by Rosemarie Dundon

Created on: January 09, 2011   Last Updated: January 10, 2011

A WORD ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

In fairness to all who aspire to elected office, let no one be disadvantaged by finances, instead let he/she be disadvantaged by their issues, ideas and basic philosophy.

Let those who best understand American Values win!

HOW? Remember FDR rode into city by city, making his platform and rhetoric known. He pulled up on the train route, made his speeches and went onto the next town. The key item in an election is exposure.

Well, ok, but today we have media and a lot of money invested in each candidate. So? How do we level the playing field, make everyone running for office (be) heard, and how do we make sure it is fair to each candidate, their constituents and society as whole?

Campaign Finance Reform:

Cooperation is needed from all involved; the candidate, the constituents and media.

What? Make no further personal campaign finance contributions. Instead, initially as the race begins, make all contributions equally shared by all who are running for office. At the end you would make the bulk of money go back to the winning party-candidate. Make no mistake, each candidate will be heard, the general party platform will be established for the coming election, and no one will lose because he/she could not finance their campaign.

Instead of a candidate running for office, it should be that he/she best represents the party, the people and country.

HOW? All donations are to pay for air time/media/press for all candidates; until such time as the party candidate is chosen.

At that end of the campaign cycle we will have heard from everyone, we will have made our decision, and we will have a party-candidate we totally support.

For example: the democratic party would fund all ads for the party; the candidates will get equal time providing a few loose ends are eliminated.

How then will begin traveling town to town is: Everyone will be heard! Point two: the approach to any election should be based on party-variables.

Town to Town debates can take place and be distributed worldwide candidate by candidate. The entire approach toward elected office would be: A narrowing down of our idea of a candidate for elected office. Our basic value system will be established.

Debates can naturally take place and take on a process of elimination; in other words: Each candidate will debate with all the others, because the party-itself will pay the expenses.

That is not to say that media should not have to front some of the costs. Politics is news.

Air time for a debate is prime time for advertising. Therefore, media should be mandated to fund telecasts to some extent.

WHAT? Just the latest from a girl from Queens.

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