Campaign Finance Reform

At a time when campaign finance reform is widely viewed as synonymous with cleaning up Washington and promoting political equality, Bradley Smith, a nationally recognized expert on campaign finance reform, argues that all restriction on campaign giving should be eliminated. In "Unfree Speech," he presents a bold, convincing argument for the repeal of laws that regulate political spending and contributions, contending that they violate the right to free speech and ultimately diminish citizens' power. Smith demonstrates that these laws, which often force ordinary people making modest contributions of cash or labor to register with the Federal Election Commission or various state agencies, fail to accomplish their stated objectives. In fact, they have worked to entrench incumbents in office, deaden campaign discourse, burden grassroots political activity with needless regulation, and distance Americans from an increasingly professional, detached political class. Rather than attempting to plug "loopholes" in campaign finance law or instituting taxpayer-financed campaigns, Smith proposes a return to core First Amendment values of free speech and an unfettered right to engage in political activity. Smith finds that campaign contributions have little corrupting effect on the legislature and shows that an unrestrained system of contributions and spending actually enhances equality. More money, not less, is needed in the political system, Smith concludes. "Unfree Speech" draws upon constitutional law and historical research to explain why campaign finance regulation is doomed and to illustrate the potentially drastic costs of efforts to make it succeed. Whatever one thinks about the impactof money on electoral politics, no one should take a final stand without reading Smith's controversial and important arguments.

Why we need true reform and how it can finally be achieved "American politics has become an arms race, with money doing the work of missiles. One side escalates and the other follows suit. As the spiral grows it is undermining the soul of democracy. But here's the good news: the majority of Americans want a new system of campaign finance. Every time voters have had a chance to choose a different way, they have spoken loud and clear. Clean money initiatives are proving the citizens' response to the corruption that has turned our elections into auctions. This book is the blueprint to returning democracy to politics." --Bill Moyers As we approach our next presidential election, few issues loom larger than campaign finance reform. While the Senate has agreed to vote on a sweeping bill for reform at the federal level, state voters have passed, or are about to vote on, ballots that limit the amount of private money flooding into campaign war chests. Money and Politics argues that only the full public funding of elections, as enacted with the adoption in Maine of the Clean Elections Act, can solve our campaign financing crisis. Their evaluation of its pros and cons is particularly timely as parts of the Maine option are being considered in competing congressional reform bills. Many of the contributors to this volume have worked closely on campaign finance reform, including Senator Russell Feingold, coauthor of the landmark McCain-Feingold Act. Persuasive, accessible, and controversial, this book makes an important contribution to our debate about the most democratic way to elect the politicians who represent us. NEW DEMOCRACY FORUM A series of short paperbackoriginals exploring creative solutions to our most urgent national concerns.

Campaign finance reform - Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns.

Democracy 21 - Democracy 21 is a non-profit group in the United States that works to remove the influence of private money from politics (see campaign finance, campaign finance reform). It was founded in 1997 by longtime activist Fred Wertheimer, and is based in Washington, DC.

Campaign finance in the United States - Campaign finance in the United States is the financing of electoral campaigns at the federal, state and local levels. There are many sources of finance: direct donations from individuals, organizations, especially Political Action Committee and political parties -- "hard money" -- and indirect, unregulated "soft money" donations to organizations that support a candidate but are not officially affiliated to his or her campaign.

Campaign finance - Campaign finance refers to the means by which money is raised for election campaigns. As campaigns have many expenditures, ranging from the cost of travel for the candidate and others to the purchasing of air time for tv ads, they often spend a great deal of time and effort raising money to finance their cause.

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Campaign Chase Congressional Finance Money Reform - Campaign Chase Congressional Finance Money Reform Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections In this comprehensive guide to the language of contemporary American politics, Binning offers clear descriptions of terms such as soft money, gerrymandering, campaign chase congressional finance money reform and blanket primary. Examples are frequently offered to help clarify definitions. Particular attention is given to the ever-changing organizational structure of parties campaign chase congressional finance money reform and contemporary electoral systems. This encyclopedia explains campaign finance reform laws ...

Campaign Finance Reform - Campaign Finance Reform Money Matters Methods of campaign financing have been controversial since George Washington first ran for office, campaign finance reform and debates over campaign finance reform have raged just as long. Contemporary critics of reform often contend that it would decrease electoral competition, voter turnout, campaign finance reform and the amount of information voters receive about candidates. Money Matters subjects these criticisms to careful, systemic analysis -- using simulations, aggregate vote analyses, campaign finance reform and individual-level data analyses ...

Office of Campaign and Political Finance - Office of Campaign and Political Finance Unfree Speech: The Folly of Campaign Finance Reform by Bradley A. Smith, At a time when campaign finance reform is widely viewed as synonymous with cleaning up Washington office of campaign and political finance and promoting political equality, Bradley Smith, a nationally recognized expert on campaign finance reform, argues that all restriction on campaign giving should be eliminated. In "Unfree Speech," he presents a bold, convincing argument for the repeal of laws that regulate political ...

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