Campaign Reform -- My Own Idea
I was reading the Frontpage Magazine article on Cynthia McKinney and noticed something that got me thinking. (I am not going to talk specifically about her; she is a nutcake and an embarrassment to everything she supposedly represents.) What I noticed was this paragraph:
McKinney supposedly represents the 4th District of Georgia. But in 2001-2002, 73 percent of her campaign contributions came from outside the state of Georgia. She pocketed almost as much cash just from California donors ($ 131,250) as she did from her fellow Georgians in and around Atlanta ($ 140,669).
This got me thinking about campaign finance reform and the idiotic way we are going about it.
This is simply what I would do if I had my 'druthers.
1. By law all campaign contributions must be spent in the state in which they are raised. No money may be raised in another state or contributed by someone who is not a citizen and registered voter in that state. A state legislator or US congressman must be able to trace every dollar contributed to his or her campaign funds to a person living in their district. No one may contribute to anyone or any cause they are not eligible to vote for.
2. No cap would be set on how much a person can give but all contributions to political purposes is to be public record. No anonymous giving or giving by proxy will be allowed at all.
3. Only individuals can make contributions to campaign funds. Groups, organizations and associations may encourage their members to give to specific candidates or causes but may not actually give from their funds.
4. The open media (newspapers, network TV, etc.) must give equal time to both parties in the final 90 days before an election. (Magazines, blogs, etc would be exempt here provided they are up front with their personal political bias.)
Of course people are going to poke holes in all of these and they will probably never pass but it is just how I would go about it.
McKinney supposedly represents the 4th District of Georgia. But in 2001-2002, 73 percent of her campaign contributions came from outside the state of Georgia. She pocketed almost as much cash just from California donors ($ 131,250) as she did from her fellow Georgians in and around Atlanta ($ 140,669).
This got me thinking about campaign finance reform and the idiotic way we are going about it.
This is simply what I would do if I had my 'druthers.
1. By law all campaign contributions must be spent in the state in which they are raised. No money may be raised in another state or contributed by someone who is not a citizen and registered voter in that state. A state legislator or US congressman must be able to trace every dollar contributed to his or her campaign funds to a person living in their district. No one may contribute to anyone or any cause they are not eligible to vote for.
2. No cap would be set on how much a person can give but all contributions to political purposes is to be public record. No anonymous giving or giving by proxy will be allowed at all.
3. Only individuals can make contributions to campaign funds. Groups, organizations and associations may encourage their members to give to specific candidates or causes but may not actually give from their funds.
4. The open media (newspapers, network TV, etc.) must give equal time to both parties in the final 90 days before an election. (Magazines, blogs, etc would be exempt here provided they are up front with their personal political bias.)
Of course people are going to poke holes in all of these and they will probably never pass but it is just how I would go about it.
posted by shoprat at 9:10 PM
3 Comments:
Not me ... it sounds like a great plan. I wish there was at least a little bit of honesty in all this contribution garbage. Were going through the same thing up here, only not as bad as what I see from you guys. All corporate donations by law are capped and must be made public.
Shoprat, I love the idea of spending money where it's raised. California is generous to democrats around the country.
As for the "equal time", we used to have what was called "the fairness doctrine". When TV or radio did a story about Republicans, they had to do one about democrats, etc.
The killing of that is something the Democrats loath, because try as they might, talk radio is dominated by conservatives, and they can't compete. (See Air America).
I like your plan - it actually makes sense!!
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