak how one previous POTUS can get away with eviscerating our rights while the other is criticized for protecting our national security.
@ Nanette-2317272
well Nan, I'm not making a comparison here but Germany's mien fuhrer had jack booted thugs surrounding him. back in the day, these days their known as union enforcers however, "we have to pass it before we will know what is in it." RRC Really Radical Cops. Those will be the guys & gals who can just bust your door down for no reason at all... subverting the constitution on a daily basis no problem sarcasm
vote nobama
convenientliesyoubelieve,
Do you think that perhaps this immigration round and the specific parameters set down are so that Obama will have recruits to fight his next battle because US citizens will be against it? Nothing comes for free we all know that. This particular amnesty sounds like it could come with a hefty price to those foolish enough to take him up on it.
Nanette-
I believe that... and I may be wrong and there may be repercussions however this non deport policy enforcement caveat is but another political ploy/distraction from the more substantive issues, granted it comes with built in hyperbolic & vitriolic ramifications just the regular Thursday Friday end of the week flavor to keep the pudding stirred over the weekend so Mondays are spent summing up what is left over divide and conquer bovine excrement ...sorry took so long to answer went to the store.
vote nobama
*Sigh*
Delusions in grandeur doesn't even describe both your babbling.
Hey CLYB...when you were at the store did you buy your self a little reality check?
BTW
You cite the first passage reads:(1) IN GENERAL.-There shall be in the Service a commissioned Regular Corps and a Ready Reserve Corps for service in time of national emergency.
How does that make it the POTUS private army? More delusions of grandeur? Hmmmm?
Nor Obama or Romney will do or change anything, they are all playing politics. Let's not be naive to think any man or political party will change immigration law, it is all to gain votes people. Lets not forget Obama's remarks last year.
“With respect to the notion that I could suspend deportations through executive order, that's just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed and I know that everybody here
at Bell is studying hard so you know we have three branches of government. Congresses passes the law. The executive branch's job is to enforce and implement those laws and then the judiciary has to interpret the law. There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system, that for me through simply an executive order ignore those mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as president.” - President Barak Obama, in March of 2011.
Now he wants to change the law a year after the above quote. Yes, there should be an immigration reform, but it would be done according to the law of the constitution without bending rules and giving favoritism. There should be punishments set, which are already set but are not being followed. Those entering the country illegally well know they are breaking the law and they want to bend the law here, as their countries are plague with corruption and bribery, and they demand legal documentations, public assistance, health benefits because they have Human rights. What about the right to follow they have the right to follow and be held accountable for following the laws we have in place in the USA. If an American travels to any country, they are held accountable for their actions and and reprimanded, why not here??. For those undocumented that are of age, as part of the Dream Act they should be enlisted in the Military, and if they are college bound join an ROTC program if they truly appreciated, value and respect what this country has to offer and to be truly consider Americans. This country should not be giving out legal documentations, and benefits as hot cakes for breakfast, it is a right earned not giving.
Also, seeing undocumented individuals demand and receive all types of assistance, when we have our own citizens facing hardships and be denied of medical, housing,etc, and most importantly to see our Veterans who have fought and defended our freedoms and to be lacking or denied services and benefits, and working minimal wages is beyond me and without words, it is slap in the face to our man and women that are defending our liberties to have individuals that come across our borders illegally come here and demand rights which they are not entitle to. They are undocumented individuals, which own homes and live in the south and some how they receive services here in New York, Medicaid, food stamps, housing assistance. That is fraud and the government is not catching up to this and is wasteful money, Obama is talking to giving documentation to those children brought by their undocumented parents, and if they have lived more then five years in the Country. What about those children and individuals with fake SS numbers or using someone else's SS? that is a felony.
Also, is not just the politicians using Hispanics, pastors in Christian churches are bringing in undocumented individuals by the masses, to feed and build their churches. Most of the woman come into the country pregnant or are told to get pregnant as soon as possible, when is the government going to audit those churches and start taxing them aswell
McCain is a burned out has been.
Better do something before China or Saudi Arabia or some other country buys all the airwaves, like the next paycheck to all the broadcasters in the USA could come from one of them and not a US company...oh right, Rupert Murdoch is working on it...ABC = FoxNews 2, CBC = FoxNews 3, NBC = FoxNews 4.... then they will clone Hannity, O'Reilly, the whole team and every news stations will have the same staff and say the same thing, nobody checking the accuracy.
Thank God the voters could see through the likes of John McCain in the last election. If not we would be at war with half the world.He and the-other GOP are still in the mentality of the sixties.We are not the saviors of the world.The American people deserve reasonable thinking leadership that will serve us and not corporate greed. just as in Watergate "follow the money" and you will see who benefits from it.
Try this Senator McCain: Block all lobbying in Washington. Anyone caught taking special interest or PAC money should be banned from politics and sent to jail for twenty years. Any lobbyist caught attempting to bribe a member of The Congress or The Senate should receive life in prison. Now, limit all campaigning to six weeks prior to any election, with the government providing everyone $100,000 for campaign costs. Then limit all terms to six years for the president and the Senate, and four years for the house.
