Can Someone Explain To Me Why Obama Opting Out Of Public Funding Is .......

[global1]

so bad in the eyes of the Repugs? Is a flip-flop? Is a blow to Obama's brand?

What am I missing here? He wants to win the presidency and if it takes opting out of public financing to do it - so be it.

Hasn't he raised the most money in the history of primaries already? Why shouldn't he continue what was successful.

Are the Repugs just upset because they can't compete?

[Alexander]

1. He pledged to take public money, so the MSM is attacking him while ignoring...

the fact that McCain is only using sleazy Swift Boat-style 527s to do his dirty work because he can't raise the money.

[The Magistrate]

3. He Made A Conditional Statement On The Matter, Sir

The conditions have not been met, and accordingly he is not bound to any course of action.

[Alexander]

13. The MSM doesn't care. They will attack him regardless.

If they can't find a real contradiction, they are not above making one up.

[Warren Stupidity]

25. Yes of course, so why are you repeating it?

[ourbluenation]

49. Pointing out what the msm will do is productive if it is to be countered.

[Evergreen Emerald]

21. I think it is because democrats have worked so hard for finance reform

to attempt to take big money out of politics and avoid conflicts of interest. It is a liberal issue and that is why Feingold doesn't like it.

Here is what Obama said:

* UPDATE: The pledge I am referring to came last September in Obama's answers to a questionnaire by the Midwest Democracy Network.
The question was: "If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?"

Obama checked: "Yes" and wrote:

"In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My plan requires both major party candidates to agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election. My proposal followed announcements by some presidential candidates that they would forgo public financing so they could raise unlimited funds in the general election. The Federal Election Commission ruled the proposal legal, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-prepares.html

[The Magistrate]

52. It Does Not Bother Me In The Slightest, Ma'am

The 'public financing' system is broken as any other element of the campaign system. And the people trying to make this an issue against Sen. Obama, particularly the chatterers of the television news, are fully aware of that. We have this time around a signifigant edge in funds available: we should not let go of that advantage, nor allow commentators brought out by the opposition to pretend their words on the matter are anything but collaboration with the enemy.

[ejpoeta]

29. but they don't mention that on msm

they only say that he promised to take public financing. which he didn't 'promise' anything. it's amazing to see the different tact in the reporting on mccain and obama. just amazing.

[redqueen]

38. Not amazing really... it's their job to catapult propoganda.

What's amazing is seeing DUers (real DUers, not trolls) here who are still so butt-hurt about Hillary that they'll hop on board with Faux's whores and shop that crap right here on the board.

[Warren Stupidity]

24. Please don't regurgitate the lies.

Obama made no such pledge.

[TexasObserver]

26. No, he pledged to try to work out a global agreement with the GOP nominee.

But corraling the GOP 527 and RNC money has to be part of any deal to limit campaign financing. Because the GOP has a mountain of money in the RNC and 527s, it would be foolish of Obama to limit his campaign to public financing.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Yep. The media and the Repugs are upset......

cause they like to whine and lie a lot!

The Media has amnesia about McCain's flip flop on campaign financing....

McCain was out for the primaries, then he was in for the primaries, then he was out for the primaries, not he's in for the General.

But somehow, Obama is the Boogieman...... :shrug:

McCain may opt out of public financing system
Decision depends on winning nomination and Democratic nominee's plans
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17417007/

McCain returns $3m in checks as he considers public funding
http://www.blogrunner.com/snapshot/D/7/3/mccain_returns_3m_in_checks_as_he_considers_public_funding/

Democrats to ask for investigation of McCain's campaign financing
By The Associated Press
04.14.08
WASHINGTON — Democratic Party officials want a federal judge to order an investigation into whether Sen. John McCain violated election laws by withdrawing from public financing, saying federal regulators are too weak to act on their own.

A lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission, to be filed today in U.S. District Court, questions the agency's ability to enforce the law and review McCain's decision to opt out of the system. The Republican presidential candidate, who had been entitled to $5.8 million in federal funds for the primary campaign, decided earlier this year to give up that money so he could avoid strict spending limits between now and the GOP's national convention in September.
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/campaignfinance/%5Cnews.aspx?id=19920

[niceypoo]

55. I agree, the media are whining crybabies...

The 'Pundits' are taken too seriously in this country and the GOP are just plain a-holes.

