Common Ground & Summary

[Susan Taylor <mystaylor@mindspring.com>]

Again, I have spent quite a lot of time reading through the postings from the past two days and those posted today.  I have been working to assimilate what I think I have heard and experienced as a result of this forum on campaign finance reform.  Here are some of the commom "themes" that I heard:

-Too much money is spent on campaigns for elected office
-Large amounts of money given to campaigns equals influence and corruption when it is give to candidates regardless of where the money comes from.
-Many people perceive that they are powerless about the ways our elected officials are elected and this is a direct result of large amounts of money given to candidates.  Some people believe that large amounts of money have strings attached.
-Some people believe that we can enact laws that will change the ways campaigns are financed so that candidates are not receiving large amounts of money.
-Some people believe that the laws we have are directly responsible and ineffective when it comes to campaign finance regulation.
-Based on this forum, I would say that more conversation needs to occur.

I cannot say that I have left this forum with a changed mind or that I have found another approach that appeals to me.  I believe that more discussion is necesary with many others not just from this group but also with others throughout the country.  I will be really interested in hearing what other forums are discussing and the areas of commom ground that they find.