$3 for presidents (lobbyists, lobby, insurance, dollars)

[AONE]

I was wondering how many of the CD fans give the $3 on their tax forms for the presidential elections

[burdell]

Not me, I'd rather give an extra $3 to what I give to a local food bank.

[1bright_future]

if after i give my money to the suffering, then to the poor, then to the needy, then to the well off, then to the wealthy, then to the wealthy corporations, then choosing to throw it away or rip it up, then using it as TP, then, just then, might I consider check marking that sinful box of hell.

[tonythetuna]

I have not done so even one time.

[Speleothem]

Rats! My mouse slipped and I mis-voted.

I am neither of these two parties and I give -1
I am neither of these two parties and I don't give +1

[Mark S.]

Not me. The candidates get all they need and more from corporations and other special interest groups.

That being said, if we would ban corporate money and lobbyists from election contributions, I would give $30 every tax season to each candidate.

Back when Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the like were running the country, they had a term for special interest groups who gave money to politicians: They called it bribery, and it was against the law. We should follow their example.

The next President is going to need to raise somewhere in the neighborhood of a billion dollars, just for the election. Do you think he or she is going to get it from plumbers, truck drivers, grocers, insurance agents, teachers, and police officers? Or do you think he or she is going to get it from multi-national corporations, billionaires, and special interest groups? And when the next President is in office, where do you think the loyalties will lie?

[jackmccullough]

I'm a strong Democrat. I don't give because I think public funding poses the danger of weakening the parties.

[pvande55]

For what it's worth, I give. Politicians are beholden to their contributors, so I feel they should be to the taxpayers. However it is dwarfed by special interest money. We had a former governor, now convicted, who was probably the least qualified but was " a money machine," so he won the election.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Not just no, but hell no. In case no one has noticed, we're running record budget defecits...there is no reason to divert money to be spend on windbag political ads. If you want to throw money away at tax time, just toss in a few extra dollars towards deficit reduction with your IRS payment.

[jaida]

No, I'll let the lobbyists spend their money. They seem to be real good at it.