What type of person would contribute $2300 to a campaign?

[penguin7]

Do middle class people make these contributions?


It seems to me that money might decide this campaign. If we lowered this $2300 to let us say $50, would this make a fair election?

[Ninga]

1. Welcome to DU penguin7! To answer your question....a rich one.

[JDPriestly]

10. And to the second question -- yes.

The maximum donation should be $50 per person plus elbow grease, jawboning and footwork. Volunteering time should be worth more than money.

[OHdem10]

2. Only rich people can afford 2300 dollar contributions.

[LibDemAlways]

3. Middle class people usually cannot afford to

contribute $2300 to a candidate. They are too busy contributing to their mortgage/rent, car payment, grocery bill, dr. bills, utility bills, insurance bills, credit card debts, child-related expenses, federal taxes, state taxes, property taxes...and on and on.....

Anyone who has a couple of thousand dollars to contribute to a political candidate more than likely isn't middle class. I know that access to Oprah's upcoming fundraiser for Obama costs $2300. You can bet there won't be a lot of ordinary people there.

As an aside, my brother, who is an insurance adjustor, once settled a homeowner's claim for a guy who makes his living as a Dem fundraiser. The guy invited my brother to a fundraiser for former CA Gov. Gray Davis, not because he wanted him to contribute anything, but just so he could say he met Davis.

Davis obviously didn't recognize my brother and walked right over, hand outstretched, saying "And what do you do?" When my brother responded that he was a friend of the host and not there as a contributor, Davis turned on his heels without another word. When a political candidate looks at you, all he/she sees or wants to see is dollar signs.

Oh, and, welcome to DU!!

[Kingstree]

4. For most rich people

$2300 is the monthly utility bill. It's no big deal.

[welshTerrier2]

5. the wealthy

"A recent study found that 81 percent of individuals who donate at least $200 to congressional campaigns make over $100,000 per year; 46 percent make at least $250,000. Those among the bottom fifth vote less, attempt to speak to or influence public officials less, participate in organized groups less, and indeed, are only one-tenth as likely to make any form of campaign contribution as those in the top decile."

source: America Beyond Capitalism (from OpenSecrets.org)

if that's true for the $200 cutoff, one must assume it's the super wealthy who are making the maximum contribution.

[maximusveritas]

11. That study is for Congressional campaigns

there is obviously a huge difference between those campaigns and Presidential campaigns, which I assume is what the OP was talking about.

[welshTerrier2]

12. a huge difference?

i didn't assume the OP meant only Presidential campaigns but, nevertheless, does that make the point I made any less valid?

do we not see a disproportionate participation in the political process based on economic strata? do we not see a disproportionate access to the "political class" based on economic strata? do we not see an increase in influence as campaign contributions increase?

my argument is that we do and it's a huge problem.

[Colobo]

6. The most I can give at once is $50

[illinoisprogressive]

7. people who have the money

[Mojambo]

8. The people who qualified for the Bush tax cuts. That's who.

Money well spent for them.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Somebody who wants to buy a politician?

But can't really afford one.

[hey hey]

13. not the only problem..

the biggest problem is PAC money... you know the people who give money bot directly to campaigns but to political action commitiess that can run campaign ads not officially by the campaign... thats where all the corporate money comes in... Remember Swiftboat Kerry ads? Who do you think bought those "vets" all thier airtime???

public campaign financing is the only answer.. and the only way someone other then a multi-millionaire will ever get elected to major office...

McCain-Fiengold has too many loopholes..

[Exultant Democracy]

14. If we were smart we would get the money out of it and use public financing

[cosmik debris]

15. If we lowered the contribution limit

It would allow rich people to buy their offices. Poor people would never have any chance.