All this was predicted 11 years ago by Washington’s preeminent campaign lawyer, Cleta Mitchell, in a report (available at www.conservative.org) with a section titled, “OK, Fine, Let George Soros Replace the DNC” (Democratic National Committee). Writing before the McCain-Feingold speech restrictions were passed, Mitchell presciently said: Pass them, and money will still fund political advocacy. It will, however, flow into special committees that, forbidden to coordinate with candidates, will spend money for speech for which candidates cannot be held accountable.
The threshold choice is this. Americans can keep the system they currently have — campaigns financed by voluntary contributions of after-tax dollars from individuals eager to participate in politics by funding the dissemination of political advocacy they favor. Or they can choose government funding of politics. The latter is what many critics of Citizens United want, although they are as sly about their real aim as they are confused about Citizens United.
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