CAMPAIGN FINANCES

Campaigning and elections has become big business in America. There is a lot of money to be made and a lot of money to be lost. Many people and organizations alike are involved and the number is growing every year. The outcome of the election has the potential to make or break some of these contributors. Contributors, contributions and the handling of both are in desperate need of control. Some of the things I would consider were I to be in charge of campaign finance include:

1) CONTRIBUTE TO PARTY, NOT INDIVIDUAL: Every penny anybody or any organization wanted to give to help their chosen candidate win the election must be donated only to the campaign office, not to the candidate. The donations would all be pooled and allotted equally among candidates. This would help cut down on large sums of campaign funds going to just one of the candidates.

2) NO MAXIMUM OR MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION: Any individual or organization can donate as little or as much as they want. All donations go direct to the party so there is no concern about one candidate getting a disproportionately larger share of the funding. In addition, every individual can have a hand in helping their party win.

3) RECEIPTS FOR ALL CONTRIBUTIONS: Every donation given, regardless of magnitude, will be documented and receipted. Documentation will clearly show the identity of the donator. All funding available must equal the sum of all receipts on file.

4) CAMPAIGN OVERSIGHT BY INDEPENDENT FIRM: Financial bookkeeping to be on oversight by a reputable accounting firm. The same as large industry has financial audits, so would campaign fund offices. All records to be open and available for review by the other parties at any time. This will help avoid the temptation to juggle the books.

5) EQUAL FUND ALLOTMENTS TO ALL CANDIDATES: Every candidate in the party is to receive exactly the same amount of funding as any of the others. All donations, minus expenses, will be divided equally amongst all candidates. Candidates bookkeeping practices and records will also be on oversight by the same accounting agency that monitors the campaign offices. This will help secure the legitimacy of the candidates handling of the money they receive.

6) CANDIDATES CONTRIBUTE MAXIMUM OF 50% OF ALLOTMENT: Individual candidates can contribute no more than 50% of the total amount of the allotment they receive from the campaign financial office. This donation will be handled in the same manner any other contribution is handled. It too, will be distributed amongst the candidates in that party. Again, this will cut down on the disparity between the wealthy and the not so wealthy. Even the poor should be able to run for president.

7) DIRECT CANDIDATE FUNDING PUNISHABLE: If any candidate is caught receiving any size or quantity of donation directly from any contributor, his race is over. That candidate is to be removed from the race immediately. The contributor is to be brought up on charges and legal action taken. Each candidate's financial records are on oversight and if that oversight discovers a personal donation error, the same penalty applies.

The idea is simply to have as fair a race as is possible. This includes between candidates in each party as well as between the chosen candidates from each party.

Learn more about this author, Gary Maclean.
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