Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act?

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, is an important piece of legislation that reformed the way political campaigns are funded in the United States. The act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002, and it aimed to reduce the amount of money that could be donated to political campaigns, as well as regulate who could donate and how much they could donate. Additionally, it sought to restrict certain types of electioneering activities outside of campaign season. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act was a response to public outcry over the influence that large corporations and wealthy individuals had on elections due to their ability to pour money into political campaigns and buy access to elected officials. Large donations allowed donors to maintain a disproportionate level of influence on politics. The act also addressed soft money donations which went unregulated under previous laws and further increased these disparities between small donors and large ones. Under this new law, individual donors are limited in how much they can give directly to candidates or political action committees (PACs). Additionally, corporations are prohibited from donating directly or indirectly via PACs or other organizations during federal elections; though this does not apply for state elections where there is more leniency in donation amounts and regulations depend on each state’s individual laws. Finally, the act established stricter regulations around electioneering communications: advertisements broadcasted shortly before an election that discuss issues rather than specific candidates but still serve as veiled support for one candidate over another (e.g., attack ads). These communications must now include disclaimers identifying who paid for them so viewers can better assess their validity and objectivity. Though some critics argue that these measures were insufficient in curbing the influence of special interest groups on politics, The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act has been largely successful at achieving its main goal: leveling out disparities between small donors who cannot contribute large amounts of money against those with deeper pockets who can spend millions on campaigns without facing repercussions from regulatory bodies such as the Federal Election Commission (FEC).