Liberal Group Targets Money in Politics, Spends Big Money

This just in: The Democratic Party—barely relevant between the coasts and decimated under President Obama—has found a winning issue in 2018. It’s not job creation or tax reform or national security post-Barcelona.

According to End Citizens United (ECU), a liberal “advocacy” super PAC, the winning issue is money in politics. Yes, money in politics. ECU recently endorsed three House Democratic challengers—Randy Brice of Wisconsin, Paul Davis of Kansas, and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania—and pledged to raise money and run advertisements on their behalf. In ECU President and Executive Director Tiffany Muller’s words: “[Campaign finance] has taken on a new meaning and a new importance in voters’ everyday lives.”

Some Democrats are certainly buying it. According to Tyler Law, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, “[Campaign finance] resonates on either end of the ideological spectrum and for everybody in between.”

Of course, ECU is only concerned with money supporting conservative causes. ECU is, after all, a super PAC with a $35 million budget for the 2018 election cycle—up from $25 million last cycle. That’s a hefty budget for a group hell-bent on getting money out of politics. But ECU’s crusade isn’t about getting money out of politics; it’s about getting the wrong money out of politics.And that’s because ECU assumes—like most liberals—Americans are so stupid they’ll just vote for whomever spent the most money, last.

ECU inherently recognizes their ability to engage in any meaningful political speech—which they seek to deny others—is impossible without lots and lots of money. Their $35 million budget is essential to run TV ads, organize events, and pay the employees and vendors who make ECU’s political expression possible.

It’s a discredited idea. In 2016, Jeb Bush and his establishment allies spent $130 million on his presidential run. Of that, $84 million was used on advertising—lots and lots of ads. Another $18.3 million was spent on campaign staffers and consultants. Yet, Jeb! failed to win a single state in the Republican primaries, never breaking fourth place or even four percent. Meanwhile, President Trump cruised to primary victory after victory running almost no ads. In the general election, Hillary Clinton and her allies dramatically outspent the president and his, only to meet the same fate as Bush.

All that“money in politics”is no substitute for ideas voters actually want or candidates they want to vote for.

“Money in politics” simply translates to more information with which voters make decisions—more ads, more town halls, more political discussion—but not specific outcomes. No matter how much money is involved, Americans decide for themselves which ideas they support and which they oppose. The best ideas reach critical mass not just through mass communication, but because people embrace them.

ECU and the Leftwrit large assume Americans are just too stupid to be trusted with as dangerous a weapon as their own vote. They assume voters are easily manipulated by deep-pocketed “special interests,” when the reality is their own ideas simply don’t resonate.Rather than adapting to defeat, the anti-speech Left is attacking the ability of others to engage in free speech. If you can’t bring a gun to a knife fight, you can at least take away the other guy’s bullets.

The Left’s assumption is condescending to the American voter, presupposing only liberal elites are smart and honest enough to govern the unsophisticated masses. The alleged corruption of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Corrine Brown, Chaka Fattah, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and the now-irrelevant Clinton Foundationcertainly suggests otherwise.

As 2018 approaches, the Left better brace for more defeats. Americans aren’t buying liberal hypocrisy anymore—on free speech or any issue. You can’t call the American people stupid and expect them to vote for you.

Originally appeared on eHeadlines.