I’m not much of a political person. A long story there, but that isn’t what this post is about. I just wanted to make it a point in stating that I’ll never be in office because when you take money from people so you can run for office, they expect something in return. I refuse to be purchased. That being said, the FEC today approved the Colbert SuperPAC, which if you don’t know it.. a superPAC [Political Action Committee] allows an organization to accept donations well beyond individual contribution amounts. Corporations can donate to their hearts content and influence politicians in a way that makes my ethics meter get buried on the “Impropriety” scale. The scale has four sectors, I’m a centrist balancing the cost/benefit analysis without the swing most scales have. [try it, put something heavy on a scale... then take it off and watch it swing to the other side.]
Anyway, the FEC voted 5 to 1 but put a limit on the use of those funds. He can only use advertisements created by the show [that have political tones] within the network. I’ll make a prediction right now. This will start a very powerful discussion on first amendment rights. I can’t say I know of any SuperPAC that is limited in such a way which means there is essentially special treatment and limitations put on the Colbert SuperPAC.
FOX News and MSNBC skirt these political issues by not selling their particular brand of partisanship outside of their network, both of which is expansive. Comedy Central doesn’t have such a grand network and typically draws attention to the absurdity of politics.
Well, as absurd as this is to say, if I run for office, you can rest assured that I will not cheat on my wife, take money for favors, benefit from my position [other than my pay], and I will not tweet pictures of my crotch. Will you vote for me?
Here is some professional journalism regarding the matter, I put this here simply because I’m neither professional on this blog, nor a journalist. Just a guy with an opinion.