Posted on 01/18/2016 4:29:32 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Pointing to the effects of "horrible" super-PACs, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday said America needs to come up with a solution to keep big money out of politics.
"Well, I think you need it, because I think PACs are a horrible thing," Trump said on CNN's "State of the Union" when asked if he would pursue campaign finance reform.
The billionaire businessman, who said he is self-financing his campaign, said the wall separating super-PACs and candidates running for public office is illusory.
"First of all, everyone's dealing with their PAC. You know, it's supposed to be like this secret thing. They're all dealing with it," he said.
Trump pointed to a pair of simultaneous rallies for Republican primary candidate Jeb Bush, one hosted by his campaign and the other by a pro-Bush super-PAC.
"Bush had an event where he had an event for his whatever and an event for his PAC, right? For his campaign. The ballrooms were right next to each other and the events were simultaneous," he said. "You tell me they're not dealing with each other?"
He said candidates become "psychologically" beholden to their big-money donors, which may influence them to disregard the public interest.
"Yes, yes, oh yeah. I mean, look, psychologically yes. That's the way it is," he said when asked if politicians are swayed by their benefactors.
"Somebody gives them money, not anything wrong, just psychologically when they go to that person, they're going to do it," he added. "They owe them. And by the way, they may therefore vote negatively toward the country."
"That's not going to happen with me."
This would be the best idea....but CU is a step in the right direction. No way what you propose above will EVER happen in this nation of wealth envy idiots. But you're right...should be unlimited donations but with full and total disclosure.
Nothing new. Stockholm Syndrome. They identify with their captors and turn on the conservatives every election.
Trump is not saying he would end PACs (and union donations) but rather reform it. Enforce existing laws such as no coordination between PAC and campaigns. And if they want free speech, make it truly free where donors names and amounts are identified. Why would they want to stay anonymous if they believe in their cause so greatly? Are they looking for future payback and want to keep it a secret? Why hide...like Ted apparently hide his Goldman Sachs “loan”? Transparency, people.
Your TDS is getting boring. Trump is self funding. His comments are reasonable in terms of monies effect on a candidate. K street is why DC never changes only gets worse. That someone is open to change does not mean they are advocating for a particular positionPlease... This Trump "is self funding" crap is embarrassing.
Do you know how much the DEM's and associated PAC's spent during the last general? Can you say Billions? Trump doesn't have the liquidity to keep up with that. Do you really think that Trump will a huge chunk of his personal fortune into this?
Trump is skating right now because of all the earned media he's getting. To the media he's a ratings boon. And the bonus for the media is that they get to pick our (most unlikely to win in their minds) candidate again. If Trump wins the nomination, the MSM will turn on so fast that it will even make the heads of Romney and McCain spin.
Trump - if he gets there - won't be self financing in the general. That is if he's serious about winning.
Is there a difference? Do you know the Koch Brothers have donated $100 million to pro-amnesty organizations, and partnered with George Soros on the New America Foundation to promote amnesty and a pathway to citizenship?
They have ammo for every GOP candidate, not just Trump. Have you seen the Rafael Cruz "Ted is a king, annointed to rule over society" video yet? Or looked into Ted's links to Glenn Beck and David Barton and those profiting from illegal alien resettlement? And that's just Cruz. They have 20 phone books on Jeb.
But we also have ammo on Hillary. the only question is, will our nominee do what is necessary to make naked, blunt appeals to the only vote that matters in 2016: the WHITE VOTE? And can a GOP nominee from the establishment -- and yes that includes Cruz -- possibly win that vote? I don't think so. The Cruz plan was to be moderate on immigration and conservative on everything else. that all changed when Trump came in. But if Cruz prevails, there is no doubt he will go back to pursuing the 40% of Latino vote he got in Texas, by re-moderating on immigration. If he does that, Hillary will win a dramatic victory.
This has always been my position too. However, somehow I do not believe that unlimited contributions directly to candidates with full disclosure is the kind of campaign finance reform that Donald Trump would support. Most incumbents only support campaign finance reform that make challenges to their incumbency more difficult.
It is probably too much to hope for that the media will begin asking Trump for details about what kind of campaign finance reform he believes is needed.
They are 100% emotionally invested in their guy now. Nothing he says or does will sway them now.
It’s really sad too...
To see people compromise so many of their principles and ideals in the name of a candidate, particularly when we have just about the most perfect conservative candidate we have ever had...
I knew about it and if I said anything about it then FReepers called me a leftist who hated big money.
Frankly you people deserve every ounce of what you’re trying to bring upon yourselves.
Based on what Trump says, no one can have ethics unless they are self funding totally. He’s a cynical yankee corrupt New Yorker, who believes in nothing but payola.
He can’t conceive that Cruz, for example, opposes ethanol....unless he’s paid by big oil to do so. It doesn’t dawn on the toupe that maybe Cruz believes in American fossil fuel just on its merits.
What so many freepers cannot understand is that sometimes money follows beliefs, not the opposite. They also mis the incredible danger to the Republic if only super rich people can run for office.
so you’re in favor of a bigger more powerful IRS with even more rules. Yeah, that’s just conservative as hell.
George Washington was probably the wealthiest man in Virginia, maybe in all the colonies....
Take a breath. You over reaction on all of this is pointless
Primaries are so folks can express their opinion. Vote for whomever you want.
There is no nominee yet. So how about we ‘uns just work real hard to have either Trump or Cryz be the nominee rather than the other yobs
Will Rogers said,
We have the best Congress Money can Buy.
No doubt lobbiest money corrupts, and big big money corrupts absolutely.
The Cheap Money Labor Express has sold out the American Worker, they don’t care if Americans are unemployed, if we have no manufacturing in the USA, as long as they continue to get richer each day.
Agreed.
Similarly, John Hancock was the wealthiest man in Massachusetts. Rich people in politics doesn’t seem like a problem to me.
the key is to shrink government... period....because humans are corrupt with power.....but if you think money buys government now, just WAIT til only the self funded can run.
You ain’t seen nothing yet dude. Learn a little human nature.
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