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2018 Midterm Election Thread

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  • Originally posted by B-Fly View Post
    How are your political campaigns funded up there?
    I imagine it is less of an issue regardless, since the rest of the world limits the campaign window. We spend waaay too much money AND time having our politicians campaign rather than do the jobs they were elected to do.

    Comment


    • Our elected officials both Senators and Representatives spend a ridiculous amount of time making fund raising calls.
      It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must stop it.
      Bill Clinton 1995, State of the Union Address


      "When they go low - we go High" great motto - too bad it was a sack of bullshit. DNC election mantra

      Comment


      • Originally posted by B-Fly View Post
        How are your political campaigns funded up there?
        It's complicated, but conceptually political parties are funded through two sources: private contributions ...

        Only individuals — not corporations or trade unions — may donate. Contributions are limited to up to $1,500 a year to each political party and up to $1,500 to all of the registered electoral district associations, contestants seeking the party’s nomination and candidates for each party. In addition, donors may give up to $1,500 to leadership contestants for a party as well as up to $1,500 to independent candidates. These limits were set in 2015, and the amounts increase by $25 each year. Political actors must disclose the names of anyone who donates more than $200.
        ... and publicly funded ...

        First, political parties and candidates receive a reimbursement of some of their election expenses (see Political Campaign). Political parties that received either 2 per cent of the national vote or 5 per cent of the vote in the districts in which they ran candidates receive 50 per cent of the money they spent as a reimbursement. Candidates who received at least 10 per cent of the vote receive 15 per cent of the election expenses limit in their district as a reimbursement. In addition, if the candidate spent at least 30 per cent of the limit during the election, the reimbursement increases to 60 per cent of what the candidate spent during the election.

        Second, Canada provides generous tax credits for donations to political parties and candidates. The first $400 of donations receives a 75 per cent tax credit; the amount between $400 and $750 receives a 50 per cent credit. Amounts over $750 receive a 33 per cent credit. An individual’s total tax credit in one year cannot exceed $650.
        Of course this is a hugely controversial topic up here as the formula changes from time to time, but the rough guidelines don't change much - tight limits on personal contributions, no corporations or unions can contribute, and some of the parties expenses will be recovered, with tax credits helping offset the remaining costs.

        Source: Political Party Financing in Canada

        There's a good summary at the bottom of that page of the approach taken ...

        At the heart of the above controversies, and the regulation of political party financing itself, is a tension between the liberal democratic principles of freedom and equality. On the one hand, liberal democracies recognize the freedom of citizens to use their resources — including money — to achieve their political objectives. On the other hand, such freedom can compromise the fundamental political equality of citizens by giving those with access to greater financial opportunities excessive influence over the electoral process. It is this tricky balance that Canada’s regulation of political party finance attempts to strike.
        It certainly feels that way. But I'm distrustful of that feeling and am curious about evidence.

        Comment


        • Originally posted by DMT View Post
          $ = free speech means those without money are silenced. That's one of the fundamental problems with our country IMO.
          Yup, I know we disagree on this one. Those without money have access to many platforms for free expression; in fact, with modern technology, I'd argue much more than in times past and also much more potentially influencial. But, let's accede that poor/lower middle income individuals have less access to free expression than those who are wealthy; I'd posit that having government limiting free expression is a path to disaster. For example, let's just say for discussion that the GOP holds the House and Senate this election cycle. Do you really want the GOP and Trump deciding what free expression should look like?
          I'm just here for the baseball.

          Comment


          • Pipe? bombs or suspicious packages mailed to George Soros, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and now to the CNN NY building. Yeah, this is normal...
            "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
            - Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

            "Your shitty future continues to offend me."
            -Warren Ellis

            Comment


            • Im sure this is Trumps fault...........
              It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must stop it.
              Bill Clinton 1995, State of the Union Address


              "When they go low - we go High" great motto - too bad it was a sack of bullshit. DNC election mantra

              Comment


              • Originally posted by baldgriff View Post
                Im sure this is Trumps fault...........
                Yep... it's called stochastic terrorism.

                Stochastic terrorism is "the use of mass communications to incite random actors to carry out violent or terrorist acts that are statistically predictable but individually unpredictable. In short, remote-control murder by lone wolf."
                If DMT didn't exist we would have to invent it. There has to be a weirdest thing. Once we have the concept weird, there has to be a weirdest thing. And DMT is simply it.
                - Terence McKenna

                Bullshit is everywhere. - George Carlin (& Jon Stewart)

                How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? - Satchel Paige

                Comment


                • Let's try to wait for better information about who is doing this and what information about their motives can be determined before making accusations or assumptions. Scary frickin' times.

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by B-Fly View Post
                    Let's try to wait for better information about who is doing this and what information about their motives can be determined before making accusations or assumptions. Scary frickin' times.
                    Thanks for being the voice of reason. I knew someone would take the bait....
                    It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must stop it.
                    Bill Clinton 1995, State of the Union Address


                    "When they go low - we go High" great motto - too bad it was a sack of bullshit. DNC election mantra

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by baldgriff View Post
                      Thanks for being the voice of reason. I knew someone would take the bait....
                      Which is why you dropped the lure into the water? Baiting a partisan response isn't that much better than taking the bait, dude.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by B-Fly View Post
                        Which is why you dropped the lure into the water? Baiting a partisan response isn't that much better than taking the bait, dude.
                        LOL - sometimes you just have to see how quick it will happen. Trolling?? OK - I will confess, in this case maybe.

                        I do appreciate that you will quickly bring it back though. I cant stand Trump - but I also cant stand the ideology that he is the cause of everything that is wrong in the world. He may be the result - but not the cause......
                        It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must stop it.
                        Bill Clinton 1995, State of the Union Address


                        "When they go low - we go High" great motto - too bad it was a sack of bullshit. DNC election mantra

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by baldgriff View Post
                          LOL - sometimes you just have to see how quick it will happen. Trolling?? OK - I will confess, in this case maybe.

                          I do appreciate that you will quickly bring it back though. I cant stand Trump - but I also cant stand the ideology that he is the cause of everything that is wrong in the world. He may be the result - but not the cause......
                          Yea you really got me. I'm checking my back for strings.
                          If DMT didn't exist we would have to invent it. There has to be a weirdest thing. Once we have the concept weird, there has to be a weirdest thing. And DMT is simply it.
                          - Terence McKenna

                          Bullshit is everywhere. - George Carlin (& Jon Stewart)

                          How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? - Satchel Paige

                          Comment


                          • It's ok DMT ---- the strings have been cut..
                            It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must stop it.
                            Bill Clinton 1995, State of the Union Address


                            "When they go low - we go High" great motto - too bad it was a sack of bullshit. DNC election mantra

                            Comment


                            • I've got conservatives in a Facebook debating group who insist that they've deduced this must be the work of left-wing terrorists since the right-wing wouldn't do this because all the polls are going their way. The need for people to take an unfolding incident and to create a narrative that is comfortable for them given their pre-existing worldview and set of prejudices is just super unhelpful.

                              This sort of thing should be (and I feel like it used to be) something where we all, regardless of ideology or political "team" identification rally around "the flag" and basically say, "No! No ends justify these kinds of means. This cannot happen in America and we need to find the perpetrator(s) and bring them to justice, and then figure out how to minimize this kind of thing going forward."

                              Comment


                              • But we dont rally around the flag anymore.
                                It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must stop it.
                                Bill Clinton 1995, State of the Union Address


                                "When they go low - we go High" great motto - too bad it was a sack of bullshit. DNC election mantra

                                Comment

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