Fresh News from the Fifty States
06/21 11:18 AM
Increasing-Democracy
Poll: Overwhelming Support for Publicly Financed Elections
A new national poll finds overwhelming support (74%) for public financing of elections, the result no doubt of soaring campaign costs, lobbyist scandals and the desire for fairer, cleaner elections.The result is bipartisan with eighty percent of Democrats, 78% of Independents, and 65% of Republicans support this reform.
What's important to emphasize is why voters said things would improve with public financing of elections.
- 82% of voters believe it is likely, as a result of publicly financed elections, that candidates will win on their ideas, not because of the money they raise.
- 79% said it would allow candidates with good ideas rather than just the rich and powerful to have a shot at winning elections.
- 77% said that special interests would not receive as many favors, tax breaks and deals from politicians.
This last point is important. Public financing of elections are NOT a policy that will increase government spending; in fact, it's almost guaranteed to pay for itself many times over with less tax and government contract giveaways and more honest, cheaper services. 77% of the public recognize that our present system of legalized bribery costs the public every day, so replacing it with public financing will be a cost-saver.
Discuss 3
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The poll asked about a VOLUNTARY system of federal financing. Compare that with the continuing decline in those who do the federal presidential election funding check-off on their income tax forms. The public refuses to put its money where its mouth is!
— A cynical observer Jun 21, 02:09 PM #
The majority of the cost of campaigns is in buying media. Since the media is not a business like any other, but is a major shaper of our culture, maybe media time and space should be required by law to be contributed to campaigns.
— Wesley Sandel Jun 21, 05:04 PM #
In fact, the public issues television stations licences to broadcast over public airwaves. These licences are exteremely profitable, and are effectively a licence to print money.
A case could be made to increase the “public good” requirements that come with these licences for a certain quanitity of “free” television advertising to candidates. An in-kind donation, as it were, to go along with public financing.
— Frank Szollosi Jun 29, 07:37 AM #