2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumLet's use aikido on Citizen's United. The whole world is invested in us 'getting' climate change.
Since even foreign governments can spend unlimited money, how can we get the attention of some of the countries who could donate to the Obama campaign to move sane climate policies?
freshwest
(53,661 posts)That would move things along, since they always resist alternative energy.
That's what you mean here, right?
Since the USCoC used foreign money in 2010, I see where you're coming from, it would be just desserts. Those elections were as much about keeping fossil fuel dominance as taxes.
But foreign campaign money was illegal, or at least it once was. And the right would have a field day in the media, but then every day is, since they own it.
Interesting idea there.
mahina
(17,778 posts)I thought it was no longer illegal but I've not read the Citizens United ruling and certainly am not trained or even literate in the law. I did attend an ACLU forum on the ruling and understood, maybe wrongly, that foreign money could be used. It was explained that this would be very threatening to the US as we know it but I am now thinking, hell, if we can bring in those dollars, good!
I am sure the world would very much like to buy a government for the US that would be rational on climate science.
If it's illegal, well then I guess that's that. I am not suggesting anybody do anything illegal, God knows.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)That came from overseas. Long before the Citizens United ruling, though. You may be right, it might be legal. If we have money from abroad helping conservative causes, why not the other way around?
muriel_volestrangler
(101,424 posts)This February article seems to say it would be illegal, but hard to find:
"Clearly it is more difficult to enforce the ban on foreign spending when the source of the money is not publicly disclosed," said Trevor Potter, head of the Campaign Legal Center and former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission. Potter is the attorney advising television comedian Stephen Colbert, who set up his own super PAC to illustrate absurdities of how money affects U.S. elections.
Foreign political donations have been outlawed since 1966, and a brief U.S. Supreme Court order last month upheld the ban for foreigners living in the U.S. as well as corporations and individuals abroad.
At the same time, a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2010 known as the Citizens United case enabled corporations and other well-financed donors to give money to political committees that avoid direct coordination with campaigns. The decision led to super PACs, and later court and government rulings gave the groups more latitude by allowing donors to make unlimited donations with minimal disclosure requirements.
Election law experts said the result is an environment that could breed foreign money abuses by political committees willing to knowingly violate the law or by foreign donors who covertly funnel money to favored U.S. candidates and causes.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/10/super-pac-donations_n_1267750.html