From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (misc.activism.progressive co-moderator)
Subject: ACCESSIBILITY TO THE ELECTORATE: Was Nicaragua More Democratic than the U.S.?
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: misc.activism.progressive on UseNet ; ACTIV-L@UMCVMB
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 10:59:48 GMT

ACCESSIBILITY TO THE ELECTORATE: Was Nicaragua More Democratic than the U.S.?

    "Lacking the huge sums available to the major parties, especially
    the Republicans, the smaller parties are unable to buy major media
    time and space of their own. The Federal Election Campaign Act of
    1974 finances the major parties, giving each tens of millions of
    dollars for their presidential campaigns, but the smaller parties
    can obtain federal funds only after they glean 5 percent of the
    national vote (about 4 million votes for any one party) In sum,
    they cannot get the money until they get the 5 percent, but they
    cannot yet the percent until they get the money.
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    "In contrast, the Nicaraguan electoral law provided public
    financing of 9 million cordobas ($321,000) for each participating
    party *regardless of size* and guaranteed an equal amount of time
    each day on the state-run radio stations and television channels..."
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[From:
       ========================================================
       I s   N i c a r a g u a   M o r e   D e m o c r a t i c
       ========================================================
            T h a n   t h e   U n i t e d   S t a t e s ?
       ========================================================
                        By Michael Parenti (*)

[From: Covert Action Information Bulletin, Number 26, Summer 1986]]



===============================
Accessibility to the Electorate
===============================

Being on the ballot does little good if the bulk of the voters have
never heard of you or never hear *from* you. Third parties in the
United States are given almost no national media coverage during
campaigns. News media focus exclusively on the two major parties,
failing even to report the votes that third parties get on election
day (usually between one and two million all together), thus treating
the minor parties as if they do not exist. Lacking the huge sums
available to the major parties, especially the Republicans, the
smaller parties are unable to buy major media time and space of their
own. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 finances the major
parties, giving each tens of millions of dollars for their
presidential campaigns, but the smaller parties can obtain federal
funds only after they glean 5 percent of the national vote (about 4
million votes for any one party) In sum, they cannot get the money
until they get the 5 percent, but they cannot yet the percent until
they get the money.

In contrast, the Nicaraguan electoral law provided public financing of
9 million cordobas ($321,000) for each participating party *regardless
of size* and guaranteed an equal amount of time each day on the
state-run radio stations and television channels. Each party was also
permitted to receive unlimited funds from private donors, including
people and organizations outside Nicaragua, a provision that worked to
the advantage of the centrist and rightist parties. As the campaign
got under complaints from the participating parties led to changes in
the electoral law, including an increase in radio and television time,
an additional 3 million cordobas in government campaign funds for each
party, and a lengthening of the campaign period. Parties were also
guaranteed access to products in short supply in Nicaragua: paper.
printing facilities, transportation and gasoline. The various parties
also produced their own party newspapers, together with leaflets and
billboards.

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