4. HEAR SOME ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
"Money has a corrupting influence on politics - it undercuts the basic democratic premise of 'one person, one vote' by allowing the wealthiest among us to exert undue influence."
The Argument: Politicians are supposed to be free to pursue the best course for our nation. Their job, after all, is a noble and important one: they represent "the people" in the political arena. How can politicians be expected to make the right decisions when their hands are tied by the interests of those whose money put them in office? The short answer is that they can't, and we, as a society, must have the forethought not to put them in that position. Federal subsidizing of elections and the banning of soft money would level the playing field and let all ideas, not just those of the rich, be considered.
The Response: It is not necessarily true that people only give money to change candidates' policies. An explicit bargain to that effect would actually be illegal. Another possible scenario is that the donors give money to the candidate whose positions mirror their own. If that is, in fact, the case then the process of giving money represents political activism, just like writing a letter to a member of Congress, protesting a law, or starting an organization. In this age of political apathy, shouldn't our government encourage rather than stifle those who wish to engage in political behavior?
"The present system is too favorable to the incumbent. Campaign finance reform will be a vehicle for change, giving the challenger a fighting chance."
The Argument: Over 90% of House members and 70% of Senators win their bids for reelection. Part of the reason for this lies in the system of campaign finance. Incumbents are able to turn their office's power into campaign funds, building a political war chest that frightens away strong challengers and decimates the weak. All of this translates into a stagnant "politics as usual" atmosphere in Washington.
The Response:There are better ways than campaign finance reform to address the issue of incumbency, such as term limits. Yes, the system in place does allow politicians to solicit donations, but these lobbying efforts are legitimate attempts by American companies and organizations to express their opinions. Although "money talks" has become a cliche in most contexts, its inescapability seems lost on those who naively plug campaign finance reform as the quick fix for our society.
