The Politico ran an alternately informing, insightful, and irritating article in today’s edition.
The very first word is "Outsiders" – in reference to groups spending money in states to try to influence voters as they select Republican and Democratic nominees for president.
Proponents of strict campaign finance laws like to use terms like "Outsiders" as a pejorative term for citizens who exercise their constitutionally protected right to speak about candidates, campaigns, government, and politics. I suppose we should be thankful that "reformers" apparently aren’t familiar with the term gaijin…
But these "outsiders" are not some sort of bizarre, external force threatening democracy and the ability of candidates to convey their message uncontested to the plebes. In fact, they are exactly the opposite of what campaign finance "reform" groups claim to abhor – the political "Insider."
Outside groups are regular citizens, not modern-day Visigoths and Vandals descending upon the glory of Washington DC aiming to pillage and plunder a helpless electorate. They are citizens of the United States who feel passionately enough about an issue, or group of issues, that they are willing to spend sums of money, large or small, in order to try to persuade their fellow citizens to vote one way another.
Hardly a threat to the foundation of the Republic…
The rest of the article very informatively describes some of the activities of these independent citizen groups, and their success or lack thereof. The article demonstrates that spending lots of money to speak is no guarantee, or even reasonable predictor, of success at the ballot box.
According to the Politico analysis, only about 25% of the $13.4 million spent by "Visigoth/Vandal" alliance supported winning candidates or opposed losing candidates.
The article also recognizes that a great deal of independent spending is driven by McCain-Feingold’s ban on large contributions to political parties.
All in all, a very good article. but as the campaign moves forward it is important to always remember that "outsiders" are people too…