Super PACs

Money & Politics: The Rise of the Super PACS and the Ethical Dilemma
for Democracy
BY DAVID LINARES, SERENA NUNGARAY, CARLOS CRUZ, ABDULLAH ALI

What is a Super Pac?

A relatively modern, independent political

action committee that is allowed to raise and
spend unlimited amounts of money from
corporations, unions, individuals, and
associations.

Brief History

Recent Super PAC that supported President Barack Obamas re-election

bid was Priorities USA Action, a liberal super PAC.

The Super PAC that has the most total money raised is Right to Rise
USA supporting Bush Jr.

$1072.6m was raised and $985.7m was spent.

Total raised approximately $103.2 million.

Before super PACs there was PAC

The most a PAC was able to donate was $5,000 per election.

Situational Details
Court Case:
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Extending the donations and recognition to for-profit corporations, labor unions,

and other associations

Speechnow.org v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Violated the Speech Freedom right

Chief Executive of Dreamworks Animation; Jeffrey Katzenberg

Contributed 3 million to Priorities USA Action Super PAC; Supporting Barack

Obama

Casino Owner; Sheldon Adelson

Contributed 21 million to Winning Our Future; Supporting Newt Gingrich

Accounted for 19% of all contributions

Why Super PACs are wrong

Group of individuals have greater voice

in democratic process and on public
policy

No limits on donations received by

candidate

Unlimited amounts of money goes

towards on television ads

During 2012, 111 super pacs spent over

143 million in donations

Donors tend to be businessmen (closely

tied in with candidate) disguised as a
fake organization

Pros and Cons of Super Pacs

Pros:
Allows candidates and political
parties to organize voter
registration and get-out-the-vote
drives
Enables candidates to travel
Advertisements can help
candidates gain national recognition
about who they are

Cons:
Spreads fear
Distorts issues
Takes away opportunity for
meaningful debate
Spoils politics with irresponsible and
dishonest political advertisements
Allows wealthy individuals to draw as
much as they want from their own
personal fortune to fund campaigns

Results of Super PACS

Individuals that have money are the only ones with a voice
Normal citizens have to petition to change laws

Super PACs allows for wealthy individuals to skip this process, allowing their
donations to give them a voice in politics

Candidates with limited funds will not garner exposure and will likely
fall out of election race quickly
Selected number of individuals control media and politics

Solutions #1

require all tax-exempt, non-profit

organizations that participate in
elections to reveal their donors

define more precisely what

coordination for independent
expenditures means

media should report what influences

policy while the policy is being
formulated

Solutions #2

Fighting back as citizens(A Whole) to

change our system back to
democracy

Improve Disclosure

Strengthen Regulations on
Coordination

Voting is a most powerful form to

express each single citizen

Advice

Money should not buy democracy

Millions of people around the world

should have a say in elections not
only the "rich"

We as the people need to raise hell!

So the rich can't buy our law makers

Stand up for what is right, united as

one we can outlaw our
economic/political rights as voters

Lessons to be learned

People should have their freedom of

speech

Half of the money is unknown, no

one knows where it comes from

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY is not longer

existing

Wealth outlawing most valued power

Anyone can do it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu
yYBE0mD-s

Works Cited
Christenson, D. , & Smidt, C. (2014). Following the money: Super pacs and the 2012 presidential
nomination. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 44(3), 410-430.
Gulati, Girish J. "Super PACs and Financing the 2012 Presidential Election." Society 49.5 (2012):
409-17. ProQuest. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
Jones, Jessica. "4 Solutions to Fight the Corruptive Influence of Money in Politics." LWV. N.p., 21
Jan. 2015. Web. 02 Dec. 2015.
Sweetser, Kaye D, Kristin English, and Juliana Fernandes. "Super PACs and Strong Relationships:
The Impact of Digital Interaction on the Political Organization-Public Relationship." Journal of
Public Relations Research, 27.2 (2015): 101-117.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuyYBE0mD-s