For beginning just a reminder what is leadership PAC: A leadership PAC is a political action committee that can be established by current and former members of Congress as well as other prominent political figures. Leadership PACs provide a way for candidates to fund their travel, office expenses, consultants, polling and other non-campaign expenses. Leadership PACs are also used to fund other candidates' campaigns, usually new candidates or threatened incumbents. Politicians often use their PACs to donate to other candidates because they are considering seeking a leadership position in Congress, a higher office, or leverage within their own party as they show off their fund-raising ability. And now an interesting article: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/27/the-fabulous-lifeofyouruslegislator.html Youd better read it, but for those with limited time some excerpts: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For example, which congressman spent $91,000 in 2013 for a getaway at Dorado Beach Club, a luxury resort in Puerto Rico known for its championship golf courses and plantation-style residences? That would be Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, who has lamented the widening income gap that separates rich and poor and has been a forceful advocate for a minimum wage hike. Which lawmaker appears to have an insatiable taste for red meat, having dropped $54,000 at BLT Steakhouse in Washington last year and another $5,000 at Bobby Vans, a favorite haunt of D.C. lobbyists? Thats House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va. If that wasnt enough to put his political contributors in a giving mood, his PAC, Every Republican Is Crucial, spent $2,300 on golf fees and golf items through 2013, in addition to the $26,000 the organization expended on a single fundraiser at the luxury golf resort Creighton Farms in northern Virginia. Al Jazeera America combed through the year-end Federal Election Commission filings of some of the most active PACs, looking for the more creative ways lawmakers choose to spend money to make money. None of the disbursements detailed above were made directly by the lawmakers offices or official campaign apparatuses, but rather by their affiliated PACs. Cantor and Hoyer, along with dozens of other lawmakers, run leadership PACs The glitz and glamour of the D.C. fundraising and schmoozing circuit is, of course, nothing new, and most falls within the official ethics rules. Nonetheless, as the cost of modern campaigns has risen to unprecedented levels, the hunt for dollars has also intensified, leading to lawmakers finding ever more interesting and expedient ways to wring money out of big donors, according to campaign finance experts. In 2012, the total cost of congressional elections topped $3.6 billion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, my question: shouldnt election spending be capped? Otherwise our (?) legislators will continue pay attention only to the needs of donors.
That is a unique idea. However you would have to define spending. Also if one PAC hit the cap, another could be just started to funnel money. I think contribution limits is the best idea. Good thought provoking topic btw.
