--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The usual test under the Federal Election…" description: "\"The usual test under the Federal Election Campaign Act for whether something counts as a campaign expenditure is whether the obligation would have exis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/bradley-a-smith-29245_act_the-usual-test-under-the-federal-electio_2694896.jpg" --- # The usual test under the Federal Election Campaign Act for… ![“The usual test under the Federal Election Campaign Act for whether something counts as a campaign expenditure is whether the obligation would have existed but for the campaign. If so, it is not a campaign expenditure.” quote by Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/bradley-a-smith-29245_act_the-usual-test-under-the-federal-electio_2694896.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/bradley-a-smith-29245_act_the-usual-test-under-the-federal-electio_2694896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/bradley-a-smith-29245_act_the-usual-test-under-the-federal-electio_2694896.jpg) > “The usual test under the Federal Election Campaign Act for whether something counts as a campaign expenditure is whether the obligation would have existed but for the campaign. If so, it is not a campaign expenditure.” [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A campaign expense is defined by whether the obligation existed without the campaign; otherwise it’s not an expense. **In simple terms:** Expense depends on campaign causation Key Takeaway Check causation before classifying expenses Themes law campaign finance regulation Mood analytical formal Type legal educational When to use this quote - political fundraising - budget planning - compliance auditing Key Concepts causation legal definition Questions to Reflect On - How to determine causation in ambiguous cases? - What safeguards prevent misclassification? A Different Perspective Complex cases may blur causation lines ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act/) [Campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign/) [Campaign Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-act-2687079/) [Campaign Expenditure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-expenditure-2687080/) [Counts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counts/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Existed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existed/) [Expenditure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenditure/) [Expenditure Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenditure-obligation-1938194/) [Federal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Obligation Existed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation-existed-2687082/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Test](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test/) [Test Federal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test-federal-2687081/) [Usual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usual/) [Whether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whether/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [It's a violation of federal law for an officer or an employee of the United States government to make or authorize an expenditure or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-yoho/it-s-a-violation-of-federal-law-for-an-officer-or-an-employee-of-the/) [Ted Yoho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-yoho/) > [Few developments in campaigning have been as vilified and misunderstood as independent expenditure PACs, or, as they are colloquially known, super PACs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/few-developments-in-campaigning-have-been-as-vilified-and/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Expenditure now attracts fame as conquest once did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/expenditure-now-attracts-fame-as-conquest-once-did/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Everyone is always in favour of general economy and particular expenditure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-eden/everyone-is-always-in-favour-of-general-economy-and-particular/) [Anthony Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-eden/) > [“And every year the Pentagon bite of the federal dollar got bigger and bigger. In Reagan’s eight years in office, military expenditure doubled from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/and-every-year-the-pentagon-bite-of-the-federal-dollar-got-bigger-and/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [In response to the drop in wealth suffered as a consequence of the 2008 financial crisis, homeowners and firms did attempt to increase savings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/in-response-to-the-drop-in-wealth-suffered-as-a-consequence-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [“If your expenditure brings you poverty, then you may call yourself a poor but the world will call you a fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/if-your-expenditure-brings-you-poverty-then-you-may-call-yourself-a/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Let not your expenditure exceed your income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/let-not-your-expenditure-exceed-your-income/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [The only expenditure, and all its outworkings, for which God can be held to be responsible is that which He directs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/the-only-expenditure-and-all-its-outworkings-for-which-god-can-be/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [ I'm very skeptical of the amount of money that goes into military expenditure, not just in the poor countries \[but\] also in the rich.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-m-very-skeptical-of-the-amount-of-money-that-goes-into-military/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [This item is a mere fleabite in the ocean of our expenditure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-randolph-churchill/this-item-is-a-mere-fleabite-in-the-ocean-of-our-expenditure/) [Lord Randolph Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-randolph-churchill/) > [Every product demands a certain budget and with the kind of setup that we have brought together for 'Housefull 2,' there has to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/every-product-demands-a-certain-budget-and-with-the-kind-of-setup/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [“The sense that just about anything goes with the collection of public revenues and the making of public expenditure has contributed mightily to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-epstein/the-sense-that-just-about-anything-goes-with-the-collection-of-public/) [Richard Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-epstein/) > [If it is unnecessary to adjust the amount of expenditure to the means available, there is no limit to the spending of the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-it-is-unnecessary-to-adjust-the-amount-of-expenditure-to-the-means/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [It is plainly evident that, in a country where land was to be had for the asking, fuel for the cutting, corn for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-morse-earle/it-is-plainly-evident-that-in-a-country-where-land-was-to-be-had-for/) [Alice Morse Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-morse-earle/) ## More by Bradley A. Smith > [With super PACs, we've seen voter turnout go up; interest in elections rise; and the number of competitive races increase. The campaigns of 2010…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/with-super-pacs-we-ve-seen-voter-turnout-go-up-interest-in-elections/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [The next time you download a book on Kindle, buy a Michael Moore screed at Barnes & Noble, or order up a political movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/the-next-time-you-download-a-book-on-kindle-buy-a-michael-moore/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Elections are a competition with only one winner. Giving more money to the opponent every time one speaks on behalf of a favored candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/elections-are-a-competition-with-only-one-winner-giving-more-money-to/) [Bradley A. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [By law, super PACs are required to disclose their donors. There are groups that have never had to disclose their donors, non-profits such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/by-law-super-pacs-are-required-to-disclose-their-donors-there-are/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [The DISCLOSE Act is a testament to the wisdom of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United. The First Amendment sought to place political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/the-disclose-act-is-a-testament-to-the-wisdom-of-the-supreme-court-s/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Even leaving aside government policy, whole industries are already making expensive changes around the perceived need to 'go green.' Al Gore and countless other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/even-leaving-aside-government-policy-whole-industries-are-already/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Unlike many in the conservative camp, I accept theories of global warming, and accept that man-made activity has played a part in global warming.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/unlike-many-in-the-conservative-camp-i-accept-theories-of-global/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Incumbents don't like it, but political competition is a good thing. Incumbents usually outspend challengers by better than 3 to 1. Super PACs, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/incumbents-don-t-like-it-but-political-competition-is-a-good-thing/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Ultimately, the court is heading to a doctrine of 'separation of campaign and state.' 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) [Vashti Quiroz-Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vashti-quiroz-vega/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) [Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The usual test under the Federal Election Campaign Act for whether something counts as a campaign expenditure is whether the obligation would have existed but for the campaign. 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