| Here’s an Idea! | |
|---|---|
 | Let any adult citizen, with energy, ideas and honesty, campaign for office. Reduce the influence of mega donors and special interests from the political system. Campaigns financed publicly, rather than by an oligarch or oil company have advantages for democracy. |
Public Campaign Financing
| Focus on the Issues: Done right, it could reduce quid pro quo agreements (favors for money) and the appearance of corruption. Eligible candidates are not dependent on oligarchs, or special interests and can spend less time on the onerous (for most) task of begging for money and more time on brainstorming, crafting legislation and communicating with the voters. |
| Democratic (small d) Public financing helps qualified candidates, regardless of means, to compete for voter support. Some methods, like small donor matches from public funds, empower voters to participate and be a part of the process. Trust in the process and a return to democracy is encouraged, political power is shared not purchased. The barrier to entry for new candidates is reduced and fresh ideas and a challenge to the status quo are encouraged. Incumbents are less entrenched and campaigns are more competitive. |
| Not Opaque Campaigns can be more oriented to the issues. Public funds are different than the dark money coming from the arcane super PAC arrangement currently in play. They have open disclosure requirements and voters can see how the money flows. We are hardened to the influence of the oligarchs and special interests, Elon Musk spent $291 million on MAGA support in 2024. He wasn’t alone in mega influence: banking scion Timothy Mellon, casino owner Miriam Adelson, shipping supplies magnates Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, hedge fund CEO Kenneth Griffin, and trading firm co-founder Jeffrey Yass — all gave $100 million or more for MAGA causes. Did they want anything in return? |
Public Financing Current Experiments:
| Washington, DC | The Fair Elections Program is a voluntary campaign financing program that provides limited public matching funds to qualified candidates that pledge to only accept small donations and forgo all corporate and PAC money. |
| Connecticut | Instead of matching individual donations, the Citizens’ Election Program provides a fixed amount of public funding to eligible candidates who agree to abide by spending limits and fundraising requirements |
| Maine | The Clean Election Act (MCEA) established a voluntary program of full public financing of political campaigns for candidates running for Governor, State Senator, and State Representative. Maine voters passed the MCEA as a citizen initiative in 1996. |
| Arizona | The Citizens Clean Elections Act passed by voters in 1998, established a system for voter education, clean funding for candidate campaigns and campaign finance enforcement. The purpose of the Act is to restore citizen participation and confidence in the political system, improve the integrity of Arizona State government and promote freedom of speech under the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions. |
| New York City | NYC matches small donations 8-to-1 for city offices |
What a Thought!
You or I with (almost) as much
political influence as an oligarch!
These are brilliant approaches to the mess we’re in, but making them happen seems impossible. Too much, too slow, and requiring too many changes.
I’m all for getting money out of politics but I think that the real problem, now days, is the influence of internet mobs. It’s hard to encourage young, bright and forward thinking people to suffer the consequences of an algorithm fueled campaign against them.Here, in NJ, a respected professor at Rutgers has literally been run out of town because he had the audacity to write a well researched book about the origins of antifa. Turning Point USA targeted him for harassment and he feared for his young family. It’s easy to see why not everyone, no matter how well qualified they may be, wants to jump into the fray.