Revenge of Citizens United

[Stellar]

Revenge of Citizens United
Concerns are mounting that huge checks in the GOP primary will hurt the party's chances of taking the White House.

Republicans could barely contain their glee when the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision cleared the way for unlimited spending in political campaigns.

But now — headed into a crowded presidential primary that promises to be longer, nastier and more expensive as a result of the ruling — some are having buyers’ remorse.

Concerns are mounting among top donors and party elites that an influx of huge checks into the GOP primary will hurt the party’s chances of retaking the White House. Long-shot candidates propped up by super PACs and other big-money groups will be able to linger for months throwing damaging barbs at establishment favorites who offer a better chance of victory, the thinking goes.

Already, big-money groups have raised about $86 million to support a handful of second- and third-tier candidates — Govs. Chris Christie of New Jersey and John Kasich of Ohio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former CEO Carly Fiorina and former Govs. Rick Perry of Texas and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. In some cases, the lion’s share came from a handful of ultra-wealthy partisans, including a pair of Dallas billionaires who combined to give $11 million to a pro-Perry super PAC and a handful of donors who accounted for the majority of the $37 million reportedly raised by a pro-Cruz super PAC.

By comparison, the actual presidential campaign committees established by Cruz, Fiorina, Huckabee and Perry — which, unlike super PACs, must limit individual donations to $2,700 during the primary — raised about $19 million combined, according to their campaigns...

more at link:
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/revenge-of-citizens-united-120115.html?hp=t1_r

[elleng]

1. Nothing like 'unintended consequences!'

[Mustellus]

2. The last six months of the campaign....

.. there will be no TV. There arn't enough cable and broadcast networks to absorb all that political ad cash.

Except for Al Jezeera. For some reason, no one puts American political ads on Al Jezeera.

[Stellar]

5. Well, I've got to start watching more Al Jezeera.

Especially since I just found out that David Shuster is the Anchor there.

[LiberalLovinLug]

3. meh....Its only money

Thanks to the Bush tax cuts that Obama has renewed and then renewed again even more permanently. Add to that the half hearted prosecution of Wall Street and no attempt to bring back Glass-Steagall, The 40 year trend of the rich getting richer and poor poorer has accelerated now to the point where the very wealthy corporate class just up the ante on each other. They have to have some place to spend their money. They sure don't want to invest in American industry or workers.

[Hydra]

4. Just wait til they see the bill for this election

It's projected to be $4 Billion+.

The donations and costs are rising geometrically. The people bribing our officials(let's just call it that and be done) have been getting roughly 100x returns on their investment. $3 million in a campaign can get you $300 million in tax breaks, no-bid contracts or special favors or legal immunity. Soon they'll be spending 10s of billions to rake in trillions.

Out of control. Our society can't support that level of corruption...it can barely take what we have now.