The Federal Election Commission has notified two Missouri politicians that they may have accepted too much money in the recently completed 2006 campaign. Incumbent Sen. Jim Talent was defeated by Claire McCaskill, and the commission says they both may have received “excessive and/or prohibited contributions” during their campaigns.

Talent’s campaign may have accepted more than $185,000 in improper donation to his losing campaign effort, and McCaskill may have accepted $28,000 more than allowed, according to the FEC.

What’s new?

The name of the game in politics is to win. A high profile competitive race is a war, and winning is the only thing that counts. Coming in second doesn’t score any points.

Consequently, and in the absence of any tough or severe punishments for violating the rules of the game, almost anything goes in the effort to win. Soliciting more money than the law allows, phony votes and other forms of voter fraud, as well as other campaign and voter turnout trickery, are just part of the game. Such disregard for the law is certain to increase until there is severe punishment for such illegal activity.

The news story reporting the investigation into Missouri’s Senate race reported that campaign committees have 30 days to clarify the contributions or make refunds. Nothing is said about what happens if both Talent and McCaskill and their campaign staffs are found to be guilty. McCaskill is sure to remain in office.

The way the game is played, someone on Talent’s staff or McCaskill’s staff may have his or her wrist slapped, fines may be assessed, and someone might even be given a relatively short jail sentence. No big deal. The winning candidate will say the right things about being sorry, that there was no intention to break the law and that he or she didn’t know anything about it. Why not use every means, legal or illegal, to win an election? Why play by the rules and handicap your campaign’s chances of winning?

Most seasoned political observers have predicted the upcoming 2008 political races will be the meanest and nastiest in recent times and probably cost more than any election in history. This being the case, the public should be prepared for all kinds of election, campaigning and voter abuses.

The only way to lessen such actions (there is little chance of eliminating them) is to impose tough – very tough – penalties and have the respective courts impose the maximum penalties on those who are convicted. The best way would be to remove a person from office or void the election of anyone who has violated election and campaign laws.

Unfortunately, this probably never will be done, and we will continue to have men and women serving in office who have broken the laws. A slap on the wrist is a mighty small penalty to pay, particularly when the winner is in office and a low- or mid-level member of the campaign staff is the one sentenced to jail time. A fine, even a big fine, is a joke when millions of dollars are in the campaign war chests.

Speaking of dollars, don’t most successful officeholders, particularly those who have been in office for some time, leave office in far better financial condition than when they were first elected? If that’s the case, no wonder candidates are so willing to spend record amounts – and maybe break laws – to win national political office.