Everyone thought it was a joke when Stephen Colbert, a comedian playing a presidential candidate, started a Super Pac.  And that he was just going to mock the process without having any actual impact. But people are sending him money.  And when the PAC paid for an ad in Iowa telling voters there to write in the name Richard Parry, (note the “a” in Parry – the real candidate Rick Perry spells his name with an “e.”)   Colbert moved from mocking the political process to messing with it.  You  might think that’s funny but I bet Rick Perry doesn’t.  Below is a New York Times article about this.  It includes a quote from one expert who says this type of parody – that could lead to actual votes and dollars raised – is unprecedented in politics.  We’ve also added several other articles that define Super Pacs and explain the court ruling that led to their creation. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/business/media/stephen-colberts-pac-is-more-than-a-gag.html?pagewanted=all

http://articles.boston.com/2011-08-28/news/29939096_1_priorities-usa-mitt-romney-candidates

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/24/over-the-cliff/?scp=9&sq=politics&st=Search

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR2010092706500.html