Campaign Finance, Politics at the Justice Department and John Stuart Mill
Democrats push campaign finance reform legislation.
A Justice Department lawyer resigns in response to increased politicization of the department.
Today is John Stuart Mill’s birthday.
1. CONGRESS
Democrats push campaign finance reform legislation.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Warren Brookes Fellow Ryan Young on why campaign finance reform benefits vulnerable incumbents.
“Campaign finance regulations are an incumbent’s best friend. The incumbent already has name recognition, and a deep network of fundraising contacts. Heck, Congress’ franking privilege allows incumbents to send out de facto campaign messages for free. Challengers have none of those advantages.”
2. LEGAL
A Justice Department lawyer resigns in response to increased politicization of the department.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Counsel Hans Bader on what’s happening to the Justice Department.
“In 2008, Obama disingenuously complained about the supposed “politicization” of the Justice Department under Bush. But Obama has politicized the Justice Department far more than Bush was accused of doing. Obama’s Justice Department has given a green light to unconstitutional billsblatant voter fraud and voter intimidation pushed by liberal congressmen that even liberal Justice Department attorneys have conceded are unconstitutional. It has been deafeningly silent about committed by black officials, chronicled in a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. “
3. POLITICS
Today is John Stuart Mill’s birthday.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Warren Brooks Fellow Ryan Young on Mill’s ideas on rule utilitarianism.
“A property-rights-based system of government is an excellent example of rule utilitarianism. It will not be perfect. Laws against stealing obviously have not put end to stealing. Even within the law, people inevitably have honest disagreements about what belongs to who. Externalities such as pollution will hurt some peoples’ property. But the results are certainly better than a system without property rights. The whole of world history is proof.