Campaign Finance - Crisis on the Southern Border - Research Paper Example

The money raised to support the campaign bid for a certain candidate towards vying for electoral posts such as the presidential position is referred as Campaign finance. There are different names also used to refer to the same finance, depending on the country in question, such as the political finance, party finance or campaign funds (Smith, 35).These finances are gathered to help the contesting candidate traverse the country selling their policies, which they seek to put in place when they get elected to the post, while also selling the ideologies of their parties and what they stand for to the general public (Ackerman, 33). Such funds raised have a great role in influencing the outcome of a given election outcome. The more the Campaign finance a certain contesting candidate is able to raise, the higher the chances of their scooping the elective post. This is so because, when an individual contestant is in a position of raising a huge sum of Campaign finance, they are better placed to undertake successful political campaigns, organize events and commute far and wide to sell their policies and ideologies. Additionally, with more financing, the contestant is in a position to prepare descent and more campaign material such as television advertising, posters, caps and billboards (Green, 11). However, worth noting is the fact that in the modern society, Campaign finance is not only used for election campaigns. Such finance is also raised for other purposes such as supporting referendums, party activities and organizations. The Political Action Committees, also popularly known as the super PACs are the units that are involved in the planning, raising and spending of Campaign finance (Phil, 48). Super PACs are very crucial part of a contestant’s campaign, in that; they greatly determine the success or failure of a given contestant of an elective post. This is so because, the effectiveness of super PACs determines how well they can raise funds for their contestants and parties, thus determining how well their candidates are able to carry out successful campaigns, by meeting all the financial needs that such campaigns would require (David, 7). Campaign finance can be raised either through private funding or public funding. For example, in the 2004 presidential elections of the USA, the political action committees working for the then two contestants, Bush and Kerry managed to raise, close to half a billion US dollars Campaign finance (Birnbaum, 13). Nevertheless, there are several benefits accrued from Campaign finance. The fact that such financing enables the contestants, who would not have otherwise been able to undertake successful political campaigns due to shortage or resources to run successful campaigns, is such one advantage. There are many potential leaders who would be effective and suitable to deliver in the interest of the people, who may not be financially in a position to cater for the costs of undertaking campaigns for such elective posts. Additionally, the parties sponsoring such candidates may not be in a financial position to support the expenditure deemed necessary for their candidates to reach all parts of the country to sell their policies as well as those of their parties (Heard, 24). Thus, Campaign finance goes a long way in enhancing the successful contestation of such candidates for such elective posts, affording the country a type of leader who can deliver in matters, as desired by the citizens. The other benefit associated with super PACs and Campaign finance is the fact that it has served to enhance the stability of a political contestant, thus avoiding them from turning bankrupt. Undertaking a successful political campaign, to secure a selective post is a very expensive affair. When such a responsibility is left at the hands of a single individual to undertake the financing, then chances are that they may not run a successful campaign, or they are on the verge of financially collapsing and becoming bankrupt. A good example is that of the former US president Abraham Lincoln, who sought to finance his campaign for presidency using his own finances (Green, 15). Additionally, the involvement of super PACs in raising funds for the contestants of various elective posts presents an opportunity through which the supporters of a certain candidate can offer their support to the candidate. In so doing, the supporters feel as a part and parcel of the success of their preferred candidate, on the event that such candidate manages to win in the elections (Malbin, 19). Through such avenues, the admirers and supporters of a certain candidates contribute not only voting in the contestants, but also in helping them, walk the journey. However, Campaign finance and the PACS are not without some negative impacts, as long as the political circles are concerned. Through soliciting for financial supports from various individuals and the donor organizations to support their campaigns, the contestants for the elective posts are prone to manipulation and black mailing by such funding agencies. Consequently, the contestants will be required to offer certain favors to their financiers, when they succeed in securing the positions for which they have been funded to contest (Zainulbhai, 42). There have been various cases of secret donor funding for various contestants, whom they want to ensure are