Big money fuels presidential campaign
By the time you read this, we will have the results of Florida’s Republican Primary. If you have watched the debates, you know they are becoming more personal on character, with comments that would be cause for libel lawsuits were it not politics. And, it seems the TV media is adding fuel to the fire, not just at the debates, but each major network furthers the intensity of the comments with analysis of the debates by “political contributors” of both Republican and Democrat persuasion.
If you follow the money as reported in all media sources, the Super Political Action Committees (PACS) are literally pouring money into the political process and a large portion of the spending is via TV. We are talking only about Florida at this point, but the spending on TV networks in any state is aimed at reaching the most voters.
We have tried to watch all the debates starting on day one and have seen the primary process eliminate the contenders down to the current four — the four with the strongest personal constitution for their cause. The major spenders are the top two vote recipients — Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. As the debates intensify and voter reaction is measured by perceived appeal as well as actual votes, the funds keep flowing in support of these two individuals. Romney seems to have more friends willing to chip in a million dollars to a Super PAC working in his behalf. Not to be left out, Newt Gingrich has a very wealthy family (Sheldon and Miriam Adelson) who have contributed $10 million to a Super PAC which supports him. It makes it very difficult to see how you or I can have any major impact on the actual outcome of the nomination process. The Super PAC spending is designed to expose the faults, weakness or character issues of an opposing candidate, not educate the public about issues. It has been reported that two labor organizations are contributing to Super PACS opposing Romney — probably because he is pro-business. Even a Super PAC established to support President Obama is spending funds opposing Romney. There are estimates that as much as $16 million could have been spent in the final week before Floridians voted.
Most reports seem to believe the Adelson contributions are a result of Newt Gingrich’s support of Israel. Romney was very much a supporter of peace in the region, during the Jan. 26 CNN debate, when asked a question about his views on the IsraeliPalestinian situation by a Palestinian-american. How does a person who is jobless, busy seeking employment and trying to make ends meet fully assess the effects of these issues when he or she goes to the polls?
The kinds of “behind the scenes” activities that take place between candidates and their wealthy contributors are reason for all of us to be concerned. The Adelson’s PAC gift should tell us something about Gingrich’s support of Israel in any situation threatening them perhaps even to the extent of military action. It certainly involves foreign aid decisions to the region. This is beyond the realm of most of us but is within the power that goes with the presidency. How the unions justify their actions, I don’t know since they are making decisions about how to spend their member’s union dues as well as the way the tax structure of the nation will affect everyone.
While the two top contenders fight with words and Super PAC ads, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum use minimum funds to keep hammering away about issues that we should all be following. Ron Paul is not new to the Republican presidential primary field. I still have his signs from the campaign four years ago. His message is more about smaller government and sound fiscal policy than about personality. Rick Santorum frequently sounds and even looks (in my opinion) more like presidential material than anyone on the platform. However, a lack of funds and solid but limited political exposure will keep him, along with Ron Paul, on the outside of the main characters, during the debates.
No matter who finally survives the primary process, and is selected in August, he must face an incumbent with a seemingly insurmountable amount of money. After promising much more than he could deliver, even more than the office allows in some instances, the president is still the president. He can campaign in Air Force One, which the Republican nominee cannot and his every move is reported by the media somewhere. The experts say a lot will depend on the jobless rate (unemployment) and our sense of economic security when we go to the polls in November. How much of January’s rhetoric will be remembered by then? Only the dollars spent will be tabulated to tell us why we voted as we did.
••• Editor’s note: Leo Lynch, a native of Benton County has deep roots in northwest Arkansas. He is a retired industrial engineer and former Justice of the Peace. He can be contacted at prtnews@nwaonline.com.