This Isn't A Fair Fight

[BDBopper]

This afternoon I have written my first blog entry about the 2008 election without the mention of Mike Huckabee. I am quite uncomfortable that neither Obama or McCain are playing by the same rules as far as campaign financing is concerned.

Granted I have not chosen a dog in the fight (and I might not when all is said and done). However I have a huge problem with the current state of campaign financing between the campaigns of John McCain and Barack Obama. Obama has refused Federal matching funds. This means that Obama can raise as much money as he wants and spend as much as he wants I have no problem with that on the surface. The problem lies in the fact that John McCain is accepting Federal campaign matching funds. Doing so places limits on how much money McCain can raise and spend. Does anyone else think this is fair? Despite being a Conservative, I would also have a problem if the roles were reversed.

I believe that each candidate should be on an equal footing (as far as rules). If Senator Obama is going to be able to raise and spend as much as he wants than John McCain should be able to do the same. In other words if a candidate refuses Federal matching than that should trigger a mechanism that eliminates Federal matching funds from the contest in question. In addition if a candidate takes Federal matching funds any other candidate should be required to accept them too. This would give each candidate an equal footing in the rules department. Otherwise it is not fair. As for 2008 it is very clear that the contest is not fair. Am I the only person out there that has a problem with that?

[Alex]

Isn't it still within McCain's power to reject matching funds and campaign without the limits imposed by accepting them? Isn't he choosing to handicap himself, if it is a handicap? Or is the reason he hasn't done that (and McCain did drag his feet for a long time without making a commitment one way or another) because he figures he will be better off financially with the public funds than without?

And the 3rd and 4th sentences of your second paragraph can't coexist.

[tracilicious]

I agree with Alex. If McCain thought he could raise more money without the funds, he wouldn't take them. He can't compete with Obama's fundraising prowess, so he takes the government's money.

[BDBopper]

Thanks for pointing that out Alex. I will edit that. I don't care what the situation is. I'd be much more comfortable if each candidate was required to accept matching funds or if they do away with the matching funds all together. I don't think it is in our country's best interest to operate an election this way.

I will admit it humors me a bit to see McCain shoot himself in the foot with his own campaign finance rules that hurt my candidate's ability to raise funds and operate his campaign against McCain in the primary.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by BDBopper

I will admit it humors me a bit to see McCain shoot himself in the foot with his own campaign finance rules that hurt my candidate's ability to raise funds and operate his campaign against McCain in the primary.

As the previous 2 posters point out, he's hardly shooting himself in the foot if he doesn't think he can raise as much money as he's going to get via federal funds.

And even if he would have been able to raise some small amount more, it is likely still worth it to him to be able to say, "See, I'm abiding by campaign finance reform."

[tracilicious]

The fact is though, that without matching funds, McCain would have a great deal less money than Obama to campaign with. The Republican party just does not have the grassroots economic support that the dems have right now.

[3894]

Originally Posted by tracilicious

The Republican party just does not have the grassroots economic support that the dems have right now.

In fact, this afternoon the hubbo and I went to a voter registration training session at the local Obama hq. The place was packed to the rafters with trainees, now newly-certified voter registration deputies.

Sure, we'll register even the most rabid rightwinger. But the organization has some very finely-tuned research about how and where to register those most likely to vote Dem.