Subtitle: Broken System or Broken People?
McCain remains committed to the public funding for campaign finance. Most voters would like to do away with it. Obama did away with it. McCain can’t do away with it legally. Obama broke a promise. And I’m still not sure if the system is really broken.
Obama’s decision to eliminate public campaign finance was historic. No major party candidate has ever done that before. While his people and McCain’s people supposedly sat down to hammer out an agreement, one of Obama’s lawyers said it was clear, they would not be able to come to an agreement. Thus begins the wave of change. However, what Obama also shirked were rules regarding how much money he could spend on his campaign. (Note here: Generally speaking, the candidate that spends the most money, wins the general election. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but I couldn’t find an exception to this rule since early in our country’s history.)
McCain’s Campaign Finance Problem
Now McCain is forced with a choice. He has left the door open to opt out since his opponent has. He might not be able to because when his campaign was strapped for cash, he borrowed money using the public funds as collateral. (Don’t ask how that works–just follow me here.) Now the FEC has to rule that he can drop out. . .he can’t just do it. If he can’t drop out, he’s limited in his spending and Barack is not. Slick Obama, very slick.
Broken System or Broken People?
From the get go, the Obama campaign has been all about going against the status quo. It will not be politics as usual under Obama. To prove his sincerity on this point, he has refused to take money from lobbyists and special interest groups. Honestly, I think it’s commendable as much as it is a smart campaign move. It says that he cannot be bought. (Or that’s what his campaign wants us to believe.)
McCain has taken a more hands off approach. He’s simply said that he can’t go around policing 527’s (a loophole in the public financing system that allows special interests groups to donate large amounts of money) and that he can’t be bought. That’s that.
But here’s the thing–isn’t a system broken because of its people? Simply refusing special interest group money does not a noble make. When push comes to shove, it’s refusing the demands of those who will line our pockets when those demands are not in line with our beliefs and/or promises. McCain, while he’s chosen a different path, hasn’t done anything to let us believe that he can be bought. If politics were filled with folks of integrity. . .the system wouldn’t be broke.
Recently In Politics:
Michelle Obama to Visit the View
Obama and McCain on the Economy
The Vice of E-mail in This Election
John Stewart and Stephen Colbert
Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, and also writes about politics and the occassional movie review. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
Are you subscribed to the Families.com Politics Blog? With the click of a button, you can receive an email notification anytime a new blog is posted in the Families.com Politics Blog! Just look to the right of this blog and find the subscription center (it looks just like this picture). Click on “Subscribe via Email”. You’ll be instantly subscribed and the email address that you registered at Families.com with will receive an instant notification whenever we post a new Politics Blog! Don’t miss a thing – subscribe now!