The Truth About Campaign Reform
In an editorial today in the Honolulu Advertiser complaining about a bill to repeal the presidential public financing system the editorial board inadvertently revealed its true agenda.
That’s a phony argument designed to divert attention from the real purpose here: eliminating a program that has made at least some impact on leveling the playing field in presidential politics.
The public financing program is paid through a voluntary checkoff of $3 against tax liability. Clearly, it is in need of reform. The checkoff limit should be increased, and candidates should be forced to choose whether to accept the money for the entire campaign or forgo it entirely.
First of all the supposed “leveling (of) the playing field” wasn’t enough and resulted in the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform bill which then resulted in the Supreme Court throwing out the First Amendment (as it did the Fifth in Kelo). Some improvement.
Second, the idea that “candidates should be forced” is antithetical to the very principles this nation was founded upon. What else does the editorial board want to “force” people to do? Where to live? What to eat? Where does it end? Or does it ever?
I think we know the answer.