Old Red was second today. Hahaha. She must sit there waiting on a new article to bash republicans. McCain would have been so much better than Obama. At least he is honest and has experience. What we have is a person with Kindergarten credentials that knows nothing other than to spend money. "Doing fine" Nobama 2012.
We at Renew Democracy, a Montana based advocacy group, feel that
currently our legislators are not motivated correctly for our representational
democracy to function. We feel crucial reform is necessary to restore the
primacy of the American voter in the political process. We feel that unless our
representatives are motivated to represent only the voters, our current broken
system cannot be transformed. The Renew Democracy Amendment proposes in part
that "The right to contribute to political campaigns and political parties
is held solely by individual citizens." This strong statement alleviates
concern about the status of any organization as it would no longer be able to
contribute. No corporate money, no union money, no money from the Chamber of
Commerce or Moveon.org. The RDA would: Eliminate the huge advantage wealthy
candidates have in our current political process by allowing only the amount of
the individual donation from the candidate. Eliminate political party funding
of candidates and campaigns End the Electoral College. Eliminate political
party funding of candidates and campaigns which would dramatically shrink the
influence of the political parties on our legislators. Create a federal
guarantee of the right to vote in all elections for which the voters qualified.
Create a constitutional framework for legislation regulating soft money and PACs.
Set a limit for individual donations based on average disposable income.
Don't be foolish. Every Presidential election year since practically the days of the pyramids has trumpeted the whole "Election Reform" BS. You're naive if you think that's REALLY going to happen.
All you political skallywags with your labels ('conservative' 'liberal', ect., ect.) are you really so blind to the fact that ALL elected officials get equally fat feeding from the public trough? They keep us bickering over silly numbers and statistics and exaggerated 'facts' while every last one of them sticks too much of OUR money into THEIR pockets.
If you're a Democrat, you're a bit of a moron; if you're Republican, you're a bit of a moron, if you're Tea Party, you're really beyond help, and if you consider yourself an 'Independent', you've just been fooled into believing you're in the right place. The political "System" is broken and has been for some time. If you honestly think Obama or Romney are going to do a third of what they promise, you're the kind of voter they love. If you would vote for either one because you 'hate' the other, you're the kind of voter they target. Can't you tell that?
That's just great for the old coot. After the GOP buys this election, packs the court and redraws all the congressional districts, pass right to work as a national law, and eliminate dues collection - then they'll call a truce. Sort of like the USSR sending over a nuclear first strike and then proposing disarmament. I'll wait for McCain to go on bended knee to Russ Feingold before I consider what he thinks.
Republicans are crying in their soup again???
This was initiated by Republicans, Passed by Republicans, Certified by a Republican
dominated SCOTUS,,,,,,,,,"Corporations are People My Friend"
The only part they missed was a way to stop Democrats from using the very system
they thought would put them hundreds of millions ahead in campaign contributions.
The problem??? Republican voters do not contribute to campaigns while Democrats
already had a base willing to donate $5-$10-$20,,,,,,The Republicans rely on mostly
contributions in the 6-8 figure range from corporations and the rich to insure lower
taxs, wages, benefits for employees putting money into their pockets.
As an Independent I have noticed a major trend toward uneducated, poor, mentally
unstable Americans leaning to the right hoping the rich will drop a few bread crumbs
in their direction,,,,,GOOD LUCK WITH THAT FANTASY!!!!! The rich get richer and the
poor get poorer under BOTH parties.
We would be in two more wars in addition to what we are in now if McCain had been elected. I do like his idea about campaign finance. We should have public financed politicians and an equal playing field. Citizens United should be overturned and the supreme court jesters that voted for it should be put in their place or impeached. America will not survive on the path it is on. We need change and we need it NOW.
As it is now, the presidency can only be "won" by the highest bidder. They might as well just compare bank accounts and the turkey with the most money wins. As far as McCain is concerned, he was totally a victim of the USS Forrestal disaster, but led a group that fought the resultant fire. Hey Feisty Redhead, you idiot - how many times were shot down in mortal combat? How long were you subjected to daily torture and starvation? Or were you with Hanoi Jane when she went to visit the VC anti-aircraft "heros"?
Suzq
The fire on the Forrestal was caused by an electrical discharge after the crew decided to "save time" by taking a shortcut while preparing the planes for launch. McCain was not even ready to start his engine when the SHTF.
Hopefuly,Mr. McCain wil put his money where his mouth is! This is a disgrace (the Sup Crt decision to allow this kind of campaign financing - on both sides of the aisle). The "little" people of America have been sold out to the highest bidder!
McCain is an "old line" repub and probably won't be listened to by the teaparty donothings
Johnny - leave it alone. Since now all of Mexico will vote in our elections, the country is over as we knew it.