he already has,he did it months ago. he's overspent what he was allowed in the primaries. good thing for him the FEC is dysfunctional. otherwise he'd never have been able to finish the primaries in front. and how about paying all that back John? and the 300k from the guy who thinks women should enjoy rape? and reimburse the wife for the private jet.

He has a lot of nerve talking about someone breaking their promises. Ask his first wife how good his promises are. Hell he's flipped on almost every issue,including torture. Their only hope is that they can use the media to distort this issue.
To not look at what he's done and concentrate solely on Obama.

Most of the media is buying into the McCain whining point that Obama broke a promise. Yet what Obama said last year was that if his opponent would agree to abide by public campaign financing rules then so would he.

McCain broke public campaign financing rules in order to keep his campaign afloat back in January. McCain may talk a good game about public financing... but his actions show that he has no intention of sticking to public campaign financing rules.

Obama is using public financing of the best kind: A million + small donations from the public. Cue the crybaby logo for Ms. Beer's hubby.

flaEsq: Cue the crybaby logo for Ms. Beer's hubby.

drop out? he just opted in yesterday. does he honestly think no one will notice that?

burndtdan: does he honestly think no one will notice that?

The loyal flock will be standing over in the corner whistling and furiously not noticing anything.

Mordant: The loyal flock

a group that i know exists in theory, but i have yet to meet one.

burndtdan: Mordant: The loyal flock

a group that i know exists in theory, but i have yet to meet one.

Sort of like Hillary supporters. We kept hearing that there were millions, yet I only ever met two or three versus the dozens of Obama supporters I met.

I know more Bob Barr supporters that McCain supporters at this point.

Code_Archeologist: I know more Bob Barr supporters that McCain supporters at this point.


*Giggles* I know more LaRouche supporters than McCain supporters, but I live in Boston, so my sample may be a bit biased.

Quite frankly, I think Obama's current system is superior and all current and future candidates should be forced to use it.

You want to run for president? Fine. But you need the voluntary support of the American people to do it. No tax dollars.

No, Senator, the correct response is "This just proves that public financing, no matter how noble its intentions, is a pipe dream. The federal government should not be in the business of subsidizing politicians with taxpayer money."

That would have been really maverick. And principled, too.

/Still thinking of freezing myself until 2012
//worried that I'll overshoot and wake up in the 25th century fighting a bunch of atheist otters

Is it really ironic?

Obama's decision affects how his campaign will be financed and run. Of course McCain should reevaluate how he finances his own campaign.

ExJerseyGirl: Is it really ironic?

Obama's decision affects how his campaign will be financed and run. Of course McCain should reevaluate how he finances his own campaign.

I think the irony is McCain decrying Obama's move and immediately following it by saying "but i might do it too"

That's textbook irony, Cubby

Ninepoundhammer:

That's textbook irony, Cubby

You can't have an "ironic" thread without at least one post questioning the use of the tag, and another one singing...

like ra-in on your wedding day

cheshirecatsmileyface: Quite frankly, I think Obama's current system is superior and all current and future candidates should be forced to use it.

You want to run for president? Fine. But you need the voluntary support of the American people to do it. No tax dollars.

i agree. to quote ross perot about the subject:

"the principle issue that separates me is that five and a half million people came together on their own and put me on the ballot. i was not put on the ballot by either of the two parties, i was not put on the ballot by any PAC money, by any foreign lobbyist money, by any special interest money. this is a movement that came from the people. this is the way the framers of the constitution intended our government to be, a government that comes from the people. over time, we have developed a government that comes at the people, that comes from the top down. where the people are more or less treated as objects to be programmed during the campaign with commercials, and media events, and fear messages, and personal attacks, and things of that nature. the thing that separates my candidacy and makes it unique is that this came from millions of people in fifty states all over this country who wanted a candidate that worked and belonged to nobody but them. i go into this race as their servant, and i belong to them. so this comes from the people."


the only thing about that statement that doesn't also represent obama is the part about not being part of one of the two parties.

what_now: Code_Archeologist: I know more Bob Barr supporters that McCain supporters at this point.


*Giggles* I know more LaRouche supporters than McCain supporters, but I live in Boston, so my sample may be a bit biased.

