opening for choice 3
- Archived: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 01:00:00 -0500 (EST)
- Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 23:55:55 -0800
- From: Taylor Willingham <taylor@bwillingham.com>
- Subject: opening for choice 3
- X-topic: Choice 3
We are now ready to focus our attention on Choice 3: Publicize Political Donations, Don't Regulate Them.
Supporters of Choice 3 blame the problem on misguided efforts to regulate the flow of money. These efforts, they contend, have backfired. Regulations have driven money "underground" rather than leading to an open system of full disclosure. They believe that we can reduce the power that money has over politics by fully and quickly informing citizens about the source of contributions. They argue that full disclosure would mitigate the negative influence of money on politics because politicians, donors and lobbyists would be pressured to act in a trustworthy manner. Nothing could be hidden. Full disclosure they point out would eliminate the negative and preserve the positive impact money can have on politics such as helping candidates get their message out while protecting an individual's right to spend their own money to support the candidate of their choice.
Many of you have called for greater citizen involvement. This choice supports actions that would lead to better and more timely information to citizens. How might an improved reporting system support your desire to increase citizen involvement? What might be some challenges in implementing this choice?
This choice argues that it opens up opportunities for new candidates because they wouldn't be limited by "arcane" fundraising restrictions. The briefing book describes a situation in which a new candidate believed that funding restrictions impaired his challenge to the incumbent. EVEN IF you don't agree with this choice, can you understand how this choice might result in widening the field?
What do you see as a pitfall to this choice? Are there ways to mitigate your concerns?
Taylor
Taylor L. Willingham
Austin-Pacific Consulting Co.
P.O. Box 1255
Salado, TX 76571
254.947.3793
taylor@bwillingham.com
www.bwillingham.com/taylors_page.htm
Austin-Pacific Consulting Company...Connecting People, Ideas, and
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