Political Roundtable Part IX

[pineappleheadindc]

Another quick note about political races -- and the impact of Citizens United.

My Congressional district, the MD-08, featured a first time candidate, businessman David Trone running for the seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Van Hollen who won the Democratic primary for the open MD U.S. Senate seat. Trone spent $12M of his own money blanketing the district with mailers and was all over the airwaves with some very well-produced tv commercials. His message was that he was using his own money to campaign and would be beholden to nobody who would fund his race for the House.

His policy positions were liberal enough to be in synch with the district. He's a major (and proud) contributor to the ACLU for goodness sakes.

David Trone's millions of dollars and liberal positions were not enough to win the Democratic primary tonight. The winner was a state legislator, Jamie Raskin, who looks like an aging hippie.

I wonder if the doomsday critics about the Supreme Court's Citizen United ruling may have been overstating their case? David Trone could not buy his way into a nomination even though he dominated the spending AND had the right policy position for the district.

Just an observation.

[AFM]

Trone is also creepy as f**k. Something about him really unnerves me. I wouldn't be surprised if we read in a few years that he's been luring kids into his wine cellar.

Anyway, I'm just gonna leave this here

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY1H1rZL53I[/youtube]

LOL!!!

[montestewart]

Another quick note about political races -- and the impact of Citizens United.

My Congressional district, the MD-08, featured a first time candidate, businessman David Trone running for the seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Van Hollen who won the Democratic primary for the open MD U.S. Senate seat. Trone spent $12M of his own money blanketing the district with mailers and was all over the airwaves with some very well-produced tv commercials. His message was that he was using his own money to campaign and would be beholden to nobody who would fund his race for the House.

His policy positions were liberal enough to be in synch with the district. He's a major (and proud) contributor to the ACLU for goodness sakes.

David Trone's millions of dollars and liberal positions were not enough to win the Democratic primary tonight. The winner was a state legislator, Jamie Raskin, who looks like an aging hippie.

I wonder if the doomsday critics about the Supreme Court's Citizen United ruling may have been overstating their case? David Trone could not buy his way into a nomination even though he dominated the spending AND had the right policy position for the district.

Just an observation.

Or it might be that Raskin won because he was a known quantity already representing at the state level (for 10 years) a region with a fairly educated and informed electorate. Seems just as likely to be an exception to a trend.

The $3 million in political contributions at the center of Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co. may be an extreme example of the threat one person's money poses to the democratic process, but it shows the threat is real.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caperton_v._A.T._Massey_Coal_Co.

PS: "Aging hippie" is in the eye of the beholder. Raskin looks to me more like the law professor he was before entering politics.

[nate33]

I think the bigger argument supporting the notion that Citizens versus United won't have such an impact in the future is Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders has shown that, in the internet age, you can fund a formidable campaign exclusively through small donations from the grassroots level. Ron Paul did the same thing with less effectiveness in 2008, but I think Bernie has convincingly proved that it's a viable method of campaigning.

I hope Trump announces a plan to raise funds in the same manner because I don't think he can beat Hillary exclusively by self-funding. (He has proven to be somewhat stingy with his own money in the primary. Not sure that'll work in the general election.)

[dckingsfan]

To me, it would be hilarious if the big money got diluted (I don't think it would ever be quashed) by the grass roots money.

[cammac]

I think the bigger argument supporting the notion that Citizens versus United won't have such an impact in the future is Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders has shown that, in the internet age, you can fund a formidable campaign exclusively through small donations from the grassroots level. Ron Paul did the same thing with less effectiveness in 2008, but I think Bernie has convincingly proved that it's a viable method of campaigning.

I hope Trump announces a plan to raise funds in the same manner because I don't think he can beat Hillary exclusively by self-funding. (He has proven to be somewhat stingy with his own money in the primary. Not sure that'll work in the general election.)

He hasn't needed much money in the primaries his TV coverage has been enough plus he is far from being self funding another myth.

[DCZards]

Conservatives are playing with fire with this voter ID nonsense. We're heading full speed ahead into a political cataclysm when thousands of people are denied their right to vote in November. This is going to be ugly.

I think it becomes a non-issue given what the campaigns seem to be about.

Well, voter ID nonsense wasn't a non-issue in 2012. The Repub push for a tougher voter ID law in Ohio drove up Dem turnout there, especially in the Black community.

[closg00]

Ted Cruz needing a "jolt" named Carly Fiorini as his running mate, he should've done it much earlier.

