How Much Are YOU Willing To Spend To Get Elected???
SARASOTA, FL (NS) -

How bad do YOU want to be elected to Public Office in Florida?


I have sat back for several years now and attended many Political meetings where the sums of money being talked about for this Candidate and another have been mind boggling...


Let me give you an example of this year in the 13th Congressional District. There are 2 men running a MILLION dollar campaign to try and gain the GOP Party nomination for Congress. This is a position that pays $150,000 per year plus the 'perks' that go along with the position. You know the Congressional seat currently occupied by Katharene Harris???


When I heard GOP Candidate Tramm Hudson stand up in front of a roomful of people and say he already had raised $250,000 for his Congressional Campaign and wouldn't be surprised if his opponent, Millionaire Car Dealer Vern Buchanon, made this a MILLION dollar campaign for a Congressional seat, I almost choked. We haven't even gotten to the Primary Election yet...


This is absolutely absurd and it led me to do some more grassroots investigation of elected offices down to the County level...


What I've been able to find out would just blow the average voter away. Tens of thousands of dollars are being spent just to get an elected office that might only pay the winner $15,000 to $25,000 per year...


So, just WHAT drives these people, not always the best qualified candidates, to go out and get as much money as they can for a position that pays LESS, in many cases, then what the Candidate is already making in their profession...


Shall we start with the word POWER??? That's the only thing that seems to make any sense. Sure they all have benefits when they get elected, but it's the 'power' they are looking for or that little title they get, "The Honorable"...


I for one say it's about time we stopped this practice right here in Florida of 'unlimited amounts of money' being allowed to fund Political Campaigns. And I further submit to all of you that ALL Elected Public Offices be limited to '2' Terms only all across the board...


A highly qualified candidate running for Public Office without a BIG bankroll, doesn't stand a chance of getting elected...


The big bucks that fuel Florida elections are still rolling in unchecked, despite talk of reform and attempts to control lobbying. Florida is one of just 13 states with no caps on how much can be given to political parties...


For the 2006 election cycle, the Republican Party of Florida has reported 426 donations of $10,000 or more, a total of $8.1 million, according to an analysis of financial reports which you can find by doing a search on the internet. The Florida Democratic Party got 129 such donations, or $2.42 million...


BOTH Political Parties are subscribing to this policy and it needs to be stopped...


That core of big donors provided more than half the money raised by each party, making the thousands of smaller donations look tiny. The party contributions are not subject to the $500 limit that state law applies to individual candidates...


Not a month doesn't go by that I get something in my mail from a Political Party or Candidate asking me for money, even when there's NOT an election taking place...


Just think about what this Campaign finance case decision said. The U.S. Supreme Court noted in the 1976 case Buckley v. Valeo, because "to the extent that large contributions are given to secure a political quid pro quo [one thing in return for another] from current and potential office holders, the integrity of our system of representative democracy is undermined."


Money sent directly to the political parties rather than candidates technically is meant only for "party building activities," but the law and the courts allow almost unlimited interpretations of that term...

The parties end up funneling millions of dollars back to individual candidates as "in-kind donations" for such items as campaign staff, utilities, printing, office rent and consulting services...


The impact a single individual, business or interest group can have with unlimited donations becomes clear with the size of the checks...


The Democratic Party got a $185,000 donation from the Victory 2006 political committee in Tallahassee, and Ginn Development Co. of Celebration gave $150,000 to the Republican Party...


All told for the period, there were seven $100,000 checks and 27 for $50,000, some from Tampa area companies including Amscot Corp. and the Outback Steakhouse PAC. Statewide, Disney Worldwide Services, Jacksonville Greyhound Racing Inc., Florida Power & Light and other companies made donations of $50,000 or more...


Wealthy individuals play a big role, too. Take Lawrence DeGeorge, of Jupiter. He gave the Republican Party $15,000 on Feb. 1, 2005, then $25,000 on April 8. In May he made donations of $100 and $5,000, then $100,000 on June 23 - matching the largest donation by an individual for the cycle...


DeGeorge sent $100 on June 30, then $50,000 and $25,000 in September. On Oct. 12, he gave a final $50,000, bringing his yearly donations to the Republican Party of Florida to $270,200...


Democrats have their big-money angels, too. Frank Brunckhorst, of Sarasota, of Boar's Head Provisions Co., gave the party $60,000 in April, and a trust associated with him added $100,000 in September...


For example, gambling interests in Florida used 37 donations to give more than $481,000 to the Republican Party of Florida. The Democratic Party got three donations totaling just over $2,200. Anybody notice the new Indian Gaming Casino down in Hollywood, FL???


Most groups are giving money in the hopes of gaining some access to the Political system and gaining a favorable decision that would directly benefit THEM. It is widely accepted that big donors do get more access than average citizens...


Some companies balance their donations. Tampa's TECO Energy Inc. gave $40,000 to the Democratic Party and $182,500 to the Republican Party...


The Ginn Development Co., which made the $150,000 donation to the Republican Party, obviously sees things in the same way because they gave money to both Parties....


According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the only other states that do this are Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Virginia...


The National Conference lists 23 states as limiting political party contributions from most or all sources and 14 states as limiting donations from corporations and labor unions but not other sources...


Louisiana set a limit of $100,000 on individual, corporate or union contributions over a four-year period, and Vermont allows $2,000 per two-year election cycle...


Wisconsin prohibits all corporate and union donations and limits individuals to $10,000 a year and political action committees to $6,000...


And all of these huge donations are being given in the name of "Free Speech." I've heard people say that Political contributions amount to free speech...


I would personally favor more disclosure for Section 527 political funds, named after their IRS code number. These tax-exempt funds, often created by unions, politicians or special interest groups, can be used to buy campaign ads on specific issues - such as gun control, abortion and tax policy...


They have fewer disclosure requirements than other political organizations, and that means some of the big gifts made in the final stages of a campaign don't become public until after the election...


What do YOU think would happen if more financial disclosure was required to tell us, the VOTERS, where the Political money was coming from???


Like her Republican counterpart, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman wouldn't endorse limits on big-money contributions...

"Part of me wants to say sure, because we're behind in the money game, but the other part of me says no," Thurman said. "The answer is still no."


Unfortunately this is the one issue where Republican and Democratic leaders agree, and that means there's going to be no economic campaign financing reform on the horizon. But there SHOULD be...


This is the policy that is obviously being adheered to in Florida, and it's apparent that neither Political Party wants to slow down the unlimited flow of money...


So now that you know how things are done in Florida, how big is YOUR wallet??? If you're planning on running for Public Office, how much do YOU want to spend to be an elected Official???


Somehow, I really think that BUYING your way into an elected position, is NOT what our Founding Father's had in mind for America...

It's ALL about the MONEY and not much about the 'people' anymore in American politics...


What do YOU think???


For Now, That's Just 'OUR' Opinion...

Matt Bruce
Sarasota, FL.

posted by American AM @ 10:19 PM