CNN: Politics: "The Republican-backed legislation, approved Wednesday on a narrow 218-209 vote, would require those groups, known as "527s," to register as political committees and abide by campaign funding limits."
As the founder of a '527' called Vote Out Incumbents for Democracy, I actually back this part of the legislation. However, the law remains flawed in setting the threshhold for start up PAC's to register too low. The attorney costs for legal paperwork to set up a 527 are $2000. or more. Yet the FEC requires new 527's to file upon receiving $1000 in donations or membership contributions. This has the effect to discouraging and even preventing grass root American citizen groups from forming a 527 in the first place, which acts as an impediment to citizen 1st Amendment rights to speech and assembly. We need reform, but, not the kind that steps on the Constitutional Bill of Rights in this flagrant attempt to halt citizen started PAC's while leaving the door wide open for wealthy and corporate interests to set them up. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Slate Magazine: "Lobbyists spend $2 billion a year to influence Congress. Why so little?"
Well, they don't want to be conspicuous! ROTFL!!! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
AP Politics: "WASHINGTON - The Federal Election Commission proposed new rules Friday that would leave almost all Internet political activity unregulated. The proposal would, however, require paid advertisements for federal candidates on the Internet to be paid for with money regulated by federal campaign law."
This could be problematic. The reason is that the FEC and IRS define campaigning for or against a slate of incumbents the same as campaigning for an individual candidate. So a web site that advocates against incumbents in general could fall under the new rules as campaigning for challengers. This would be a serious infringement upon 1st amendment rights to discuss adovcate for or against slates of candidates in general. A site which campaigns against incumbents in general with unethical behavior would be caught by these new rules. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "Reports Show Senate Incumbents, Challengers Matching Nearly Dollar for Dollar in Tight Fundraising"
AP Politics: "NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent more than $85 million on his way to a second term, including nearly $1 million on his inauguration ceremony, according to new campaign finance reports released Friday."
ABC News: Politics: "Conn. Lawmakers Pass Some of the Most Sweeping Campaign Finance Reform Laws in U.S."
ABC News: Politics: "Despite a Stalled Agenda and Low Poll Numbers, Bush Aids GOP Candidates As Campaigner-In-Chief"
ABC News: Politics: "Ohio Case Could Make Politicians Take Closer Look at Fundraising and Those Who Do It"
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Tuesday it would decide the constitutionality of a state law that strictly limits how much money political candidates can spend, an important campaign-finance issue that it last addressed nearly 30 years ago."
ABC News: Politics: "FEC Sues Political Group to Try to Force It to Comply With Campaign Finance Limits"
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "The government has fallen behind in keeping track of the billions of dollars a year that lobbyists spend, according to a study by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity."
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