in power, so they can be able to maneuver their way out, when it comes to undertaking activities which would be naturally considered inappropriate. Such funding makes the individuals who received the benefits to overlook the activities of such funding agencies when they are in positions of authority (Ackerman, 41). This can clearly be exemplified by the influence of the Astors and Vanderbilts families in the early American politics, through funding some of their preferred candidates to positions of power, out of their enormous wealth, only to later manipulate such candidates to serve their interests when they succeeded to obtain the positions (Smilov, 55). Thus, the super PACs role in raising Campaign finance is detrimental to the welfare of a country, in that the candidates who succeed to obtain the positions of authority, through being sponsored by certain individuals or donor agencies are obligated to serve their interests, at the expense of the general good of a country’s citizens (Green, 20). The super PACs and Campaign finance have also had the adverse effect of making the campaigns for elective posts very hostile and chaotic. Considering that all the candidates seeking for elective posts are not equally placed to obtain financing either through private or public funding, then, an air of hostility is created (Malbin, 22). This has the effects of fuelling the feelings of resentment and animosity among the candidates who feel that others are being favored by the systems, so as to succeed in obtaining the positions of power. The hatred between the contestants is thus transferred to their supporters, who are made to resent and even hate the opposing candidates as well as their supporters. The consequence of this is the division of a country based on regional or block support for various contestants, an element that has created hostility amongst the supporters, eventually blasting into full blown conflicts (Phil, 60). Additionally, the activities of raising Campaign finance, which at times is obtained from the government through public funding has had the effect of overburdening the ordinary citizens. This comes about since, as the government seeks to fund contestants for certain elective posts, it has to create a budget for the same, which has definitely to be catered for by the tax payers. This way, the ordinary citizen ends up being burdened with the responsibility of financing a campaign, even for a candidate that such citizen did not support (David, 9). The allowance of the super PACS to receive unlimited funding from corporations and individuals who are willing to support certain candidates is an avenue for the discrimination and creation of inequality amongst the contestants. While it would seem a good idea for the Campaign finance to be obtained from various sources without limitations, there is a likelihood of certain individuals being favored by the system, since the success of their campaigns will greatly depend on their exposure and connection to donor corporations and wealthy individuals (Ackerman, 48). This has the effect of favoring the candidates with greater exposure and connectivity, while limiting the ones without such accesses. Thus, while some super PACs are well positioned to raise abundant funds, some others are not, an aspect that serves to create inequality among the contestants, giving some an upper hand over the others (Smith, 27). This is a recipe for resentment and hostility between the contestants and their supporters. In conclusion therefore, Campaign finance is an important component of political rule and governance in democracies. The role played by the super PACs in raising this fund is pivotal to the success of the contestants for elective posts. The benefit ranges from safeguarding the contestants from bankruptcy to allowing public participation in the sponsorship of a candidate of choice. However, there are certain limitations associated with this, which include fuelling of hostility and resentment amongst the contestants and their supporters, as well as the creation of a channel through which the funding agencies can influence the governance of a country. Works Cited Ackerman, Bruce. Voting with Dollars. Yale University Press, 2004. 30-49. Print. Birnbaum, Jeffrey . The Money Men : The Real Story of Fund-raising's Influence on Political Power in America. Crown, 2000. 8-19. Print. David, Kairys. Money Isn't Speech and Corporations Aren't People. Slate, 2010. 7-9. Print. Green, Mark. Selling Out: How Big Corporate Money Buys Elections, Rams Through Legislation, and Betrays Our Democracy. Regan Books (Harper Collins),2002. 10-21. Print. Heard, Alexander. The Costs of Democracy. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 1960. 23-26. Print. Malbin, Michael. The Election After Reform: Money, Politics, and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006. 12-33. Print. Phil, Treuren. How to Build a Political Campaign Fundraising Donor List. Killer Campaigning, 2009. 47-60. Print. Smilov, Toplak. Political Finance and Corruption in Eastern Europe. Ashgate Press, 2007. 54-75. Print. Smith, Bradley. Unfree Speech: The Folly of Campaign Finance Reform. Princeton University Press, 2001. 16-40. Print. Zainulbhai, Hani. Political Finance Regulation: The Global Experience. Washington, DC: International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 2009. 42-58. 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