Why are matching funds an issue?

[Hep]

Only two presidential candidates had been declared eligible for federal matching funds as of early October. Dean, who has opted out, and Lyndon LaRouche.

Why is anyone making a big deal of it when so far no one else is even eligible?

http://www.fec.gov/press/20031008eligible.html

[cjbuchanan]

1. I'm sure all candidates will be eligible for matching funds

Come January.

[Hep]

2. I guess the news is

that several of them have submitted their applications in the last coupla weeks. I'm sure they'll be declared eligible.

But when you look at the requirements, you have to wonder why (with the exception of Clark) it took this long to meet them.

I also wonder whether it was conscious strategy to wait until Dean opted out to declare.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. I am sure it was them holding off on purpose

[Hep]

6. I don't know if you're being sarcastic,

but you think it took everyone this long to get $5000 from 20 states? If so, the other candidates are SCREWED! Even LaRaouche managed that by October.

[MidwestTransplant]

9. Not being sarcasti....I think you are right

[BlackFrancis]

4. I forgive Dean on it for now

His money comes more from small individual donors than anyone but Dennis. The problem isn't money, I don't have a problem with the people collectively buying off a politician. Hopefully he will stay bought and remember who brought him in. The problem is big corporate donors who are spending their money expecting favors.

If later on big corps start plowing money into Dean's campaign (very likely if he takes the primary and looks like he has a reasonable chance of unseating Bush the Lesser) that will need to be watched very closely and if he starts giving away favors once he is in office as payback I'll never vote for him again.

[Kolesar]

5. Because the press does not know how to do real reporting

They are just trying to generate some controversy and sell some newspapers or get you to watch. I wish they would spend some time covering the FTAA protest in Miami this week or global warming, or any other REAL story.

[Hep]

7. This isn't the press.

This is the FEC website.

[SEAburb]

8. part of the Dem party platform is trying to reduce the dollars

used in campaigns. It is an issue that most people in this country support. Now the actions of Dean and Kerry will hurt Dems who raise this issue, making it a non-issue to use against repugs. We have now lost one of our best campaign issues.