The only way Obama can be competitive is by turning down public financing, sadly. That is the system that we are stuck working in. Until http://www.campaignfinancesite.org/court/buckley1.html">Buckley v. Valeo is overturned, we are stuck in a corporate controlled campaign system and government.

[SwampG8r]

4. its political welfare

political parties should not get monies from the government they wish to administer
if we
the members of a party
wont finance a candidate he deserves to fail
i myself find the idea of public financing of campaigns run by private parties to be constitutionally abhorent

[On the Road]

56. Provided You're OK

with the richest having the dominant influence on the candidates and the elections, that's a fine plan.

[onetwo]

5. They're mad that Obama wasn't naive enough to follow through.

[AndyTiedye]

6. They Want To Swift Boat Him Without Him Having Any Way to Fight Back

They will give the Repiglickin 527s billions of dollars worth of FREE airtime.
Airtime costs Democrats a million dollars a minute. $75 million doesn't go far at that rate.

[Raine]

7. Obama outsmarted them

so they're mad bwahahahahahaha. :nopity:

[anonymous171]

8. Because now we have a chance. Because now we can fight them.

Their millionaire funded 527 groups won't be able to smear unchallenged on the airwaves.

[candice]

9. He outspent his opponent 3 or 4-to-1 and was losing...he needs lots of

money to outspend McCain.

[FrenchieCat]

10. Oh....there you are!

[Alexander]

14. Was losing? How? By becoming the nominee?

I sure hope he's "losing" like that in November. :eyes:

[bowens43]

15. Hate to break it to you but Obama is still the winner.

He stilldefeated ALL of his primary opponents.

[ima_sinnic]

18. when was he "losing"?

sheesh, I guess reality is not an option for some people.

[charlie]

19. Primaries were The Race to Keep Your Day Job?

Pity he lost, then. He'll have to console himself with losing his way into the White House.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

30. An outright lie.

Obama spent $75M on ads. Clinton spent $46M on ads. 62%-38%

Obama raised $264M overall. Clinton raised $214M overall. 57%-43%

So it was really 1½-to-1.



Obama
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.php?cid=N00009638&cycle=2008

Clinton
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.php?cid=N00000019&cycle=2008

[Big Blue Marble]

54. And it is amazing that was all he needed to spend

to come from political obscurity and beat the biggest democratic brand in America!
I would say that he must be some kind of political genius and wise money manager to boot.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

57. He was outspent 4-1 at the outset.

The dead-enders never mention that.

[TahitiNut]

32. It's not what you don't know. It's what you think you know that's completely false.

:shrug: Pity. :nopity:

[Occam Bandage]

44. And he lost all the way to the nomination. Funny, that.

[FrenchieCat]

11. Here......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6386073

[Youphemism]

12. What's kinda funny about this is...

...that of all places, the Fox den of scum (Brit Humes' commentary thugs) were among the most forgiving about this. They noted his earlier comments, of course, but being republicans they basically said he'd have to be an idiot to turn down that campaign advantage and accept public finance.

I was happy to see that the folks on Countdown noted exactly what I did a couple months ago that Obama has developed a new form of public finance that makes the McCain-Feingold version obsolete.

Also, the Obama team noted that by opting into public funding, the candidates would send donations to the 527 groups, who aren't controlled by the campaigns and would make this a truly dirty campaign.

It's like they're reading us here at DU!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6333387#6334683

[hokies4ever]

16. They're making a fuss because their slim odds to win just got much worse.

:rofl:

[itsrobert]

17. The Primary is over. The rules change for the General Election

Candidates will "adapt" for their better benefit. I care about public financing, but to the average voter it's not an issue they care about.

[charlie]

20. It's handwaving to keep the heat off McCain

who is actually breaking the law with his campaign expenditures.

[redqueen]

40. Funny how none of the "impartial" news whores mention that law breaking thing, huh?

That nutty Liberal Media, always letting repubs off the hook! :crazy:

[my3boyz]

22. They are pissed because now he will have enough money to defend himself against the shit they throw

at him in the fall.

