Campaign Finance in AP Government

Overview

• This lecture is part of Unit 5 in the AP Government curriculum.
• Focuses on how national political campaigns' organization, finance, and strategies affect the election process.

Historical Context

• Modern political campaigns are extremely expensive.
  • Over $14 billion spent on the most recent presidential election.
• There are regulatory laws and debates about the role of money in campaigns.

Federal Elections Campaign Act (FECA) 1974

• Established the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to oversee and regulate campaign finance.
• Set limits on:
  • How much a person can give to a candidate.
  • How much a candidate can spend on their campaign.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

• Supreme Court case addressing campaign finance limits.
• Key points:
  • Spending money on campaigns is tied to First Amendment's freedom of speech.
  • Restricting campaign spending = restricting freedom of speech.
  • Upheld limits on contributions to candidates but struck down limits on campaign spending.

Hard Money vs. Soft Money

• Hard Money: Direct contributions to a candidate, regulated by FECA.
• Soft Money: Contributions to parties/interest groups for indirect support, initially not subject to strict regulation.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) 2002

• Also known as McCain-Feingold Act.
• Increased hard money donation limits.
• Introduced transparency and regulations on soft money.
• "Stand By Your Ad" provision: Candidates must approve their messages in ads.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

• Challenged BCRA's limitations on campaign contributions by individuals and corporations.
• Supreme Court decision:
  • Limits on contributions from individuals and corporations were a violation of free speech.
  • Allowed unlimited corporate and union political spending.
  • Resulted in increased political spending by various entities.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

• Organizations raising money to influence voting.
• Types of PACs:
  1. Connected PACs:
     • Formed by corporations/unions.
     • Can only collect funds from members.
     • Donations to candidates are limited.
  2. Non-connected PACs:
     • Formed independently, focused on specific interests.
     • Can accept donations from the public.
     • Donations to candidates are limited.
  3. Super PACs:
     • Can accept unlimited donations.
     • Cannot coordinate directly with candidates.
     • Criticized for potentially limiting democracy by amplifying wealthy voices.

Conclusion

• Campaign finance remains a contentious issue in politics.
• Ongoing debates about whether reforms have improved or worsened the political landscape.

Additional Resources

• Review packet available to help ace the exam.