Obama Kills Campaign Finance Reform, Liberals Suddenly Don’t Care!

I should say: liberals except for Jack Lohman, who's probably giving birth to kittens right about now.

The story: Obama raised $150 million in September alone - that's nearly double what the "public financing" system gives a presidential candidate.

Has the 2008 election signaled the end of public financing for presidential campaigns?

In some ways, yes. Barack Obama, the first major-party nominee to forgo federal funds since the advent of the system in 1976, has raised more money than even his own campaign thought imaginable. The Democratic nominee’s $150 million haul in September alone dwarfs the $84.1 million total that Republican John McCain can deploy for the entire general election season in his public grant. Overall, Senator Obama has raised more than $600 million, nearly twice what Senator McCain has. Party money has supplemented both campaigns’ efforts, but not enough for McCain to keep up with Obama.

As disturbing as Obama's money lead is, particularly to someone who voted for John McCain earlier today, my honest reaction is: geez, my side shoulda raised more.

Spending my own hard-earned cash to support a cause I believe in is an extension of my First Amendment rights. Any attempt to stop me is a subversion of those rights. Money in politics might be a problem, yes. But the "solutions" we've been offered are worse.

In the past, liberal thinkers haven't thought so. For example, back in 2006, Ed Garvey wrote:

...they sure as hell don't want to discuss campaign finance reform and the governor's lack of leadership on the issue, not to mention his questionable fundraising from state vendors, utilities and casino advocates.

And:

Green reported that he has raised $1.4 million and his Republican opponent has raised $67,000. Terri McCormick has $1,000 and change in the bank and Mr. Per Diem Gard has $657,000 in the bank. Surprise prediction: Gard will win the primary.

The system is broken. The realtors, bankers, utilities and WMC members nominate their candidate. I don't know Terri McCormick and you won't get to know her either because the main-street media has written her off. Why? No money. Ideas, maybe, but no money so bye-bye.

We need a better answer.

Funny, isn't it, that I have to go back to 2006 for that. You'd think he'd still be writing about it now. Especially now.

But he isn't. Funny, like I said.