[Warren Stupidity]

23. Clue: early adoption of kitchen sink strategy

The failed McCain campaign has nothing left to lose and so, with the coordinated support of the corporate media network outlets they are going to toss anything and everything at Obama, no matter how stupid and irrelevant and wrong the allegations are, They Will Be Tossed. It is June, and we are in full fall campaign mode. It is swiftboats in the kitchen with Johnny from now 'till November.

[Vinca]

27. I advise Obama to stay away from bean burritos until the campaign is over.

Every time he looks cross-eyed or, heaven forbid, farts, it's 24/7 negative news coverage. Meanwhile, McBush is against drilling for oil in every nook and cranny one day and for it the next, and that's brushed under the rug in favor of any Obama faux scandal.

[LTR]

28. So, basically what this shows is...

...that Obama is open to changing his mind, when the circumstances deem it.

We currently have the 'decider' in chief in the White House who's so stubborn in his ways that he has dragged the entire country down with him. I for one would welcome a President who can analyze the situation (all those 527s looming with knives drawn) and change his perspective to confront obstacles.

I see no problem with flip-flopping in this regard. He obviously learned from Kerry's mistakes.

[uponit7771]

35. The pledge was conditional that McSame would take public funds but McSame gamed the system and took

...private loans colateralized off his GE public funds he would get from the government.

[suston96]

31. But the question really is, what's wrong with public financing?

All those years checking off that item on the tax forms for public financing of presidential campaigns? After all these years almost everyone condemning private contributions?

So why is Obama really refusing public financing?

And what happens to all that money earmarked for presidential campaigns?

Edited to add this piece from the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/us/politics/20finance.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1213971368-Wvlf1+hOOF3q46y6P6Ji8g

Decision Threatens Public Financing System

From the moment that the public financing system was created in the wake of the Watergate crisis, it was viewed as an imperfect way to rid politics of the excesses of special-interest money.
Skip to next paragraph
Multimedia

But now, with the decision by Senator Barack Obama to become the first presidential candidate to forgo public money, the system is facing the most critical threat to its survival.

[crankychatter]

33. it's simple

Obama wouldn't take PAC money which his opponents on the Dem side and GOP side did take.

John McCain wanted an early agreement but only got a tentative, "willing to talk further" about from Obama.

McCain got a loan then, based upon expected public campaign dollars, for his campaign. That move was illegal. When he became the presumptive nominee, more money became available from PACs, and he wanted to opt out of Public Campaign system.

They would NOT permit him to opt out until he revealed the details of his loans. Then and ONLY THEN, did he start yarfing about Obama "breaking his promise," which of course he never did.

McCain wanted to even the playing field at that time. The problem is, with a War Profiteer owned media, the playing field will NEVER be level.

So now the media is picking this BS back up with Obama's public declaration that he will not use the system... which IS full of loopholes.

Public Campaign Financing only works at the State level in those few states where it exists. It works there for ONE reason only. If a State level campaign uses Public funds they must THEN, refuse corporate funds.

Public Campaign Financing hasn't worked at the Federal level, heretofore, because the Supreme Court has determined that dollars are speech, and protected under the First Ammendment. State level systems have done an end run around that ruling, by making the USE OF PUBLIC DOLLARS, conditional upon refusing corporate dollars.

So, Obama HAS a publicly funded Campaign, through the internet. We've now achieved our own, "end run" around the system.

This may be our last opportunity. Even if Obama becomes President, he will be dealing with a potentially hostile, PAC influenced Congress on BOTH sides of the aisle. It will be challenging.

This is not the end all and be all for getting government back in the hands of the people, but it's a good start.

The system I've contributed to, every time I pay my taxes, for decades now, IS BROKEN.

Obama ain't lyin'.

[uponit7771]

34. Yeap, and no one but Keith O has gotten this right.

[suston96]

36. Good answer, crankychatter......

I just wanted to see if there was any answer beyond the "my candidate can do no wrong" meme.

All those mini-contributions by Obama supporters are going where they will do the most good - the candidate's campaign.

Gee, what a revolutionary concept!

