Campaign finance reform clears things up

Mickey Kaus:

We're told that once John Kerry and George Bush accept public funds to run their campaigns after their respective nominating conventions, they will be banned from raising funds or spending funds contributed prior to the nomination.

That presumably means Kerry must somehow spend all the record-breaking millions he's raised so far before the convention. But what can he spend it on? Can he pay for October ad time in advance? (How do you stop him?) Can he pay Bob Shrum and his other consultants their full-year fees? Can he pay for his plane in advance? If so, the restriction might not be so hobbling. But it was hobbling enough that Kerry considered delaying his formal acceptance of the nomination to postpone the cutoff date.

So how, exactly, does it hobble?

I'll bet Kerry breaks about twenty laws before he even knows it.

And Bush will do the same.

The laws have gotten so complex and convulated that even teams of lawyers (maybe that should read "especially teams of lawyers") can't figure them out.

How exactly does this make elections fairer?

Oh, I see. Money doesn't matter like it once did.

Not.
- posted by total @ 7/09/2004 06:42:00 AM .