Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Arkansas Politics Prediction: End near on limits on campaign contributions
Posted by Max Brantley on Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 8:38 AM
A Forbes writer views with alarm (justifiable, I think) the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear a case challenging the $123,200 limit on federal campaign giving to a variety of federal causes (candidates, PACs, political parties) during a two-year cycle.
It's the next logical step after Citizens United. And then will come application of the same reasoning to limits in individual races. And then will come state campaign limits.
While ending the existing limitation would put political parties on an even keel with the Super PACs in the race for big money, it would also mean the latest evisceration of the campaign finance limits put in place during the 1970’s when Congress reacted to the growing influence of money in politics—money that placed wealthy, individual donors in a position of undue influence over the nation’s elected officials.
Already, a million bucks can pretty well buy control of the Arkansas legislature — see the Kochs and the Waltons.
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