John Nichols on Money in Politics: $10 Billion in Political ads in 2012 (video)

John Nichols of "The Nation" speaking in Tucson in March 2015
John Nichols of “The Nation” speaking in Tucson in March 2015

One issue that unites millions of voters is  their disgust for big-money politics and their hatred of misleading, negative political advertising.

When I go door-to-door with my campaign flier, I introduce myself as a progressive Democrat (which usually gets a smile and a nod) and a Clean Elections candidate (which brightens their eyes and widens their smiles). Voters are fed up with big-money politics and lies.

Earlier today, I was looking for a video on my Tucson Progressive YouTube Channel and found this clip from a speech that John Nichols of “The Nation” gave in Tucson in March 2015 at a Progressive Democrats of America event.

In this clip (below), Nichols theorizes that the negative advertising itself suppresses voter turnout. He reports that $10 billion was spent on political advertising in 2012 and 90% of it was negative advertising to disparage candidates. In 2014, with continued negative advertising, the US had the lowest voter turnout since 1942– during World War II.

If $10 billion was wasted on political advertising in 2012, what will be spent in 2016? If we want to save our democracy, we must get money out of politics.

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Didn’t see that coming, but it’s not surprising

dark money
Photo illustrating Laurie Roberts’ column. Dark, so dark!

While I was at the office this afternoon a friend dm’d me on Facebook with the news that the “Open and Honest Coalition”, the campaign spearheading two separate initiatives involving reining in dark money (good!) and changing the election system to one where a “jungle” primary would produce two, and only two, candidates for every spot in the general election (bad!), was suspending its paid signature-gathering operations due to funding drying up.

A possible explanation, per Laurie Roberts of the Arizona Republic, follows:

The dark money initiative and open primary initiative aren’t dead yet, supporters insist, but if not, they’re clinging to life by a thread.

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Evil GOP bastards vote to make ‘dark money’ even easier in Arizona

The evil GOP bastards in the Arizona Senate are taking their marching orders from the “Kochtopus” the same as Arizona’s queen of voter suppression, Secretary of State Michele Reagan, the author of SB 1516 (.pdf) “Campaign Finance Amendments.” They voted on Tuesday to make dark money even easier in Arizona.

dark_moneyHoward Fischer reports, ‘Dark money’ rules eased in AZ Senate campaign finance bill:

Senate Republicans on Tuesday approved a series of changes in state campaign finance laws that foes say eases the flow of “dark money” and makes it harder for voters to know who is trying to affect the outcome of elections.

Among the changes being made, SB 1516:

  • Removes the authority of state election officials to subpoena records of candidates;
  • Reduces the penalties for candidates who overspend;
  • Permits candidates to divert money given to their campaigns to instead help others get elected;
  • Eases requirements for disclosure on campaign advertising of the major funding sources;
  • Allows unlimited spending by outside groups on social media sites with no requirement to say who is financing those efforts.

Perhaps the most notable change would eliminate existing laws that limit how much certain kinds of charities and nonprofits can spend to influence elections.

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Secretary of State seeks to make ‘dark money’ even easier in Arizona (updated)

dark_moneyArizona’s queen of voter suppression, Secretary of State Michele Reagan, has another massive election law bill moving through the legislature. Buried deep in the bill is a political payoff to the “Kochtopus” and their dark money bag man in Arizona, Sean Noble, who funneled dark money into all of the statewide Republican candidate races in 2014.

The Republic’s Laurie Roberts assured voters that Reagan was going to do something about dark money during the campaign last year. I warned you that Reagan was lying. Since taking office, Reagan has gone out of her way to facilitate dark money in politics and to prevent new disclosure regulations. Thanks for nothing, Ms. Roberts. You were duped and duped voters for Reagan.

Here is Reagan’s latest back-door attempt to aid the “Kochtopus” and Sean Noble. Arizona bill quietly loosens dark money rules:

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