Search this section • RSS Feed
|
|
|
Providing public incentives for small political contributions could help average Americans play a more meaningful role in influencing who has the resources to run effective campaigns and win public office. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Texas lags behind most states in several key areas of campaign finance law. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Lobbyists and employees from the top 144 lobbying firms in the country can give millions more to candidates and parties under the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
The biggest fundraisers and largest hard money contributors dominated the 2002 congressional elections. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Campaign contribution limits do not hurt challengers. If anything, contribution limits can work to reduce the financial bias that traditionally works in favor of incumbents. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Proposals to raise the legal limits on political contributions and ban soft money could benefit top executives and their companies. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
All of the proposals to increase contribution limits fail—in varying degrees—to move our political system toward the goal of a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
The spiraling cost of campaigns, high-profile scandals and voter distrust of Congress have fueled an effort for fundamental reform of the way we fund congressional campaigns. As a result, many federal decision-makers have been working on proposals to create a Clean Elections model for publicly financing congressional campaigns. As a part of the effort to build support both within the Democratic caucus and across party lines, it is important to know how much the program will cost and options to pay for that cost. This briefing paper looks at options to pay for a federal Clean Elections program. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Fair Elections – systems with full public financing of elections – would help improve the openness, honesty, and accountability of government. They would also free public officials to respond to the interests of voters without worrying about hurting their ability to raise money from deep-pocketed donors. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Some argue that last year’s scandals, which lead
to the conviction of two congressmen and several
top aides, are evidence that ethics enforcement
in Congress works. The actual facts leading up to the convictions, however, are more an indictment of the current process than a testament to its success. A whistleblower who took his case to the media and the U.S. Department of Justice—not the House and Senate ethics committees—uncovered the dealings of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Doubling individual campaign contribution limits did not deliver the promised benefit of more competitive elections. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Money played a key role in determining the outcome of the 2006 congressional primary elections, and most campaign contributions came from a small number of large donors. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
The candidates who are best able to leverage the support of large contributors will continue to win almost all of their election contests. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Money played a key role in determining the outcome of the 2004 congressional primary elections, and most campaign contributions came from a small number of large donors. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Money played a key role in determining the outcome of the 2002 congressional primary elections, and most campaign contributions came from a small number of large donors. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Campaign contribution limits slightly favor challengers by reducing the incumbent margin of victory. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Many qualified and credible candidates are locked out of contention for federal office—often before voters have the opportunity to register their preferences or hear competing points of view. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Many qualified and credible candidates are locked out of contention for federal office—often before voters have the opportunity to register their preferences or hear competing points of view. |
|
| Get Report | |
|
|
|
Large campaign contributions allow wealthy donors to unduly influence who can run for office and who wins elections in Ohio. |
|
| Get Report | |