What'll you bet, this will cause some conservative legislators to re-think 'Citizen's United

[bigtree]

from Public Integrity:


Democrats seize super PAC crown
Liberal groups outraise conservative counterparts 2-to-1 during first half of 2013

With Congress fighting over gun legislation and immigration, and 2014 midterm races already simmering, many left-leaning donors are eagerly bankrolling these free-spending groups that the party faithful have often criticized for unleashing unlimited money into political races.

Liberal-aligned super PACs combined to raise more than $40 million during the first half of 2013, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of filings submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Their conservative counterparts, meanwhile, collectively raised about $20 million.

That’s a stark contrast with 2011 and 2012, when Republicans rapidly deployed the nascent organizations following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling that led to their creation . . .

“Despite ideological opposition to super PAC spending, I don’t see Democrats wanting to play on an uneven playing field,” said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in California. “This is the political reality.”

Twenty super PACs raised more than $2 million during the first half of 2013, federal records show, and 13 of them are generally aligned with Democrats. In fact, the top six are all liberal groups.


read more: http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/08/01/13104/democrats-seize-super-pac-crown

related:

Super PACs raising the most cash in 2013

Rank Super PAC Name Viewpoint 2013 Receipts
1 Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC - Liberal - $6.6 million
2 DGA Action - Liberal- $4.2 million
3 Workers' Voice - Liberal - $3.8 million
4 House Majority PAC - Liberal - $3.4 million
5 Senate Majority PAC - Liberal - $3 million*
6 American Bridge 21st Century -Liberal - $2.9 million
7 Texans for a Conservative Majority - Conservative - $2.2 million
8 Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal - Liberal - $2.2 million
9 Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund - Conservative - $2.1 million
10 Independence USA PAC - Liberal - $2 million
11 CE Action Committee, formerly NextGen Committee - Liberal - $1.9 million*
12 Working for Working Americans - Liberal - $1.9 million
13 American Crossroads - Conservative - $1.9 million
14 Friends of Democracy - Liberal - $1.8 million
15 Americans for Progressive Action - Conservative - $1.7 million*
16 Senate Conservatives Action - Conservative - $1.3 million
17 Ready for Hillary - Liberal - $1.3 million
18 Restore America's Voice PAC - Conservative - $1.3 million
19 Kentuckians for Strong Leadership - Conservative - $1.2 million
20 Battleground Texas - Liberal - $1.1 million

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. Or maybe Progressives will.

People are self-serving. They may oppose something but they will defend it soon enough if they believe it helps them. Billionaires are bad -- until they become OUR billionaires.

[City Lights]

3. So true. nt

[Nye Bevan]

2. I wonder whether this will cause DUers to rethink their opposition to Citizens United? (nt)

[Bradical79]

4. Don't know if this is good or not.

On one hand, I'm glad that the Republicans won't end up with the massive funding advantage I was afraid Citizen's United would give them. On the other hand, we still have the problem of rich people spending a lot of money on political candidates. I wonder what the wealthy are buying with their Super Pac money? Usually when a rich person uses a lot of money to get a candidate (or candidates) elected they expect something in return.

[bigtree]

6. you just know

. . . it would have to get worse, on way or the other, before there's another political impetus to act to reform the law. We know that most Democrats are motivated to reform the campaign finance laws, so, it's encouraging to see the republicans at a disadvantage playing their own game.

[Scuba]

5. Wow, $40 million!

The Koch brothers drop that much change just getting their keys out of their pockets. Each.

[dtom67]

7. what do you bet that ...

this explains the rightward shift of the Democratic Party?

Rich people aren't shelling out that dough because they want their taxes raised....

And do not confuse " Liberal" with "Democrat"; as a true Liberal believes in Workers' rights,protection of the environment and the protection of civil liberties . Apparently, these days, Democrats believe in cutting Social security, the appointment of corporate shills to regulatory positions, massive Military budgets, Spying for domestic "terrorists" ( protesters ), Constitutional ass - wiping, torture and absolute secrecy of Governmental activities.

Citizens' united must go, if there is ANY chance to save our Democracy.

Money in Politics is Corruption in Politics.

regardless of the beneficiary....

[Nye Bevan]

8. "Rightward shift of the Democratic Party"?

So Bill "end welfare as we know it" Clinton, who enthusiastically signed NAFTA, was what? A socialist?

[zipplewrath]

9. He was the beginning

Clinton and the DLC was the start of this shift. There had been hope that Gore would have moved us back left a bit. Obama has moved us even further to the right, economically, budget wise, and militarily.

[dtom67]

10. If you would like to peg the rightward slide to an earlier date...

I would not argue with you. As a UAW member in SE Michigan, I was pissed about NAFTA, but I did not spend much time back then looking at politics ( pre-Internet ). I was too busy working 60-80 hrs a week; whatever overtime i could get my hands on.

But, you are right.

I am using citizens united as a scapegoat for where the Party is now. If you just start complaining about actual Democratic support of non-social issue policy, it will automatically be taken as a slam of the President. The resulting flurry of attacks that result are unpleasant.

And I am a sensitive Mother F'er, as we say in the Plant.

Citizens' United is not Obama's fault, so I am fine with blaming it all on the Money. Which is what I believe, anyways.

And , yes; Bill Clinton is a perfect example of a Dem who is not a Liberal.

I am going to assume that you are merely pointing out that the current Democratic administration is not the first to engage in corporate servitude, and that you are NOT arguing that Citizens' United is "swell "

[bahrbearian]

11. It takes time for the Progressive to raise money, it takes 1 minute for the Koch's Match them.