Yeah, I live in Atlanta, so I know my sample is biased.

This thread could be epic.

Flame on...

McCain said that Obama's move to drop out of the system "should be disturbing to all Americans McSame supporters.

MasterThief: No, Senator, the correct response is "This just proves that public financing, no matter how noble its intentions, is a pipe dream. The federal government should not be in the business of subsidizing politicians with taxpayer money."

I agree with this.

MasterThief: No, Senator, the correct response is "This just proves that public financing, no matter how noble its intentions, is a pipe dream. The federal government should not be in the business of subsidizing politicians with taxpayer money."

That would have been really maverick. And principled, too.

/Still thinking of freezing myself until 2012
//worried that I'll overshoot and wake up in the 25th century fighting a bunch of atheist otters

I don't know, I'd be more worried about this:

Hobodeluxe: he's overspent what he was allowed in the primaries. good thing for him the FEC is dysfunctional. otherwise he'd never have been able to finish the primaries in front.

This x100.

I do like the idea of public financing of campaigns. It would allow those holding office and seeking re-election or election to a different office to focus on their job rather than on raising funds. It also means that there would not be an arbitrary limit on the speech that goes with donations, but that those with lots of money would not have a disproportionately loud voice. No one would be allowed to contribute at all.

All of that said, McCain-Feingold + internet -> a similar effect. The main difference is the arbitrary limit on contribution speech, but I can live with that.

ExJerseyGirl: Is it really ironic?

Obama's decision affects how his campaign will be financed and run. Of course McCain should reevaluate how he finances his own campaign.

I was thinking that it's more hypocritical than ironic, really. I suppose it is unexpected and so may satisfy the definition of irony.

Dude's just proving his point.

This whole issue is just more proof that Obama is just another farking politician. Add it to the ever-growing list.

republicans have a brain aneurism trying to figure out how to attack obama for backing out of mccain-fiengold while raising holy hell against it up until now.

Shaggy_C: This whole issue is just more proof that Obama is just another farking politician. Add it to the ever-growing list.

One that won't use public moneys should be a conservative's wet dream. Of course, real conservatives are difficult to find these days.

ExJerseyGirl: Ninepoundhammer:

That's textbook irony, Cubby

You can't have an "ironic" thread without at least one post questioning the use of the tag, and another one singing...

like ra-in on your wedding day

Because God forbid Fark becomes a bit more unpredictable and original like it used to be.

Mordant: The loyal flock

a group that i know exists in theory, but i have yet to meet one.

How about Elizabeth Hasselbeck? I saw that biatch on Fox the other day. She was telling Hannity how Obama is more than willing to "give a fist bump to Ahmadinejad or Chavez but not to General Petraeus."

So the new Fox talking point is "fist bump," never mind that Obama HAS met with Petraeus. But she went on and on about Obama's poor judgment while saying how she trusts McCain's.

That cow belongs on that network as a regular. That network is proof that behind some beautiful faces lie some very ugly human beings.

Whats this BS about Obama going back on his word.

The original agreement that Obama was a part of asked him to use only public money if his opponent agreed to only use public money.

Just more right wing lies.

What else is new.

Ninepoundhammer: ExJerseyGirl: Is it really ironic?

Obama's decision affects how his campaign will be financed and run. Of course McCain should reevaluate how he finances his own campaign.

I think the irony is McCain decrying Obama's move and immediately following it by saying "but i might do it too"

That's textbook irony, Cubby

You call it irony, I call it hyopcrisy. meh, whatever.

Another desperate attempt by Flip Flop McCain to remain relevant. So far I think his campaign has been run worse than both Kerry's and Gore's combined.

as someone else already notedd, McCain already break his own campaign finance law. he was just waiting for obama to publically admit hes not going to partake in public money before he can come out and pretend like he hadn't planned on doing the same thing all along.

mcwebe0: I do like the idea of public financing of campaigns. It would allow those holding office and seeking re-election or election to a different office to focus on their job rather than on raising funds. It also means that there would not be an arbitrary limit on the speech that goes with donations, but that those with lots of money would not have a disproportionately loud voice. No one would be allowed to contribute at all.

