by Gloria Allen

Created on: November 03, 2007   Last Updated: March 19, 2008

No. The Government should not, under any circumstances fund election campaigns, for many reasons.

First, this is taxpayer's money. When people pay their taxes to the American government, supposedly this money is to be used to benefit the public good - for defense of our country; for roads, bridges, emergency aid to states in crisis, etc. If, however, some of that money is going to contribute to one, or to more than one's candidate's campaign or political party, then the public is cheated - because constitutionally, American government was created by our laws, to serve the interests of the American people, not the government's own political interests and agenda.

For government to donate funds to a political candidate's campaign, raises many troubling questions. Would there be a limit as to how much money a candidate can receive from the government, whether federal, state or local? Over a million dollars? Two million? Three? A billion? We all know that campaigns are driven by money. Money for TV and radio ads; for travel expenses; hotels; paying campaign staffers, etc. So what about the other candidate/s whose views differ from the presiding government? Or would the government have to give money to all of the candidates to level the playing-field? This is unlikely as much as it would be unfair to the American public for the squandering of their tax money to pay for politician's campaigns. And if only one or a few candidates were to receive funds from the government, how fair would that be for the lone-wolf candidate, who receives no funds at all to help her/his campaign? And where is the public's say-so in all of this, as to whether or not the taxpayer agrees with the government donating their taxes to a candidate that does not have their support? Isn't this wrongful use of taxpayer's money? Isn't this taxation without representation? Might these actions even be unconstitutional? ? Is there a quid-pro-quo in the mix? Is this corruption?

Also, a candidate receiving government funds, especially if well-over of what the average American can afford to donate, may stand a considerably better chance of winning office and this misrepresents the candidate's true source of support. A well-funded campaign with significant government donations, creates the impression that the candidate has raised that money from potential voters, not from one or more government sources, especially if the candidate has not openly disclosed in the media, the total amounts of (all) the government's

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