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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services, May 3 Former San Quentin guard publishes book Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Soaring rents, stagnant wages create housing crisis Wimer's Highland Games appeal to both the kilted and kiltless Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 3 Dozens of drivers nabbed in Medford pedestrian sting Emergency services, May 2 Gold Hill man torched his foreclosed property No leads on who smashed about 20 windows in Ashland before dawn Thursday Politics and Elections BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Education More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Levy backers eye final push Two seats contested on Central Point School Board Neal Simon: This is a test Environment Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation Armed protesters gather at Medford BLM office over Sugar Pine Mine dispute Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste State News PERS ruling means tough choices for state and local lawmakers US, Canada unveil rules to boost oil train safety Cylvia Hayes public records case goes before Salem judge Fixit tag for Portland's noted Portland Building: $175 million Fee targets rail cars that haul oil, other flammables Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Tim Lawrence Yockey Penelope Catherine (Turner) Martens William "Bill" Geisslinger Alice Irenia (McFall) Calkins Dennis Dean Ekwall Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Ragan, Tornado hit way past Indians Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw North’s Folsom, South boys shine at GP Rotary Marist halts EP’s winning streak Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders' Abbott breaks 22-year-old record Dodge signs as free agent with Falcons Lockie stands out in Ducks' spring game Raiders go 1-1, advance to today Singler shines in Raider spring game Pro Sports Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw Clippers oust defending champ Spurs McIlroy, Casey fight until darkness Quarterbacks Petty, Hundley chosen on final day Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Blog: Do You Want Cheese with Your Wine? Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Comcast deal dropped along with Pac-12 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option Real Estate News Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd People In Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, May 3 Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Editorials Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Other Views: Gun-bill recalls misguided, futile Our View: Bill gives ex-convicts a glimmer of hope Our View: Medical marijuana market not at risk Our View: Don't wait on public records reform Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 3 Letters to the Editor, May 2 Letters to the Editor, May 1 Letters to the Editor, April 30 Letters to the Editor, April 29 Columns Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Michael Gerson: A pastor's faith in Baltimore Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Lifestyle Latest stories Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Bright spots in the dark Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley Columnist for a Day: 'When Harry met Shirley,' the story continues Food Andrea Honaker: Mexican-inspired dips for Cinco de Mayo Set a table from your local farmers market Let's do brunch! Page H. Onorato: Enjoying good food just for the fun of it Page H. Onorato: Food items appear in the funnies Home and Garden Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Betty Montgomery: You can have a variety of ferns in your garden Clean out household chemicals Friday and Saturday Dear Monty: 10 tips to avoid tenant complaints Home Help: Upgrade your entryway with simple DIY projects Health Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Health Watch: Pack your pantry with healthy items HealthStyle: It’s all in the family dinner 'Game changer' for heart patients Health Watch: Tips for protecting your eyes Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 picks for live entertainment Live Music in Local Clubs Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' Camelot Theatre presents 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Theater REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Thanks for the Memories stages 'Company' one night only Music Thunder's Edge, Steel Cranes tonight at Club 66 The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Live Music in Local Clubs Trio Brasileiro plays Old Siskiyou Barn Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Foreign language film festival set at SOU Movies Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ knows how to party Catching up with the Avengers Interview: Sofia Vergara talks ‘Hot Pursuit’ Quick Flicks: ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Insurgent’ and more Dining Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... ANOTHER VIEW Dana Milbank: Billionaire politics MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 30, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Apr. 30, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The Republican presidential candidates are set to crucify each other on crosses of gold. GOP leaders exulted a few years ago when the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling and other decisions invited the rich to pour unlimited sums into political campaigns — and they are, by the billions of dollars. But the Law of Unintended Consequences frequently rules the practice of politics, and it has once again. Republican candidates are hauling in so much money that the flood of cash has washed away the Darwinian system of natural selection that previously allowed parties to pick their nominees. In the past, if candidates polled poorly, their fundraising would dry up and they'd have to drop out of the race. But such market principles no longer apply, because a large number of unviable candidates are artificially subsidized — kept in the race by a beneficent billionaire, or even a friendly multimillionaire or two. My Washington Post colleagues Matea Gold and Ed O'Keefe reported Monday that no fewer than 15 White House hopefuls are being assisted by outside groups typically formed as "super PACs" and run by the candidate's allies. For the first time in the modern political era, political operatives say it's possible the eventual nominee need not win in either Iowa or New Hampshire. Still-undeclared candidate Jeb Bush, who is on course to haul in $100 million by the end of next month, boasted to donors Sunday night that his fundraising has been historic (so good that his too-successful super PAC temporarily limited contributions to $1 million). But Bush's take, Gold and O'Keefe noted, hasn't stopped groups from raising, in short order, $20 million or $30 million apiece for Ted Cruz, Scott Walker and Marco Rubio. With that kind of money available, you're unlikely to quit even if you're an asterisk in the polls. The outright acquisition of the primary process by the wealthy is the latest instance of the 1 percent taking over the American political system — although in this case it's more likely the top 1 percent of the top 1 percent. As the Center for Responsive politics notes, the top 1 percent of donors to super PACS (about 100 people and their spouses) contributed 67 percent of super-PAC funds in 2012. Fred Wertheimer, a campaign-finance reformer who runs the group Democracy 21, predicts that, for the first time, spending by super PACs will exceed spending by candidates and parties combined in the 2016 presidential campaign, which is expected to cost some $5 billion. In the 2012 primary, billionaire Sheldon Adelson's money kept Newt Gingrich in the race long after he was a viable candidate (if he ever was). But if billionaires reached the moon in 2012, "this election will take us to Mars," Wertheimer says. "We have a political system that is pre-Watergate and allows relatively few people to keep candidates in the race for extended periods of time. It's going to create artificial candidates. ... It's going to open the door for influence-buying and corruption, and we have the Supreme Court to thank for that." Technically, candidates can't coordinate with their super PACs, but the restriction is all but ignored. Bush is reportedly planning to use his super PAC to conduct operations that had traditionally been handled by candidate campaigns. The Wild West nature of campaign finance would undoubtedly have a similar effect on the Democratic side if Hillary Clinton were facing a serious challenge. As it is, the anything-goes fundraising of Clinton and her husband has become a problem for the Democratic front-runner. In recent days, her campaign has been dogged by reports that the Clinton Foundation took money from foreign governments and entities that stood to benefit from decisions made by Hillary Clinton's State Department. The foundation admits it didn't account for the contributions properly in tax filings. And, as the Post's Rosalind Helderman reported, many donors to the foundation also paid Bill Clinton to give speeches — enriching the Clintons personally. But Republicans, before they can exploit Hillary Clinton's financial vulnerabilities in the general election, have to resolve a predicament in their primaries that once would have seemed enviable: Is it possible to raise too much money? As the likes of the Kochs and Adelsons sponsor candidates the way Medicis patronized Renaissance artists, there's a real chance that voters, particularly in early primary states, will lose their traditional ability to shape the field. Thanks to the Roberts court, the sacred concept of one man, one vote has been replaced by a new reality: one billionaire, one ballot. Follow Dana Milbank on Twitter, @Milbank. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 30, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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