There are better ways of accomplishing this. Want your representative to concentrate on his job rather than re-election? Prohibit consecutive terms in office, and make it illegal to campaign or accept campaign contributions while in office. Want to allow people to give as much as they want to candidates without giving rich people a disproportionately loud voice? Require a portion of all campaign contributions to be put into a common pool to be used equally by all valid candidates for an office.

AdolfOliverPanties That cow belongs on that network as a regular. That network is proof that behind some beautiful faces lie some very ugly human beings

Very well said.

Of course, Hannity & Limbaugh are proof that sometimes ugly goes right to the bone

Fark needs some fervent McCaniacs who'll defend him in the face of absolutely anything, no matter what the circumstances, like a few Obama fans. It'd make the politics tab more interesting.

cheshirecatsmileyface: Quite frankly, I think Obama's current system is superior and all current and future candidates should be forced to use it.

You want to run for president? Fine. But you need the voluntary support of the American people to do it. No tax dollars.


That would certainly be the best option. I would support tax dollars being used as the second option if it gets the lobbyist money out of the mix. I'd much rather have $100M in tax dollars spent to fund campaigns than have our politicians owing favors - this is where the taxpayers get effed.

Smellvin Fark needs some fervent McCaniacs who'll defend him in the face of absolutely anything, no matter what the circumstances, like a few Obama fans. It'd make the politics tab more interesting

I take it you haven't met McCaintheUniter yet.

Don't worry, I'll host a social and introduce the two of you.

mccain can't opt out of public funds, at least not until the gop convention due to the fact that the fec board is missing members and can't achieve a quorum to conduct business. the bush nominations to fill the empty fec slots are being refused confirmation and i highly doubt the dems would confirm even if the nominees were acceptable...why would they let mccain have funds? it's not in their best interest.
mccain will be breaking the law if he goes over the spending limit atm...he's spent about $45 mil and has a cap of $54 mil. not much left...he's hosed.

MasterThief:
//worried that I'll overshoot and wake up in the 25th century fighting a bunch of atheist otters

Galapagos?

steverockson: Ninepoundhammer: ExJerseyGirl: Is it really ironic?

Obama's decision affects how his campaign will be financed and run. Of course McCain should reevaluate how he finances his own campaign.

I think the irony is McCain decrying Obama's move and immediately following it by saying "but i might do it too"

That's textbook irony, Cubby

You call it irony, I call it hyopcrisy. meh, whatever.

agreed...ironic AND hypocritical...didn't want to belabor the hypocrisy (thought it was obvious)

Shaggy_C: This whole issue is just more proof that Obama is just another farking politician. Add it to the ever-growing list.

By doing what no presidential candidate since the establishment of the fund has ever done? Riiiight...

Anyway, the only reason McCain finds it disturbing is because he knows now that he doesn't stand a snowball's chance of matching Obama's fundraising. I'd be disturbed too if I knew that my opponent was going to have more than 2.5x the money I had to campaign.

Koalaesq: Smellvin Fark needs some fervent McCaniacs who'll defend him in the face of absolutely anything, no matter what the circumstances, like a few Obama fans. It'd make the politics tab more interesting

I take it you haven't met McCaintheUniter yet.

Don't worry, I'll host a social and introduce the two of you.

Wait are you a terrorist who never killed anyone and is now a respected UofC professor? If so, I would opt out, Smellvin.

SkyIsFailing: By doing what no presidential candidate since the establishment of the fund has ever done? Riiiight...

Because he specifically said he would use public financing as long as his opponent did, and then unilaterally pulled out. That's just shiatty.

Shaggy_C: SkyIsFailing: By doing what no presidential candidate since the establishment of the fund has ever done? Riiiight...

Because he specifically said he would use public financing as long as his opponent did

Citation?

Shaggy_C

Bravo, sir!

Ace Frehley's Ghost: Citation?

In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My plan requires both major party candidates to agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election. My proposal followed announcements by some presidential candidates that they would forgo public financing so they could raise unlimited funds in the general election. The Federal Election Commission ruled the proposal legal, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.

-Barack Obama



/being the first to toss the public financing idea overboard kind of blows that out of the water, eh?