Bloomberg: Constitution ‘must change’ to give government more power

[Platapus]

A friend of mine is running for a State House position in Virginia. This is a part time position that pays about $17,000 per year.

In order to run for this office, he told me that he has to raise $1,000,000 for his campaign. For a small part time job as state house member.

He then told me that in the very near future, for the same position, it will probably cost $5,000,000.

That is one of the problems with politics. It costs so much money to run a campaign that the candidate has to get the money from somewhere. Local donations won't cover it so they turn to the Political Party for funds. Multiple strings are attached at multiple places.

It really should not cost a million dollars to run for a state assembly position. But it does. And the funding race keeps getting bigger and bigger.

You will have a tougher time winning an election by spending $500,000 if your opponent is spending $1,000,000. So you might as well spend $1,000,000. Then next election your opponent spends $1,500,000. Wadda goin to do?

There is no such thing as string-less donations.

I don't know what the solution is, or whether any solution may be worse then the disease.

But if you have to spend $1,000,000 to get a $17,000 part time job, that opens up a lot of potential for corruption.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Platapus

A friend of mine is running for a State House position in Virginia. This is a part time position that pays about $17,000 per year.

In order to run for this office, he told me that he has to raise $1,000,000 for his campaign. For a small part time job as state house member.

He then told me that in the very near future, for the same position, it will probably cost $5,000,000.

That is one of the problems with politics. It costs so much money to run a campaign that the candidate has to get the money from somewhere. Local donations won't cover it so they turn to the Political Party for funds. Multiple strings are attached at multiple places.

It really should not cost a million dollars to run for a state assembly position. But it does. And the funding race keeps getting bigger and bigger.

You will have a tougher time winning an election by spending $500,000 if your opponent is spending $1,000,000. So you might as well spend $1,000,000. Then next election your opponent spends $1,500,000. Wadda goin to do?

There is no such thing as string-less donations.

I don't know what the solution is, or whether any solution may be worse then the disease.

But if you have to spend $1,000,000 to get a $17,000 part time job, that opens up a lot of potential for corruption.

If it costs 1 million in a state such as Virgina then in a large state such as California,Florida,New York and Texas the money needed for a campaign must be higher. I bet it costs 10 to 20 million in a state with a large population.

I know for certain here in Florida there is a lot of wealth in some hands but of course these persons represent a small portion of the population.All the money is in Broward,Dade and West Palm Beach county or at least the majority of the private money is.

[August]

$68 million for our recent Warren v Brown senate race. And that doesn't count the millions spend by PAC's.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by August

$68 million for our recent Warren v Brown senate race. And that doesn't count the millions spend by PAC's.

Was that a state or national seat?sorry I do not know anything about Ma. politics.My impression was that Platapus was talking about state level seats.

I was referring to state level campaigns not those headed for D.C.

At any rate one million dollars is too much for a state office campaign.

[August]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Was that a state or national seat?sorry I do not know anything about Ma. politics.My impression was that Platapus was talking about state level seats.

I was referring to state level campaigns not those headed for D.C.

At any rate one million dollars is too much for a state office campaign.

Yes he was but they follow the same pattern. That was a record btw.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by August

Yes he was but they follow the same pattern. That was a record btw.

The late Senate election in FL the one the Marko Rubio won cost only counting the top three contenders and rounding off $42.5 million.

This page if accurate implies that we are both wrong MA did have the most expensive race.
http://www.opensecrets.org/overview/topraces.php

FL was king of the hill for House seats.


Notice how most of the money is spent in the biggest Blue and Red states?


What a farce the whole thing.

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

I know for certain here in Florida there is a lot of wealth in some hands but of course these persons represent a small portion of the population.All the money is in Broward,Dade and West Palm Beach county or at least the majority of the private money is.

Don't I known it, I'm living next to the Intercostal and all I've got to is go outside and look across the water. There's at least five or six mansions that are visible, just Google Hypoluxo Island.

[Simmy]

"Good guy in the hood"? That's a load of crock. He's a millionaire Politician from Chicago.

Well I only used that term because he was just a nobody at one point and living in a mansion the next. Someone was pumping money into the cause that's for sure.

[August]

Originally Posted by Simmy

Well I only used that term because he was just a nobody at one point and living in a mansion the next. Someone was pumping money into the cause that's for sure.

He comes from money on his mothers side I thought.