This is the first US Presidential election since the enactment of the Campaign Finance Reform Act. And the mud and money are flying more furiously than ever in the US.
The Campaign Finance Reform Act was intended to diminish the influence of rich citizens and lobby groups by limiting individual campaign contributions to $2000. To encouraging free expression of political opinions, individuals and groups are able to run political advertising that does not endorse a specific candidate. The groups may not coordinate with a candidate’s campaign. These ‘independent’ groups are usually called 527s in reference to the IRS code under which they operate.
Unable to endorse a candidate, the 527s instead attack the opposition with a fury more vigorous than a candidate would associate himself with directly. A record level of political advertising is expected this electoral season. Sixty-three million dollars of these ‘independent’ television ads have already run opposing President Bush, and a mere two and a half million against Senator Kerry, all under the guise of independent expression.
The ads have a tendency to stretch the truth. Move-On, one of these 527 groups, ran an ad attacking the Bush administration for cutting education funding and veterans benefits. Based on President Bushs latest budget, both education spending and the Veterans Affairs budget would increase by more than 35 percent.
The latest dust up has come from a small group, The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and a minor $200,000 ad buy. The group purports itself as formed: to counter the false ‘war crimes’ charges John Kerry repeatedly made against Vietnam veterans who served in our units and elsewhere, and to accurately portray Kerrys brief tour in Vietnam as a junior grade Lieutenant.
Mr. Kerry has defined his persona for the American electorate, and his Presidential bid, on his four months in Vietnam. He rarely mentions that he returned from war to throw his metals, or ribbons (no one is sure), over the fence of the White house in protest. He has skimmed over his twenty years in the US Senate to highlight his service in Vietnam. Candidate Kerry accepted his partys nomination with a salute and the words: My name is John Kerry and Im reporting for duty.
The charges by Mr. Kerrys former comrades undercut the premise of his candidacy- that he is more qualified to be president because of his military record. Polling shows the ad by the Swift Boat Veterans has affected American public opinion. The Democrats are in a tizzy and crying foul.
Kerrys surrogates have repeatedly challenged President Bushs service in the Texas National Guard during the Vietnam War. Neither President Bush nor Vice-President Chaney saw active duty during the Vietnam War. President Bush has been called a Chicken Hawk by Senator Latenburg (D-NJ) and Vice President Cheney a coward by Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). Yet any public scrutiny of Kerrys war record is akin to questioning his heroism according to the Kerry camp.
Allowing Michael Moore and his mistruths free reign, the Democrats have sought to curtail the free speech of the veterans in the Swift Boat Group. They have attempted to interfere with the publication of the Swifties book Unfit for Command and intimidate bookstores that carry it. They have sent letters to television stations urging them not to run the ad. They have filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing the Bush campaign of collaboration with the Swift Vets.
The Democrats point to Bob Perry, a Republican supporter (from Texas!) and his $200,000 contribution to the Swift Vets. They ignore George Soros, who has given 12 million dollars to anti-Bush 527s, and his business partner Peter Lewis who contributed 14 million. The Democrats, typically the party of the little guy, appear unconcerned that the team of Soros and Lewis with their twenty six million dollars is subverting the democratic process, in spite Soros nearly Socialist agenda for the US.
Missing in the Democrats fury and the anti-Bush media coverage in the US is the fact that Mr. Kerry has not released his military records, as Mr. Bush has, or directly addressed the allegations of these men. (Read on …)