Just $6… or Nothing

Earlier this week I posted about one of the exemptions in the “lobbying reform” proposed by the new Dem majority in the US Senate. I just moderated a comment from Terrance at Just6Dollars.org. I was curious and checked out their site. These guys endorse full public funding of federal elections. According to them, the cost would be just $6 per taxpayer - hence the name of their group. It’s an interesting proposal, but I have a better one.

Let’s eliminate all public funding of elections. Allow unlimited contributions from any entity (individual, union, corporation, PAC, etc.). There should be no limits. Here’s the catch. Each candidate is limited to one campaign committee. Each committee has to electronically file a report with the FEC each month listing contributors. A full report with expenditures, etc. could still be quarterly. The reports would drop into a database similar to the one used by VPAP.

Such a database could be sorted by zip code, county, state, amount, industry, etc. If Exxon or the AFL-CIO want to give candidate X $1 million, fine with me. If people see who the largest contributors are and then look at how the congressman votes they can draw their own conclusions. If people want a congressman or president who sells his or her vote, they get what they deserve.

I am sure that the folks at Just$6 and similar organizations are well meaning, just a tad naive. Every time Congress tries to re-regulate they just find loopholes. Make it simple and let the people decide.

Technorati Tags: campaignfinance, elections, congress, 2008

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