POLITICAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE- Reform Proposals

[Frank Bellamy, MAP Masters of Applied Politics]

1.) ABOLISH PACS Reform Proposals:

To abolish PACS and eliminate their financial contributions would send an appearance of increased ethical behavior within our political system.  However, this would also lead to unheralded power for 527 type groups, the  PAC would become powerful 527's and Issue Advocacy Advertisement and Political Electioneering with an Ideological twist could be the measure for raising like-minded money thus causing political candidates and incumbent to make a clear ideological choice.  This reform effect on candidates' or incumbents ethical practices would be very similar to what is perceived in general thinking, in that politicians cater to the donors.  In this case Hard Money Donors as Bundlers would supplement any donations lost from PACS and may well show an increase in donations because of the $2,000 contribution limit.  This may create an evaluation of the PACS into 527 groups that may use poor ethical advertising behavior in order to attract and influence like-minded thinkers. 

Empirically, scholars are concluding that because of BCRA's elimination of Soft Money and Hard Money donors bundling in great numbers,  this abolishment of political action committees should have little effect on political fundraising (Cranbrook, Joan ;The Importance of Bundlers to the Bush & Kerry Campaigns, Public Citizen).  Scholars are reporting that political parties are moving towards an ideological realignment in order to lure new members and these actions should carry over onto political groups of all kinds (Raja J. Raymond, State and Local Parties, State of the Political Parties, Chapter Four, Campaign Finance Institute)

The real world effect of this type of reform will be to ease the public's impression of political corruption.  The actual real world effects would be nothing at all,...that is in regards to back room and implied political dealings in exchange for political donations.  This means that the large political donors [as individuals in larger groups] will still play a controlling role in political influencing and policy making.               I       


2.)  RAISE CONTRIBUTION LIMITATIONS Reform Proposals:

This type of reform would give the donors and the general public the idea that the political system is for sale to highest bidders [donors].  The advantage would be that more money will pour into political campaigns allowing more money for political messages to the voters and to pay for more consulting services [and this is a good thing].  Both politicians and political donors may tend to push the ethical boundaries of perceived political corruption to new highs, because of the advent of bigger money campaign budgets. 

Political science literature is mountainous in reference to how the presence of more money in politics have effected all aspects of the political system.  Most of the political science research points to the increases in political corruption as being directly related to the increase of money in politics (Edsall, Thomas B., Sarah Cohen and James V. Grimaldi; THE BUSH MONEY MACHINE Fundraising's Rewards Pioneers Fill War Chest, Then Capitalize).

The practical perspective to this reform would be one of complete welcome by our political actors because money is seen as being "The Boss" in today's political world.  And a influx of larger campaign donations could transform politics into a very major American industry resulting in full time political campaigning year round.  This reform could also help to develop companies who are lower on the food chain of political services providers to increase their revenues.  The big practical disadvantage could be the general public's view of politics as totally corrupted by big money with no compassion for the democratic process.