A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

20 May 2016

Lawton Chiles refutes Judge Lovell’s campaign finance decision

Three days ago, Federal District Court Judge Charles Lovell struck down Montana’s campaign finance limits, ruling (PDF 10MB) that “…the limits are neither narrowly focused on an anti-corruption interest, nor do they allow candidates in Montana to amass sufficient resources to wage effective political campaigns.”

Among the contribution limits struck down by Lovell was the $650 per person and political action committee limit for governor. Candidates themselves can contribute unlimited amounts of their own money, so if they’re rich enough they can self-fund, thus overcoming the terrible burden of not being able to accept whopping big donations from people and PACs.

Otherwise, the only alternative is grubbing for a lot of little checks.

Sometimes, however, that works. Democrat Lawton Chiles — the liberal He-Coon of Florida — won three elections to the U.S. Senate, and two for the governorship of Florida, never accepting a contribution larger than $100. In today’s dollars — he won his last election in 1994, beating Jeb Bush — that’s $150.

Unlike Chiles, Bernie Sanders is accepting contributions over $100. But like Chiles, he’s proving that an effective campaign can be waged by accepting many small contributions. Reports Politico:

Clinton’s tech team remains awed by Sanders’ ability to tap online a vein of spirited small-dollar donors who, through the latest Federal Election Commission filings in April, had given him about $83 million more than the amount she raised from people giving $200 or less.

It’s not limitations on the size of contributions that prevents the waging of an effective political campaign. Candidates who can’t raise enough money to run an effective campaign will find the reason for their political poverty in their mirror, not in the statutes or stars.