Dead Zombie Posts-Dispatched GOP Klown Kar Kandidate Obituaries

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

I was thinking more of the Lion's share of the money that the Corporate Overlords are "investing" in this election.

As I understand it, the Kochs were Walker's primary donors. If I had to guess, I'd say that their money will probably go to Kasich. Since he's one of the founders of ALEC, I'd say he's more of what the Kochs are looking for than Rubio is.

And then there's this.

http://gawker.com/5994678/here-are-t...-writing-about

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins...bio#.xxO9J2ejq

Little to no "there there" but it's a sign that people are frantically digging for a Rubio scandal. If there is anything to it. expect the Kochs and the other big bux guys to learn about it first.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

As I understand it, the Kochs were Walker's primary donors. If I had to guess, I'd say that their money will probably go to Kasich. Since he's one of the founders of ALEC, I'd say he's more of what the Kochs are looking for than Rubio is.

And then there's this.

http://gawker.com/5994678/here-are-t...-writing-about

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins...bio#.xxO9J2ejq

Little to no "there there" but it's a sign that people are frantically digging for a Rubio scandal. If there is anything to it. expect the Kochs and the other big bux guys to learn about it first.

That's one reason that I'm less freaked out by Citizens United than some others here. For the most part, it just gives rich eccentrics (e.g., Kochs, Edelson) a place to ineffectively spend their money on candidates like Gingrich and Walker.

As for Rubio, he's simply too wet behind the ears to be taken seriously. He may, however, end up being a VP choice.

[icenine]

Actually Citizen's United is very dangerous because it will make it impossible for good candidates without vast wealth or friends with vast wealth to be able to run for office. It is very bad for America.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Worked for Agnew until his past caught up to him.

As a former Baltimore Countian I'm still embarrassed.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by finnbow

For the most part, it just gives rich eccentrics (e.g., Kochs, Edelson) a place to ineffectively spend their money on candidates like Gingrich and Walker.

They've been pretty damned effective if you ask me.

It is most pronounced at the state level

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...es-in-1-chart/

In 2009, Republicans controlled both chambers in just 14 state legislatures. Six years later, they had total control in more than double that number. And that's not even the full, bad story for Democrats. Look at their numbers. In 2009, Democrats had full control in 27 state legislatures; by 2015 that number was down to 11, the lowest ebb for total Democratic control since, at least, 1978.

That massive disparity in state legislative control has all sorts of effects from the obvious (control of the decennial redistricting process) to the less so (a wider bench to groom future stars). And, Democrats don't have all that much time to turn things around before the effects of their losses in 2010 and 2014 become even more entrenched.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by nailer

As a former Baltimore Countian I'm still embarrassed.

Me too. His son Randy was one of my classmates. His daughter Susan was one of my sister's classmates. Spiro himself was County Commissioner at the time.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by icenine

Actually Citizen's United is very dangerous because it will make it impossible for good candidates without vast wealth or friends with vast wealth to be able to run for office. It is very bad for America.

Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin was among the most successful fund-raisers in his party, with a clutch of billionaires in his corner and tens of millions of dollars behind his presidential ambitions. But his swift decline and exit from the presidential race on Monday were a stark reminder that even unlimited money has its limits.

While a super PAC supporting him, Unintimidated, was relatively flush with cash — on track to raise as much as $40 million through the end of the year, according to people involved with the group — Mr. Walker’s campaign committee was running dry, contemplating layoffs and unable to find enough money to mount a last stand in Iowa, a state that once favored him.
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Super PACs, Mr. Walker learned, cannot pay rent, phone bills, salaries, airfares or ballot access fees. They are not entitled to the preferential rates on advertising that federal law grants candidates, forcing them to pay far more money than candidates must for the same television and radio time.

Now, in a campaign that has already upended assumptions about the power of dynasties and the limits of celebrity candidates, Mr. Walker’s decline and fall hint at the systemic dangers of the super PAC-driven financial model on which virtually the entire Republican field has staked its chances.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/us...ney-model.html

[d-ray657]

Perhaps unlimited funding is no guarantee of success, but it certainly erects a very high barrier to entry into a race.

Regards,

D-Ray

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

Perhaps unlimited funding is no guarantee of success, but it certainly erects a very high barrier to entry into a race.

Regards,

D-Ray

I think nearly everyone enters the race without big PAC money. It then becomes a beauty contest among candidates for PAC money from wealthy benefactors, while at the same time looking for hard money from supporters. It seems one cannot take advantage of PAC money unless they have enough hard money to run day-to-day operations and that PAC money plays little role until the actual primaries kick in.

[icenine]

A superpac could carpet-bomb a market with TV adds without the "permission" of the candidate whom they are supporting....so I think they can be very dangerous in that someone without a large superpac behind them may be simply drowned out.