[EL] "How to waste 10 million dollars"

[Benjamin Barr]

"Also just so I have your argument right: Voters are too ignorant to know
the issues they support unless opposition groups inundate them with
misleading, negative attack ads explaining the "truth". Is that about
right?"

Tyler, many of us support the vibrant exchange of information among
citizens, industries, interest groups, and the like.  We want more voices
and more choices, not less.  The courts tend to agree with us.  Silencing
voices, removing means to associate, and the like aren't generally good
directions to move policy in.  Allowing multiple voices to compete for our
attention and provide beneficial information is positive.

You might also note that the human psyche, being what it is, pays more
attention to negative, scary communications than ordinary, vanilla ones.
That's why people tune in to watch hurricane reports, less so for balmy
forecasts.  So, there is a value to negative advertising.  It is, of
course, by freeing people and groups to freely discuss issues as they see
fit that we get maximum information exchanged without the dead hand of
government setting up arbitrary and harmful regulations to penalize the
voluntary exchange of information.

Forward,

Benjamin Barr



On Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 3:25 PM, Joe Trotter <jtrotter at campaignfreedom.org>
wrote:

> Don't see any need to explain away voters who support that kind of
> feel-good legislation, they had their voices heard at the ballot box.
> That's now democracy works. And, rest assured, if the measures for which
> they voted don't conform with the First Amendment, they will hear our
> voices in court. These are simply facts of life in our system of governance.
>
> I suppose though the real question is if millions of dollars worth of
> outside spending buys elections and corrupts politicians, as pro-regulation
> groups like Mayday and Every Voice incessantly claim, why did their
> millions of dollars not only fail to buy the election on their behalf, but
> also fail to create a group of legislators beholden to their interests?
>
> Let's all just embrace the irony.
>
> Joe
>
>
> On Nov 6, 2014, at 1:40 PM, Tyler Creighton wrote:
>
> How do you explain away all of the voters that expressly voted for
> campaign finance reform? To name a few, Arkansas voters
> <http://www.governing.com/topics/elections/gov-arkansas-voters-term-limits-ballot.html>
> pass ban on lobbyists gifts and direct corporate & union contributions to
> candidates. Voters in Tallahassee
> <http://daily.represent.us/anti-corruption-movement-scores-major-victory-polls>
> passed an anti-corruption measure limiting campaign contributions and
> establishing public financing. Voters in Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois,
> Wisconsin, and Florida
> <https://movetoamend.org/press-release/election-shows-americans-ready-amend-constitution> overwhelmingly
> pass ballot questions calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn
> Citizens United. More on Massachusetts
> <http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_26874800/referendum-corporate-political-spending-passes-mass>
> and Wisconsin <http://scwmta.org/?p=2139> ballot questions.
>
> *Tyler Creighton* | tyler at rethinkmedia.org  |  Media Associate
> ReThink Media <http://rethinkmedia.org/> | (202) 449-6960 office | (925)
> 548-2189 mobile
> @ReThinkDemocrcy <https://twitter.com/rethinkdemocrcy> | @ReThink_Media
> <https://twitter.com/rethink_media> | @TylerCreighton
> <http://www.twitter.com/tylercreighton>
>
> On Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 1:00 PM, Joe Trotter <jtrotter at campaignfreedom.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Just a heads up, if you are interested in seeing how candidates supported
>> by groups primarily concerned with money in politics this election cycle,
>> Byron Tau and Ken Vogel wrote a great piece, "How to waste 10 million
>> dollars
>> <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/2014-elections-mayday-pac-larry-lessig-112617.html>."
>>  Additionally, if you haven't seen it, CCP released an analysis of
>> candidates supported by MayDay PAC, which is available here
>> <http://www.campaignfreedom.org/2014/11/05/mayday-pacs-candidates-sink/>.
>>
>> It is always great to see new people and groups exposing voters to their
>> ideas and always interesting to see how well received those ideas are by
>> the electorate.
>>
>>
>> Joe Trotter
>> Center for Competitive Politics
>> 124 S. West St., Ste. 201
>> Alexandria, VA 22314
>> www.CampaignFreedom.org
>> jtrotter at campaignfreedom.org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Law-election mailing list
>> Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
>> http://department-lists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/law-election
>>
>
>
> Joe Trotter
> Center for Competitive Politics
> 124 S. West St., Ste. 201
> Alexandria, VA 22314
> www.CampaignFreedom.org
> jtrotter at campaignfreedom.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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