1 of 23

No

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

funding or not - it still comes from the taxpayers. That won't work so what will? I think the government, the candidates and the country would be better off limiting the funds allowed in a campaign and putting everyone on a level playing field.

This could be incredibly valuable in judging candidates! On a level playing field, how will each candidate manage the money they're allowed to spend? Which one will have the best strategy? Candidates who can navigate public relations, advertising, politics and the media with success and integrity on a limited budget would certainly prove that they are worthy of the position they are running for.

I am aware that the Supreme Court basically declared campaign spending limits unconstitutional in 1976 with their Buckley v. Valeo decision. They said that spending limits violated the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. The Court stated that: "A restriction on the amount of money a person or group can spend on political communication during a campaign necessarily reduces the quantity of expression by restricting the number of issues discussed, the depth of their exploration, and the size of the audience reached."

In other words, campaign spending limits would keep candidates from saying all that they might want to say. But how many potential candidates are kept from speaking at all because they cannot keep up financially? One could argue that there is a "quantity of expression" and "depth of exploration" that is being missed entirely because only the elite can participate. Where's the freedom of speech in that? Only the rich are free to speak because they are they only ones that can afford it!

The government should not help fund election campaigns because there is no way the candidates without money could be elevated to the status of those with money. The amount required from the government (and its taxpayers!) to give a candidate a chance against the elite would be ridiculous. Until the intelligent, passionate, service-minded candidate without money is allowed the same chance to campaign as those with money, government funding would be useless anyway. Perhaps someday we'll all have the same freedom of speech that's provided for people with money. We can hope!

Learn more about this author, Lorie Grant DeWorken.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about Should the US government help fund election campaigns??
We want to hear your view. Write now!