4 ms·

No, it's just whining that the FEC isn't doing what cryoshon wants. In reality the FEC can't do much because it's stuck in partisan deadlock and things like the

by jonknee 11y ago

No, it's just whining that the FEC isn't doing what cryoshon wants. In reality the FEC can't do much because it's stuck in partisan deadlock and things like the Citizens Vs. United ruling allow them to do even less. This website has nothing to do with the infighting between political parties, it's about giving citizens the actual data. Change will come not from the FEC magically agreeing on anything, but from people finding out where the money is going and voting for people who vow to change it. This is literally the best the FEC can do!

jzd 11y ago
Agreed. However cryoshon's point is that just giving us all the data isn't going to change anything even if we have the information. i.e. our votes are irrelevant. So even though we have a nice new site, it's a waste since the outcome is the same.
- jonknee 11y ago
  I completely disagree that it's a waste. The new site is great.
  - jzd 11y ago
    But the politics don't change as a result of it.
cryoshon 11y ago
...there's always more they can do, and frankly making a new website which will post forensic election data after the time when it is relevant doesn't count as an action on the political chessboard of the health of the country-- on the separate, smaller stakes chessboard of getting agency funding and squabbling over the budgeting of that funding, sure, this helps the FEC say they did something, which is worthwhile to them and maybe us as well. I think that we'd be better off discussing problem A than problem B, though. As far as what the FEC can do which might have an actual impact: the heads of the federal agencies can access the bully pulpit if they choose to, but typically their leaders are selected for pliability rather than assertiveness. I believe relatively recently the head of the SEC came out and told the media that they don't have enough resources to enforce their regulations in any capacity, which made quite a stir at the time and likely lead to funding for their more recent attempts to build high profile cases.

by jonknee 11y ago

jzd 11y ago

Agreed. However cryoshon's point is that just giving us all the data isn't going to change anything even if we have the information. i.e. our votes are irrelevant. So even though we have a nice new site, it's a waste since the outcome is the same.

jonknee 11y ago
I completely disagree that it's a waste. The new site is great.
- jzd 11y ago
  But the politics don't change as a result of it.

cryoshon 11y ago

...there's always more they can do, and frankly making a new website which will post forensic election data after the time when it is relevant doesn't count as an action on the political chessboard of the health of the country-- on the separate, smaller stakes chessboard of getting agency funding and squabbling over the budgeting of that funding, sure, this helps the FEC say they did something, which is worthwhile to them and maybe us as well. I think that we'd be better off discussing problem A than problem B, though. As far as what the FEC can do which might have an actual impact: the heads of the federal agencies can access the bully pulpit if they choose to, but typically their leaders are selected for pliability rather than assertiveness. I believe relatively recently the head of the SEC came out and told the media that they don't have enough resources to enforce their regulations in any capacity, which made quite a stir at the time and likely lead to funding for their more recent attempts to build high profile cases.