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VOA慢速英语2015 金钱和政治行动委员会领导2016年总统竞选

时间:2015-05-26 13:38:50

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Guide to 2016 Campaign: Money and Super PAC 金钱和政治行动委员会领导2016年总统竞选

Money, lots of it, is what it takes to win the presidency1 of the United States.

When Richard Nixon won re-election in 1972, the Center for Responsive Politics has estimated that the presidential election cost just $300 million in today’s dollars.

In the 2008 presidential campaign, candidates raised and spent more than $1 billion, a new record. Only four years later, the cost of the campaign more than doubled to $2.6 billion as Barack Obama won re-election over Mitt2 Romney.

Observers say the eventual3 nominees4 for the 2016 presidential elections will double that amount again. The candidates could spend up to $2 billion each to get to the White House. And the total costs could reach $10 billion for the presidential and congressional races. That amount is more than five times the “gross domestic product” or GDP of the Asian country of Bhutan. GDP is the value of all the products and services produced by a country, usually measured in a year.

Citizens United court decision

The amount of money raised and spent has exploded since 2010. That is when the U.S. Supreme5 Court changed America’s election laws. The court’s decision, known as “Citizens United,” took away most limits on spending and fundraising for elections by outside political groups. Citizens United argued that raising and spending money is free speech, a first amendment6 right. They won.

Dave Levinthal is the senior political reporter at the Center for Public Integrity. He says “Citizens United” changed the way elections work in the U.S. by allowing money to flow into the political system that was illegal before. He says both sides feel strongly about the subject.

“On one hand you’ve got free speech, and the first amendment to the constitution, on the other side you say well, this is really just about the validity of our elections and the ability for candidates to run without feeling like their election is getting bought by the highest bidder7.”

There are still limits on how much people, companies and political action committees (PAC) can contribute directly to candidates and political parties. For example, an individual can only give a candidate a total of $2,700 each election.

But there is no limit on the amount of money they can give to a “super PAC.” Super PACs are large political action committees. Both Democrats8 and Republicans have created them to raise large amount of money to assist their candidates.

The election rule bans campaigns and super PACs from working together. They cannot discuss common strategies or plans. They cannot share important information like opinion surveys or polls. Candidates can attend the super PAC events, but they are not allowed to ask people for unlimited9 donations.

Mr. Levinthal says the looser campaign rules now allow candidates to “double dip.” They can run their own campaigns, and they can have a super PAC, run by friends, or even family members.

“So it means that super PACs, since they can and raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, in a way are shadow campaigns, or parallel campaigns for the candidate’s actual campaign operation that he or she is running.  ”

The limits on how much contact a candidate can have with a super PAC only starts once he or she officially declares they are running for office. Some politicians delay their announcements so they can continue to work closely with their super PAC.

Campaign financing for 2016

The race for money started early in the 2016 campaign.

In January of this year, probable Republican candidate Jeb Bush and his supporters launched the “Right to Rise PAC.” The PAC says it supports candidates “with a positive, conservative vision of reform and renewal10.” But the only probable candidate on the PAC website is Jeb Bush himself.

At the same time, a super PAC with the same name “Right to Rise Super PAC” was launched and raised $100,000 within minutes. Politico reported that the Right to Rise super PAC will likely raise $100 million before Jeb Bush is even an official candidate.

Mr. Levinthal says Democrats are catching11 up to Republicans in the big money race.

“They’re competing with Republicans in a major way to use these committees, these vehicles that they can use to raise and spend a whole heck of a lot of money, and they’re doing that to their great advantage.”

At a campaign stop in Iowa on May 18, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton stated her position on the “Citizens United” court decision. She said, "I will do everything I can do to appoint Supreme Court justices who will protect the right to vote and not the right of billionaires to buy elections." 

For now, Clinton is attending gatherings12 of “Priorities USA Action” and meeting possible donors13 through this super PAC. One such meeting was at the home of billionaire Tom Steyer, who spent $74 million of his own money in the 2014 election. The New York Times reported that Priorities USA Action hopes to raise $200 to $300 million. That is a similar amount to what top Republican organizations are raising.

Why do they need all this money? Money is the fuel that gets a candidate elected. To get to the White House, a candidate must be able to run a 50 state campaign. Money is needed for operating costs that go with those campaign office buildings and people and salaries and advertising14.  Candidates need dollars to get their messages out on social media, television and radio stations, and into peoples’ mailboxes.

Whether the amount raised reaches the $10 billion dollar estimate, or not, no doubt it will break all records. 2016 will be the most expensive election yet.

Words in This Story

validity – n. something that is legally or officially binding15 or acceptable.

bidder – n.  someone who offers to pay for something (who makes a bid)

looser – adj. not as tightly held or controlled

salaries – n. the amount someone is paid to do a job

expensive – adj. something that costs a lot to buy


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 presidency J1HzD     
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期)
参考例句:
  • Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
  • Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。
2 mitt Znszwo     
n.棒球手套,拳击手套,无指手套;vt.铐住,握手
参考例句:
  • I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日,我送给他一只棒球手套。
  • Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。
3 eventual AnLx8     
adj.最后的,结局的,最终的
参考例句:
  • Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
  • Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。
4 nominees 3e8d8b25ccc8228c71eef17be7bb2d5f     
n.被提名者,被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
  • A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网
5 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
6 amendment Mx8zY     
n.改正,修正,改善,修正案
参考例句:
  • The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
  • The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。
7 bidder oyrzTm     
n.(拍卖时的)出价人,报价人,投标人
参考例句:
  • TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder.电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。
  • The bidder withdrew his bid after submission of his bid.投标者在投标之后撤销了投标书。
8 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
n.民主主义者,民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
  • The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 unlimited MKbzB     
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的
参考例句:
  • They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
  • There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。
10 renewal UtZyW     
adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来
参考例句:
  • Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
  • Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
11 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
12 gatherings 400b026348cc2270e0046708acff2352     
聚集( gathering的名词复数 ); 收集; 采集; 搜集
参考例句:
  • His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
  • During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次,其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。
13 donors 89b49c2bd44d6d6906d17dca7315044b     
n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 );献血者;捐血者;器官捐献者
参考例句:
  • Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去,请给我们发电子邮件。
  • About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 advertising 1zjzi3     
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
参考例句:
  • Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
  • The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。
15 binding 2yEzWb     
有约束力的,有效的,应遵守的
参考例句:
  • The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
  • Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

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