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MPAC NEWS – October
MPAC urges the Muslim American community
to donate in election campaigns
This election cycle, Americans have heard a great deal of emphasis from political pundits and presidential candidates alike about how much money has already been collected and how much is yet to be raised from untapped donors. This chatter about money, however, is drowning out the conversation that should be the focus of all presidential campaigns--that is, are the candidates reaching out to the American public and addressing the issues of concern they care about?
Election 2008, much like past campaigns, has focused on outreach, but the beat of this drum has the presidential hopefuls chanting to the fundraising tune. Since the campaign kicked off, candidates in both the Democratic and Republican parties have been trying to out-do one another in raising funds, with Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL) leading the entire pack of presidential contenders. In the second quarter of the federal elections (which includes April through July), Senator Clinton raised $27 million. This is according to Opensecrets.org, an online source sponsored by The Center for Responsive Politics, which also reports a total bankroll of $63 million thus far in the New York senator's campaign. Impressive, particularly since former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the leading Republican contender, has raised $44 million, twenty percent of which comes from his personal wealth.
Where does all that money go? In large part, to funding communication--direct mail, radio, television, internet--as well as event fees and travel and health insurance costs for the individuals who staff each campaign. Already at $500 million and with time before the kick-off of the primary season, this presidential race will certainly step up as more and more Americans eagerly tune in to hear the candidates and make their concerns known.
With money not far from everyone's mind, particularly since the ability to raise funds has, in the past, proven to be an indicator of electoral victory, there has not yet been enough dialogue and careful mulling over of the pertinent issues that affect America. Public interests, such as civil rights, education and poverty, to name a few, take a back seat to special interests such as pandering to multi-billion multi-national corporations and powerful lobbies.
Former Senator John Edwards (D-NC) has separated himself from the pack and welcomed the public financing of his campaign, the first top-tier Democratic candidate thus far to do so. In a CNN interview last month, Senator Edwards said that his decision "is not about a money calculation...This is about taking a stand, a principled stand, and I believe in public financing."
Public funding, also known as "clean elections" or "voter-owned elections," is available for both primary and general elections and is sustained only by individual donations, thus eliminating the influence of special interest groups. Presidential primary candidates must demonstrate national public support for his or her campaign by raising $5,000 in each of 20 states, with a maximum of $250 per individual that is later matched by the federal government. Qualifying primary candidates must also adhere to a $10 million national spending limit and other state and personal funding restrictions. In the general election, presidential nominees are eligible for a $20 million public grant which cannot be exceeded, and cannot accept private contributions. In both cases, the FEC audits each candidate's committee to ensure that funds are not misused, and that proper records are filed.
In an environment plagued with finger-pointing and accusations of fiscal and moral deceit, Senator Edwards's decision has put to rest the question of financial responsibility on his part and paved the way for a less distracting conversation about the issues that affect this country. For Muslims as well as other Americans, we take public accountability and fiscal transparency to be a measure of how willing candidates are to engage with Americans and not give in to those who seek to marginalize any community. The public funding of Senator Edwards's campaign is an example of the great effect that citizens can have by making politicians responsive to their constituents and not private campaign donors. While we cannot expect candidates to give us promises, we can demand that they honestly declare their intentions before taking money from any community. The point here is to ensure that presidential hopefuls stand up for open and equal participation of Muslim Americans, or any other group for that matter. A good place to start is by paying a visit to a mosque, in addition to other stops in other religious communities. Ultimately, this teaches us that money is, in fact, not everything.
Donations from the Muslim American community to campaigns are important in mobilizing its members and garnering support for the candidates of their choice. This serves to inject the Muslim American face and voice into the political arena, encouraging our community to be a constant presence in the shaping of our nation's future by exercising their civic responsibility.
In this presidential cycle, Muslim Americans are looking for a shift in the candidates' addressing issues based on their commitment to following through on their agenda, whatever it may be. With the current political and social dynamic in the United States, the next president can expect to be held to a higher standard, accountable for all the intentions he or she declares in this campaign about concerns that affect all Americans.
Read also:
"Banking on Becoming President" (Opensecrets.org)
"Edwards Says He'll Accept Public Financing" (CNN, 9/28/07)
http://e2ma.net/map/view=CampaignPublic/id=2785.766875320/rid=38fff87030f8550649028716f90c63d2
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