Campaign Financing

"Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa, who holds a safe seat, has garnered campaign contributions from defense contractors, including $10,000 in the 2006 campaign from General Dynamics, the parent company of Electric Boat. Murtha shared his largesse with Democratic House candidates, including Democrat Rep. Joe Courtney, to whose campaign he donated $4,000." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17986643

Campaign finance laws allow members of congress to give money they have left over from campaign contributions to other people. There is no limit on how much they can give to their party's candidates.

"The role of incumbents as campaign contributors is constrained by the broader campaign finance environment. Members of Congress face contribution rules that are similar to those that apply to other contributors. Members can give $1,000 per election to other candidates from their principal campaign account (PCC) and $5,000 per election to other candidates from a leadership PAC (LPAC). But incumbents enjoy one substantial advantage that other contributors lack. Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations permit a federal candidate's PCC to transfer unlimited sums of unobligated hard money to any national party committee (11 CFR 113.2). In the most recent election cycles, numerous House and Senate incumbents have taken advantage of this rule and transferred six- and even seven-figure sums to the congressional campaign committees." http://www.uakron.edu/bliss/docs/Heberlig.Larson.pdf

The private citizen can only give $2300 per election cycle to a candidate. When the citizen gives money to a candidate, that citizen may be thinking the money will go to that particular candidate. Little do some contributors realize that some, or all, of their contribution may go to candidates they do not want elected.

Members of congress pontificate about morality as they participate in a slight of hand fraud. The secure incumbents like Rep. John Murtha will campaign and solicit contributions, more than they need, and funnel the excess contributions to candidates in their party who are in close elections.

The desire for one political party to win the majority in congress must be strong. The majority party gets the best offices and chairs important committees. The minority party sits by as observers. It must be humiliating to be in the minority in congress.

"Each major political party may receive public funds to pay for its national Presidential nominating convention. The statute sets the base amount of the grant at $4 million for each party, and that amount is adjusted for inflation each Presidential election year. In 2004, the major parties each received $14.592 million. Other parties may also be eligible for partial public financing of their nominating conventions, provided that their nominees received at least five percent of the vote in the previous Presidential election." http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/fecfeca.shtml

It is very difficult for a third party to get 5% of the vote. The two major parties have all the power. If there is a third party, the power will be divided by three, instead of two. No wonder they can agree on legislation that makes it hard for third party candidates. The big contributors and PACs only have to buy off two parties instead of three.

Charles Tolleson