Campaign spending: too far gone to fix

Feb 2 2010

Campaign spending: too far gone to fix

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled on an election finance issue that could alter the landscape of campaigning — again. The court’s 5-4 decision on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission struck down key provisions on and limitations to spending by corporate entities on elections.

At the heart of the matter is whether state or federal laws that restrict in any way campaigning infringe on First Amendment free speech and free press rights.

Another such law recently popped up in Kentucky. And as is the case with most of these proposals to “level the playing field” and to prevent the “buying” of elections, they come with constitutional complications or they lack a healthy dose of common sense.

The Kentucky bill would prohibit a candidate from spending large sums of money given by a parent — or anyone else — for the purpose of funding a political campaign.

It’s a product of partisan politics and evolved from an election in which the daughter of a Louisville mayoral candidate used a $135,000 “gift” from Dad to pay for her successful $360,000 judicial campaign.

Kentucky law already bans anyone but the candidate from spending more than $1,000 on a state election. But it doesn't keep someone from making a personal gift to a candidate — in this case a daughter.

The proposed law creates a shopping list of circumstances under which someone can spend a bucket of money on an election from trusts to lottery winnings to sales of investments.

I find it amusing that politicians who created the problem of excessive spending on elections now feel compelled to "fix it."

I find it offensive that lawmakers would interfere in personal decisions someone makes about how he or she spends his or her money, whether it benefits that individual or someone else.

Our sitting president raised nearly a billion dollars to get that chair. Yet, in his recent State of the Union address, he took the court to task for its decision.

U.S. Senate races routinely cost hundreds of millions. And judgeships in Kentucky cost nearly a half-million. Meanwhile, elected officials begin raising money for the next election the first day they set foot in office.

American voters get what they pay for and that's not likely to change any time soon or ever.

And maybe it shouldn't.

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Campaign spending: too far gone to fix

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