Why would anyone spend tens of millions of their own $ on a Senate campaign?

[JamesButabi]

What type of mindset do you need to be in to spend tens of millions (not sure of exact number) to obtain a senate seat? How do people justify such a heavy investment?(What do they get in return) What type of politicians typically do this?

This personally tosses up many red flags when I see it. I wanted to open this up to bring out historical data as well as discussion. This might be an avenue to bring people over to our side.

 

[sb10]

Oh, you mean like Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner et al?

Probably ego, and/or being a control freak.

I don't even consider voting for people who try to buy the election with their personal riches. Maybe some $$ to get the campaign started but there has to be grassroots support to convince me. And I now check for fat campaign contributions from lobbyists.

That may not leave many people to vote for. But I refuse to vote for more of the same.

 

[dean.engelhardt]

What type of mindset do you need to be in to spend tens of millions (not sure of exact number) to obtain a senate seat? How do people justify such a heavy investment?(What do they get in return) What type of politicians typically do this?

This personally tosses up many red flags when I see it. I wanted to open this up to bring out historical data as well as discussion. This might be an avenue to bring people over to our side.

Very American citizen need to ask this question.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Oh, you mean like Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner et al?

Probably ego, and/or being a control freak.

Yeah, that's no doubt a big part of it. Then again, if one of us had a billion dollars, how much would we spend on elections? Why?

 

[Au-H2O]

Yeah, that's no doubt a big part of it. Then again, if one of us had a billion dollars, how much would we spend on elections? Why?

You're probably right about this, but it still rubs me the wrong way. I mean why donate money to charity when you've got yachts and Senate seats to buy?

 

[Mahkato]

They do it because the campaign finance laws prevent them from obtaining lots of large donations from others. This ensures that only monied candidates can run successfully.

 

[klamath]

This argument can be turned against Schiff so I don't think it should be over emphasized.

 

[sb10]

Just because Schiff has the millions doesn't he mean he will throw millions at his own campaign.

I think he knows that without grassroots backing, there really is no support.

 

[MRoCkEd]

She probably wants to run for POTUS in 2016.

 

[Perry]

What type of mindset do you need to be in to spend tens of millions (not sure of exact number) to obtain a senate seat? How do people justify such a heavy investment?(What do they get in return) What type of politicians typically do this?

This personally tosses up many red flags when I see it. I wanted to open this up to bring out historical data as well as discussion. This might be an avenue to bring people over to our side.

Maybe one would need the mindset that some things are more important than money?

 

[Daamien]

McMahon is willing to spend millions for personal advancement. If she really cared about saving the country she wouldn't have donated to establishment candidates from both parties in the past and would have acumen on the real issues.

 

[sb10]

Hee hee, well I thought of ONE good thing about the zillionaires poring zillions into their own campaigns...

They have to hire staff! This is a booming cottage industry! Job creation!

 

[Daamien]

Hee hee, well I thought of ONE good thing about the zillionaires poring zillions into their own campaigns...

They have to hire staff! This is a booming cottage industry! Job creation!

Well, it could be a zero-sum-gain or worse considering that money could be invested by McMahon and her brokers in companies that offer more productive jobs than paid campaign staff. However, I am glad that at least it's being spent in Connecticut.

 

[JamesButabi]

Maybe one would need the mindset that some things are more important than money?

I was thinking this. I was debating the scenario where Peter Schiff poured 30 million into his campaign (which would never happen), if his supporters would make the assertion that he is placing liberty above personal gain.

Flipping the scenario around; Linda McMahon, despite her rhetoric is an obvious proponent of big government. I therefore find it malicious, because her talking points and use of the funds is in misdirection and deception.

 

[sb10]

I was thinking this. I was debating the scenario where Peter Schiff poured 30 million into his campaign (which would never happen), if his supporters would make the assertion that he is placing liberty above personal gain.

To the average voter with no clue looking at two candidates who they do not know, who have each poured zillions into their personal campaigns and have each been successful in business, one group of supporters vouching for the motives of their candidate isn't going to look very different from another group of supporters vouching for their candidate. That's why I feel the funds need to come overwhelmingly from grassroots.

 

[senatorpjt]

If I had $100M, I'd spend $20M to run for a senate seat. Not for power, ego, or control, but because I'd rather yell at the other senators on the floor of the senate than yell at my TV while watching C-SPAN.

 

[G-Wohl]

As much as I dislike McMahon - and her very troubling campaign finance behavior - I'm even more disturbed by the apparent hatred for the wealthy exhibited in this thread.

Buying a senate seat is not like buying a yacht, and I see no reason to verbally chastise a wealthy person who decides to spend that money on themselves as opposed to others with no tangible benefit. We should also keep in mind that, despite his nominal investment into his own campaign, Peter has put a considerable chunk of his net worth into his senate campaign already. The only reason why we know for a fact that Peter won't put in the amount of money that McMahon is putting in is because he doesn't have enough money to do it.

If a wealthy person, like Peter Schiff, wants to spend a considerable chunk of their net worth on a senate seat, then a virtuous person would have a good reason (to save the country) and a considerable return on his/her investment (if successful, Peter's work will directly benefit him). McMahon can't say the same, and this is why you question the amount of money being spent on the campaign. Throwing these cheap shots at McMahon - and other wealthy politicians who have put in a considerable portion of their own net worth into election campaigns - is not only a pathetic display of hatred of the successful, but also borderline hypocrisy.

 

[libertybrewcity]

power, fame...maybe she has always wanted to be a senator and now she can buy her way into the position