Politics
as usual
Recent news stories confirm how money dominates our political
process. Lawmaking has been for sale at every level. Large sums
flow in; political favors flow out —
drowning the voices of ordinary citizens, and allowing fat cats
to set public policy in their private interest.
When donors give big bucks, they expect
a huge Return-On-Investment —
and they get it. Consider pharmaceutical contributions to Congress,
which doubled during the years 2000-2002, to both political
parties, during the prescription drug debate. Drug makers got
a windfall; consumers got the Medicare Part-D debacle.
Special
interests rule
The
financial arms race in campaigns has become a senseless hurdle,
at every level. Fewer candidates can afford to run, limiting
choice of candidates and restricting diversity of views —
the very bedrock of democracy.
We have to change the system.
Elections should be about
issues and voters, not who can raise the most money!
"In
the vast majority of cases, the biggest recipients of
interest group money voted the way their donors wanted."
Tacoma News Tribune, July 2003
|
When campaigns are funded publicly,
lawmakers are no longer indebted to private special interest.
They don't have to worry about courting or losing big campaign
donations, and they are free to vote their constituent's needs
and the public interest.
Clean Campaigns
programs are working
Maine created a Clean Campaigns program in 1996, by citizen
initiative. Last year (2006), 83% of Maine's state legislators
ran using only Clean Money. In Arizona, nine of eleven state
officials were elected last year, running Clean
— including Governor Janet Napolitano. Other
states and cities are getting on the bandwagon.
These programs prove
that voter-owned campaigns are successful and popular. Success
stories from other states
Candidates can run for office without being
wealthy —
and win on the strength of their ideas. They are indebted only
to the voters in their district. Public financing brings diversity
of candidates and views, eliminates "dialing for dollars"
and allows more time discussing issues with constituents.
|
"The campaign was different because I didn't have
to fundraise. The
real difference will be in serving, simply by having no
encumbrance from private money."
— Maine Senator Lynn Bromley
|
Here is how it works: The state
creates an optional public fund, financed in various ways. Candidates
qualify for public funds by gathering a set number of $5 donations
with signatures from voters in their district. Then they receive
funds sufficient to run a campaign, on the promise they will
accept no further private contributions and will not use their
own money.
Additional matching funds are provided,
up to a set limit, if an opponent using private money spends
more than the Clean Campaigns candidate, and to counter ads
or spending by any independent group. In states with these programs,
independent ads and spending actually decline over time if matching
funds are sufficient, and voters often prefer the candidates
who run "Clean".
Public
financing is affordable
In Washington State, a program for all state executive offices,
all legislative races, and all upper-level judicial races would
cost less than $4 per person,
per year —
less than a coffee mocha!
Don't fall for the line that we can't
afford it, or that it's welfare-for-candidates, or that it diverts
money we need to fix potholes. The truth is: When lawmakers
reward today's big campaign donors for their "investment",
it costs more NOT to have voter-owned public campaign financing.
Most people are disgusted by the legal
bribery of private campaign financing, but they don't know there
is an alternative. Public financing for campaigns needs to become
a familiar concept, with people knowing how it works and why
it's necessary.
With an informed public and a grassroots
groundswell, we can effectively fight for public financing of
campaigns in Washington State —
and in Congress. It is fundamental to progress on nearly
every other issue we care about.
Washington Public Campaigns is
a grassroots organization with a mission as large as democracy
itself. Please
join this effort!
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