Super-PACS, lies and Videotape...
The run up to the Florida Primary the contest was clearly between front-runners Gingrich and Romney. With Romney ahead in the polls, Gingrich desperately clung to his victory in South Carolina with both chubby little hands. And was once again accusing Romney of traits I thought were just plain old fashioned conservatism. Gingrich has already been 'told off' as it were for attacking Romney's aggressive capitalist agenda. Now he's been accusing Romney of being anti-immigrant because Romney makes a case for legal rather than illegal immigration, something that Gingrich isn't exactly an advocate of himself. Of course, its all about preaching to the crowd you're in front of in this election. Florida has a large Latin American population, a sizeable fraction of which are registered Republicans and their votes count big time.
What Gingrich didn't seem to realise is how much it's hindered his own campaign, effectively isolating himself from factions of his own party and fuelling an unpopularity that has already convinced most of his party that he is incapable of winning in November against Obama.
So, here's what I find amazing about US elections – their financing through Super-PACS and the detrimental affect they have on broadcasting during an election year. Forgive me, my British up-bringing limits my understanding of this election tool. But here's a rough explanation:
PACS (Political Action Committees) are groups of people or organisations that lobby or campaign to elect individuals to government. These committees could only use up to $5,000 each to campaign. However, rich individuals, who didn't need the help of others had no limit to the amount of money that could be injected into their campaign. Over the years, in an attempt to ensure that less wealthy individuals could pool their money together towards an election campaign the Super PAC was eventually created. A committee can essentially raise as much money as they like for a particular candidate up for election as long as they campaign independently of the individual candidate.
What the term 'independently' means is anyone's guess...
Any how, with the money raised, these Super PACS have been causing havoc on the radio waves, TV channels and just about every walk of life for the common American. Between them, Romney and Gingrich's Super PACS forked out almost $12M before the election in Florida on Tuesday. The ads focus on smearing their opponents, and they're very good at influencing people's minds. Of course, if an ad airs 7 times in the space of a couple of hours during prime time, chances are you're going to pay attention to it at least once. I shudder to think how unbearable an election year can be for the average American, especially those that do not have the slightest interest in politics.
Here's just a sample from Restore Our Future (Romney's Super PAC - that, fyi, is filled with people who sat on the board of directors in many of his companies) and Winning Our Future (Gingrich's Super PAC - clearly borrowing a slice of Charlie Sheen's successful delusions of grandeur) respectively:
Other pre-Florida vote madness included; Santorum talking about how rape victims who fall pregnant should consider a child born of that rape as a gift from God. Gingrich promised he would colonise the moon by the end of his second 'and even less likely than a first' term in office. And Ron Paul went home to have a nap. The poor dear is 76 years old after all...
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