by Xelan Bonn

Created on: July 23, 2007   Last Updated: January 17, 2011

We could dramatically improve our election process to secure better candidates and choices if we utilized our public resources much more intelligently. There is a new election and financing system being proposed by a political solution consulting group called the Federal Campaign Reform Act (FCRA), which would not only transform our entire political process to ensure federal candidates are no longer beholden to special or corporate interests, but would not cost US taxpayers a penny more than is currently spent on federal campaigns.

If enacted into law, FCRA would set new requirements on all FCC licensing for all media outlets and require  license holders provide blocks of free transmission time to major federal candidates during the federal election cycle. All candidates would be given equal time at each stage of the election process using a set formula that ensures fairness for all.

FCRA ensures that corporate and special interests donors are limited to the same maximum donation amounts of all US citizens (not to exceed $3,200 per candidate), thus leveling the playing field and eliminating unfair election practices whereby wealthier contributors have more election influence than average voters.

Most Americans are unaware that the federal government (public) owns all FCC licenses and leases them  to media companies. FCRA simply reclaims a minor portion of this invaluable asset for the greater public good rather than allowing media companies to unjustly enrich themselves on public assets.

Most campaign financing is used for advertising purposes (over 85%). The majority of spending goes to radio and television airtime. By eliminating the bulk of this cost for federal candidates, we can dramatically level the playing field and provide for higher quality candidates of integrity who, if elected, would no longer have an obligation to their deep pocket donors, thus political favors would be replaced with higher integrity in leadership decision making.

By merely revamping FCC licensing requirements and re-distributing our current public assets to accommodate the greater public need for election integrity, we will transform the political process from one filled with unfair campaign funding practices to one with a level playing field that will draw in candidates of integrity that might not otherwise consider running for public office due to the current shady perceptions of campaign funding.

Today, it takes about $100 million to win a presidential election, which means we only get people who are highly entrenched in the “establishment” at the “elite” levels of business and government who can afford to launch a White House run. However, with FCRA in place, we would be able to draw from an entirely new pool of potential candidates who would then have to rise on their own merits as opposed to being pushed to the forefront by major financial backers and backroom deal makers—a reality we have now with today’s election process.

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