[AFM]

Ted "Ernie" Cruz with the too late jolt lmao

[fishercob]

Ted Cruz needing a "jolt" named Carly Fiorini as his running mate, he should've done it much earlier.

At least he didn't give up a first round pick.

[FAH1223]

Ted Cruz needing a "jolt" named Carly Fiorini as his running mate, he should've done it much earlier.

Is this going to make it possible for him to have his free agency splash in July?

[I_Like_Dirt]

Ted Cruz needing a "jolt" named Carly Fiorini as his running mate, he should've done it much earlier.

At least he didn't give up a first round pick.

But he did do this:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gplpSfaouP8[/youtube]

[JWizmentality]

Jesus, even Cruz's kids hate him. WTF lol

[AFM]

That's because he's been haunting their dreams since starring in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

[dckingsfan]

Conservatives are playing with fire with this voter ID nonsense. We're heading full speed ahead into a political cataclysm when thousands of people are denied their right to vote in November. This is going to be ugly.

I think it becomes a non-issue given what the campaigns seem to be about.

Well, voter ID nonsense wasn't a non-issue in 2012. The Repub push for a tougher voter ID law in Ohio drove up Dem turnout there, especially in the Black community.

Yep, made sense during that campaign - but check out the campaigns today. I think the "outsider" thing is going to trump (no pun intended) some of these near-term traditional issues. I could easily be wrong - but I think this election is going to hinge on other issues. I think it will be a tertiary issue to our continued under employment rate - those not in the workforce, our economic rebound but not household wages, the environment and global warming, criminal justice and over imprisonment, health care and Obamacare issues, education and education debt.

[closg00]

Another quick note about political races -- and the impact of Citizens United.

My Congressional district, the MD-08, featured a first time candidate, businessman David Trone running for the seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Van Hollen who won the Democratic primary for the open MD U.S. Senate seat. Trone spent $12M of his own money blanketing the district with mailers and was all over the airwaves with some very well-produced tv commercials. His message was that he was using his own money to campaign and would be beholden to nobody who would fund his race for the House.

His policy positions were liberal enough to be in synch with the district. He's a major (and proud) contributor to the ACLU for goodness sakes.

David Trone's millions of dollars and liberal positions were not enough to win the Democratic primary tonight. The winner was a state legislator, Jamie Raskin, who looks like an aging hippie.

I wonder if the doomsday critics about the Supreme Court's Citizen United ruling may have been overstating their case? David Trone could not buy his way into a nomination even though he dominated the spending AND had the right policy position for the district.

Just an observation.

MoCo has one of the largest Jewish populations outside of NY and Raskin has name recognition. Had Kathleen Matthews (finished 3rd) not been in the race, perhaps Trone could have won.

Glad that race is over, Trones people were knocking on my door several days a week and he put out enough mailers to kill a family of trees.

[I_Like_Dirt]

There goes John Boehner, reacting like I expected more of the Republican establishment to react when faced with a choice between Trump and Cruz. To be honest, I'm surprised so many have seen Cruz as the better option just based on the fact that Cruz is the known quantity, and that's a terrible thing in this particular case.

[nate33]

There goes John Boehner, reacting like I expected more of the Republican establishment to react when faced with a choice between Trump and Cruz. To be honest, I'm surprised so many have seen Cruz as the better option just based on the fact that Cruz is the known quantity, and that's a terrible thing in this particular case.

Brutal!

[dckingsfan]

I think it becomes a non-issue given what the campaigns seem to be about.

Well, voter ID nonsense wasn't a non-issue in 2012. The Repub push for a tougher voter ID law in Ohio drove up Dem turnout there, especially in the Black community.

Yep, made sense during that campaign - but check out the campaigns today. I think the "outsider" thing is going to trump (no pun intended) some of these near-term traditional issues. I could easily be wrong - but I think this election is going to hinge on other issues. I think it will be a tertiary issue to our continued under employment rate - those not in the workforce, our economic rebound but not household wages, the environment and global warming, criminal justice and over imprisonment, health care and Obamacare issues, education and education debt.

And this SHOULD be one of the major topics in the presidential debate - but I doubt that either side can get an edge elucidating the issue.

[pineappleheadindc]

There goes John Boehner, reacting like I expected more of the Republican establishment to react when faced with a choice between Trump and Cruz. To be honest, I'm surprised so many have seen Cruz as the better option just based on the fact that Cruz is the known quantity, and that's a terrible thing in this particular case.

Brutal!

Whoa-- if that's an accurate quote, Boehner really HATES Cruz.

Just amazing.