Overview
A record-setting $2.7 billion dollars was spent in the 2006 mid-term
federal elections and more than half of that money came in large
contributions from a small group of wealthy donors. Powerful interests
continued to dump more money than ever into congressional campaigns—the
average House race cost more than $1 million. The oil and gas industry
spent more than $14 million, health care interests spent $72 million
and financial services and insurance companies spent more than $190
million all to elect their favored candidates and to line up favors for
next year’s Congress. This process shortchanges the rest of us on
everything from environmental quality to tax policy to affordable
health care.
Under the current system, powerful interests decide
who will have the money to get on the ballot and run a credible
campaign. Voters are left with fewer choices and candidates more
accountable to their large donors than constituents.
Under
clean money systems, candidates who agree to spending limits and to
forgo special interest cash, receive public finding for their
campaigns. Several states such as Arizona, Connecticut and Maine now
use the clean money system and are living examples that it can and does
work. In Maine, for example, more than 90 percent of the candidates now
participate.
Additionally, several attempts have been made in
Congress to weaken existing campaign finance laws. Such rollbacks would
make it even harder for citizens to get their voices heard on issues
like healthcare, energy policy, education, and public health and safety.