[crankychatter]

41. do no wrong? OMG, we'll have to PUSH to get ANYthing done

neoliberalism MUST DIE

Transnational corporations are using our media, our defense apparatus, and our elected officials, as their own personal employees.

If Obama was even mildly more threatening to the status quo, he'd be watching the debates on television from home, drinking beer with Kucinich and Gravel.

He's far from perfect... but the term "wrong" is relative, not black and white (no pun intended).

[gblady]

42. thanks....

for explaining that...I think I get it now.

[redqueen]

45. Hello, you.

Nice explainin there... thanks. :hi:

[Emit]

47. and, you should

make that explanation into its own OP -- thanks :hi:

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

53. I'm Kicking and Bookmarking this thread because of your response.

I agree with the other posters: make this an OP.

Brilliant!

[Born_A_Truman]

60. Another reason it doesn't work on a Federal campaign level

is the maximum spending limits (2008 General Election Limit: $84.1 million).

http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/pubfund.shtml (From the link):

To qualify for public funding, Presidential candidates and party convention committees must first meet various eligibility requirements, such as agreeing to limit campaign spending to a specified amount. Once the Federal Election Commission determines that eligibility requirements have been met, it certifies the amount of public funds to which the candidate or convention committee is entitled. The U.S. Treasury then makes the actual payments from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. This fund consists of dollars voluntarily checked off by taxpayers on their federal income tax returns. (In 1993, the taxpayer checkoff was increased from $1 to $3. Public Law 103-66) The checkoff neither increases the amount of taxes owed nor decreases any refund due for the tax year in which the checkoff is made.

Obama has a 50 state strategy and media is expensive, especially television. Candidates target their message so many tv ads won't be used on a national level (ie-network and national cable). Advertising within states is even handled on a market by market basis. I am in the business and handled broadcast traffic for a number of political campaigns in California in the 1980s (Jerry Brown for US Senate, Gray Davis, etc--the company I used to work for purchased media for many Democratic campaigns and issue advertising) and it takes a great deal of money. $84.1 million sounds like a lot of money, but it isn't when you spread it out in a media budget that has to cover the entire country.

[crankychatter]

61. good link and information, Born, thanks - nt

[redqueen]

37. Yes, they're upset cause they've got NOTHING.

So they're grasping like mad at anything... anything at all to hit him with.

[uponit7771]

39. My issue with Bama's campaign right now is they're aren't hitting back with simple short answers as

...to why they opted out due to McSame accepting private funds after he won the reThug primaries

[redqueen]

43. I wouldn't say "aren't"... I'd say "haven't yet". I expect them to do so. (nt)

[Barack_America]

48. You should donate to his campaign.

That way you'll be on his e-mail list and you would've received a lovely video from the man himself, explaining his decision in a simple, straight-forward manner.

[WeDidIt]

46. The real reason?

Because he'll rais a half billion dollars to spend in the general election.

That's why.

[ourbluenation]

51. thank you. they're jealous. pure and simple.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

50. Please, don't allow the MSM to lie to you and convince you that

Obama has flip-flopped on this issue...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6389090

[moondust]

58. Because it may have just blown their election strategery.

I don't claim to know what the Repug election strategy is but I think one possibility is that they were planning to expand and rely heavily on the 527/Swiftboat smear tactics that served them so well in 2004. That strategy would allow them to:

1. Contribute tons of money to the defeat of the Dem without directly contributing to McCain. Works well for a candidate that is short on contributors but those he/she does have are very wealthy.

2. Pump up McCain publicly as the poor, ethical Saint accepting public funding while continuing their dirty tricks through the 527s.

They may still do it but by opting out Obama will have sufficient funds to counter their despicable smear campaigns.

[JerseygirlCT]

59. The reason it's bad in their eyes? Simple

He's going to out-raise them by millions.

McCain is a hurting pup in the funding game. He hasn't been able to raise much at all so far, and will need those federal dollars.

Obama is actually accomplishing what the federal funding was supposed to do - cut out the big fat cats and find funding from lots of smaller donors. He's already doing that, but he's doing it so successfully that he'll exceed the ceiling in no time.

The GOP knows it will never, ever catch up.