Commissar SFLUFAN Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I...uhhhhh....what? In Bizarre Decision, the FEC Says Foreign Donors Can Now Throw Money at U.S. Ballot Initiatives GIZMODO.COM The decision opens the door for foreign donors to openly influence U.S. policy on a granular scale. Quote In a move that can only signal good things to come, the Federal Election Commission has apparently ruled that it’s totally cool for foreign donors to financially contribute to U.S. ballot initiatives. The news, which was initially reported by Axios, could mean that America’s domestic policy is now basically up for sale (or more up for sale than it already was). Ballot measures help to push specific legislative initiatives—and can be a great source of effective reforms designed to protect consumers. For example, last year saw plenty of tech-related initiatives in states across the country—including ones involving the right-to-repair movement, data privacy, and the gig economy. Many actually ended up getting passed. However, the FEC’s decision would appear to open the floodgates for foreign operators who, for one reason or another, want to strangle one of those agendas—or promote their own—at the state level of U.S. politics. Specifically, the decision means that foreign-based entities are free to finance ballot committees—the organizations responsible for pushing or attacking particular legislative initiatives. This has already largely been happening—though the legality of it has been fuzzy, until now. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkableriots Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Mr. Biden's plan is now complete! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 I'm utterly floored and speechless by this ruling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CayceG Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 This does not at all match with our nationalist and protectionist reflexes here in the last several years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 How? What? How do ballot initiatives not count as elections? They just be narrowly defining elections as being only for people running for some office or position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 America is the Grand Bazaar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal-El814 Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 utter bullshit 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaljedi Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 Nothing matters, everything is shit. The only good thing that's happened on this front recently is the band of hicks who passed the abortion ban in my town got shown the fucking door tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaladinSolo Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CayceG Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 I wonder if they move quickly on that or if it languishes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anathema- Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 OTOH ballot initiatives are bad and should also be banned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unogueen Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 On 11/2/2021 at 7:50 PM, CayceG said: This does not at all match with our nationalist and protectionist reflexes here in the last several years... Fascism is a cabal again. A lot of new friends out there. Also remembering the scandinavian massacre around 2010, and how the shooter was very deliberate about the growing alt-right core on the internet. A lot of unconcerned back then. Now look at us.Ye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkableriots Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 53 minutes ago, Anathema- said: OTOH ballot initiatives are bad and should also be banned. What are those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anathema- Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 7 minutes ago, Remarkableriots said: What are those? Having the population vote on an issue instead of legislators being responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Remarkableriots said: What are those? Direct democracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitizenVectron Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 Direct democracy is bad enough on a small scale (condo boards, etc), it's disastrous on a large scale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 I doubt we'd have certain policies (like MJ legalization) without propositions and some measure of direct democracy. To say nothing of higher minimum wages and expanded Medicaid coverage in red states. But California shows you how bad it can be though. Hello prop 13! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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