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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated

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From: LindyBill	3/21/2007 8:43:25 AM
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Will YouTube put the final nail in the McCain-Feingold coffin? BETSY'S PAGE BLOG In the past two national elections, it became clear that the growth of 527s was making a joke of the desire of supporters of campaign finance reform to get money out of politics. While old-time PACs and interest groups faced all sorts of restrictions on how and when they could contribute to political campaigns, independent groups funded by billionaires could keep on running whatever ads they chose. It could be that the power of the internet may provide another workaround for campaign finance reform. The political class is buzzing about the ad placed on YouTube that uses Hillary Clinton as the Big Brother voice in a remake of the famed 1984 Apple ad and then fades to a message of support for Barack Obama. It's now been viewed by close to a million and a half people. No one really knows who made the ad but it certainly has gotten a lot of attention and free replays on network and cable news shows. As Jonathan Garthwaite points out, there is nothing in McCain-Feingold that can stop someone sitting down at his own computer and putting together ads criticizing a candidate and posting it on the internet. "Not much could be done about the anonymous fliers, but McCain/Feingold and its restrictions on free speech and issue advocacy groups, like the Christian Coalition and the Sierra Club, have tried to stop independent expenditures from having their desired effect too close to the election. Congress in essence tried to create an incumbency-protection law. That protection is quickly coming to an end. In the past, money was an insurmountable barrier on the average American to having an influence on elections but with the advent of the Internet, YouTube and viral Internet campaigns, any individual with access to a computer, creativity and limited technical skills can create a devastating message. Only the creativity and effectiveness of the message can limit its ability to spread like a wildfire." When campaign finance reform was being debated, critics said that it was futile to try to keep money out of politics and that it would find a way to influence campaigns. Now, massive infusions of money are not even necessary for someone unconnected to campaigns to have an impact. betsyspage.blogspot.com

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