A few
weeks ago, after seven years of debate and delay, the House of Representatives
finally acted to take some of the private money out of the campaign
finance system.
Some
of the money.
But the
scales of power are still drastically tilted against the average citizen.
The campaign
finance reform bill passed by the House and now being considered by
the U.S. Senate is full of loopholes. This bill may give even more
power to special interest groups. It doubles the amount that
individuals can contribute to Congressional campaigns. And, although
national political parties now face new restrictions, corporations,
unions, and multi-millionaires can now give $10,000 (instead of $5,000)
to state political parties.
I voted
for the bill because it eliminates the $200,000 checks blatantly used
by big corporations to pay for certain laws to be passed. But I think
that true campaign finance reform must remove all private money
from the system. As long as we continue to let private money keep our
public officials in office, our political system will be corrupt.
If you
are like most people, you don't have $2,000 in your couch cushions.
So if you are like most people, you should be concerned about the ongoing
dominance of private money in your campaign system.
Why? Consider
the following scenario:
The phone
rings. It is you. A citizen of the United States of America. You are
trying to call your representative, ``Congressman Smith''. You need
some help.
Maybe
they're going to build a freeway through your backyard. Maybe they want
to build a factory across the street from your kid's school. Maybe you
want to express your disgust with some budgetary boondoggle.
So you
need some help. But there's a problem.
You see,
the freeway builders gave Congressman Smith $30,000 in his last campaign.
The factory builders gave him $50,000. The defense contractor who builds
a tank that the military doesn't even want, made sure the Congressman
got $20,000.
When you
call him and ask for help, Congressman Smith should care. After all,
that's his job. He is supposed to represent you.
But if
he wants to keep his job, he'll probably do what his big donors want.
The freeway or factory or tank will get built.
Money
is power. Money can buy television ads - seen by tens of thousands of
voters. Money can print and mail full-color glossy brochures to tens
of thousands of voters. Money can buy a Congressman. Money can buy a
Governor. Money can buy a President.
Political
campaigns cost money. Maybe we can't control that. But we can
control where that money comes from.
I suggest
that we need to do more than simply reform the corrupt campaign finance
system in this country. We need to remove it! We need to end it! We
should no longer allow private corporations or multi-millionaires to
give ANY money to a Congressional (or state or local) campaign.
Eliminating
the private money could eliminate private influence on our government.
Changes
like this could occur right here in San Diego! One local San Diego organization,
the San Diego Alliance for Clean Elections, has an intriguing proposal.
SDACE proposes that a city council candidate who gathers three hundred
$5 donations should receive public financing for his campaign.
This means
that funds to pay for campaigns would come from us! And while
some will balk at public money going to pay for campaigns, they should
consider the current alternative: your City Councilmember brought
to you by ``Big Developer, Inc.''
The SDACE
campaign finance proposal limits the public cost to 0.5% of the city's
general fund. That come to only $3 per resident. A small price to pay
for removing big corporations, developers, and special interests from
city politics!
And if
the SDACE proposal passes, running for office would no longer be reserved
for a privileged few. Public officials would be able to vote without
consideration for the impact that a vote might have on future campaign
contributions. The freeway might not come through your backyard. The
factory might not be built across from your school. Unnecessary pork
projects might disappear.
Public
campaign financing is an idea that has worked in Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts,
and Vermont. It could work in San Diego too. And with enough regional
success, public campaign financing could be expanded nationwide. Our
government could again be truly “of the people, by the people,
and for the people!”
Congressman
Bob Filner represents California's 50 th Congressional District
in the U.S. House of Representatives. Learn more about the San Diego
Alliance for Clean Elections at www.cleanelectionsandiego.org
