Pools and Public Airtime

[Meg Olson <nuitfromage@hotmail.com>]

Perhaps the only place it would be constitutional to mandate equal time for each candidate in the media is on a state-sponsered station, like PBS or NPR.  If we were to attempt to force private companies that run, say, MTV, CNN, or NBC to a) give all candidates air-time or b) give all candidates the same amount and type of coverage, I am fairly sure it would be challenged and ruled an unnecessary intrusion of the government into private affairs, regardless of the "public good" that it would be doing.  

Also, not allowing individuals or companies to donate specifically to a candidate, but instead having them give to a pool that is divided between the candidates running, makes "standing by your man" trite.  It will allow people to express their support for the multiparty electoral system in general, but no more.  Can anyone say having elections is bad?  Ought we be indicating our support for them by giving money to "the elections"?  No, I believe we ought to indicate our support in a specific candidate in the election to whatever extent we deem it important.