Public Campaign Financing?
 

Kerry, Bush and Dean have opted out of public campaign financing -- the $3 donation on your tax return that 11% of Americans give with their income taxes. What is your opinion on the matter? Is public campaign financing dead? What about the criterian for funding -- "qualified candidates"?

If they don't take your funds to help support their campaign, how can you claim that they're responsible to you for their actions?

They are turning down public funding because it will limit the amount they can raise under campaign finance reform. They feel they can (and have) raised much more than that through other sources. I think it's a simple business decision.

I'm very conflicted about this issue, which I have a feeling many folks are. One the one hand I see shameless pandering to special interests as a result of things of this sort, the most recent example being the so-called 'energy' bill.

On the other hand I read that Americans spent $3 billion dollars on the 2000 election cycle. Not just on the president, but congress, state and local government. Which sounds like a lot, but is just half what Americans spent on chewing gum that year.

Kerry and Dean are just doing what they have to do in order to compete. If they limited themselves to what public financing provides, they would be buried by the Bush/Cheney warchest which is already over $100 million and expected to reach nearly $200 million. Would I like it if all the candidates spent less money, Yes, but it is unrealistic.