Stephen Colbert is making a mockery of the electoral process. But he’s doing the voters a service. Many people are confused by the super PAC system, politicians included. These super political action committees basically give wealthy individuals, unions and companies the ability to make unlimited donations to campaigns under the guise of not being technically connected to the candidate or the campaign. Many of these groups spend more money on ads than the candidates themselves do. Colbert’s super PAC is called Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow.
What is Stephen Colbert’s Super PAC up to?
First off, it’s technically not Colbert’s super PAC. Legally, he must distance himself from Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow. The actions of the pro-Colbert super PAC campaign make it very clear that there are few reasonable limits to what is allowable under the rules that govern these committees. Its recent ad painted Mitt Romney as not just a man who thinks companies are people, but comically painted him as a “serial killer” for killing so many companies (i.e. people) while he worked for Bain. In an interview with George Stepanopholous, Colbert distanced himself from this smear campaign, saying he’d never even seen the ad. He also denied it being his super PAC, and said it is Jon Stewart’s. The committee is asking voters in South Carolina to cast their ballots in favor of Herman Cain, who has dropped out of the race. These votes will represent an on-the-sly vote for Colbert, who cannot be written in on South Carolina’s ballots.
How is Stephen Colbert’s Super PAC helping America?
By following the rules to the letter of the law, Colbert is helping the voters understand the idiosyncrasies of the system. By abdicating himself of all responsibility for the committee’s actions, the flaw becomes apparent. The committee makes it possible for Colbert’s supporters to raise limitless amounts of money, and make even the most outlandish claims while slandering the other candidates. But Colbert’s hands remain clean. As the candidate the super PAC is promoting, he is legally required to maintain “a measure of independence.” Polls show Colbert is viewed more favorably than other Republican candidates.
Truthiness is of the Essence
Colbert’s concept of “truthiness” captures the essence of the system quite well. It seems to require that one be able to do some mental yoga maneuvers to understand it. This is where the comical actions of Colbert’s super PAC become very useful. Instead of having to sort through complex legal definitions, we can simply see their effects. Of course, now that Colbert is thinking about running for president, he must not be coordinating with the organization in any way. So the committee is now called The Definitely Not Coordinating with Stephen Colbert Super PAC. These guys really know how to cover their bases.