Building on what I posted earlier today, and the point that this tsunami of campaign money ends up with broadcasters and other media outlets, I’d like to draw everyone’s attention to this:
Today a House subcommittee voted to defund a Federal Communications Commission initiative announced in April that would provide online access to spending for political ads on some local television stations. In the current election cycle, outside spending has already reached record levels, more than doubling what was spent as of the same date in 2008.
The provision, inserted into the financial services appropriations bill, would add to the uncertainty around the FCC’s political ad disclosure rule, which is in limbo. The National Association of Broadcasters, a group that represents the major broadcast media companies, sued the FCC to try to block it two weeks ago. The Office of Management and Budget has yet to approve the rule, which at the earliest would not go into effect until next month.
What have I been saying, people? It’s fine to try to go after Citizens United via a Constitutional amendment but more immediately we need to go after our broadcassters, which is where this money ends up. They want the system broken! They’re getting rich off of it! And they’re doing it on our dime, because for the most part it’s the public airwaves.
Voter participation/election day turnout is the key. The proble is that the bulk of the electorate is complacent or apathetic. Elections in the U.S. make as much sense, in far too many instances, as the selection of “American Idol” contestants or the eventual winner.
I watch much less television than a lot of people I know (since I don’t own one) but many of the people I know are grievously uninformed about U.S./World history, current events, government function and policy (at all levels) and the qualifications–or lack thereof–of their party’s candidates.
Warren Buffet was quoted, recently, as saying that he is no “card carrying democrat”. He’s also not a republican. He is an informed voter. His vote for any political candidate (or, for that matter, corporate officers of the companies whose boards he sits on) is based upon a thorough study of any information about that candidate, as well as his “take” on them as a person. Admittedly, Mr. Buffet is a very good stock picker and money manager. He generally stays out of the political fray–although he makes “progressive” statements on things such as marginal tax rates–but I would bet that he’s not missed a vote in years.
You mean “the right” voter participation/election day turnout, don’t you? If Republicans had anything close to an idea they wouldn’t spend so much time trying to disenfranchise voters.
The GOP likes low information voters who vote their side of the ticket, that’s for sure.