Serious campaign reform, anyone?

[Jack Sprat]

Are there any arguments against having a single, national primary day in May or June of the election year. And, are there good arguments against giving each candidate an equal amount of public funds to utilize during a campaign that can't be exceeded, in both primary and general elections? In other words, are there good reasons for not taking the obscene monetary funding away from political campaigns?

[TheConstantGardener]

1. The Hillary Argument

"I have a ton of money and more honorable and honest people don't. Suck it."


Oh, you mean ETHICAL argument? Uh, "Government intervention = COMMUNISM!!!11"

[Erika]

2. Your remark against Hillary was offensive

If you don't like the candidates, go to the GOP.

[MonkeyFunk]

3. a couple

The old primary/caucus system, giving Iowa and New Hampshire a head start, allowed for candidates without a lot of money and media attention to have a shot. A single primary day turns it into a national election, and their money would be spent in the largest states.

As for mandatory public financing, you'd need a constitutional amendment restricting free speech on everyone, not just candidates. If *I* wanted to take a out a newspaper ad for or against a candidate, I should be able to, regardless of how much or how little the candidates spend.

You'd have to limit the ability of third-parties to contribute advertising for a candidate.

[tkmorris]

4. I agree, and I don't

First of all public financing I am all for. There are Senate seats in this country that take a 25 million dollar ante just to stab at. President? 150 million, just to get started. It's absurd.

I don't care for having a nationwide primary though. I might be able to get behind it if there was a subsequent run-off for the top three or something, but a one-shot primary? No thanks. It becomes a strict name recognition contest, with no chance for a candidate to build on early surprise showings to introduce him or herself to a larger audience.

[EminenceFront5]

5. Never gonna happen

Way too much $$$ involved in the process. Those in power who talk about reform are in the minority. It would be nice though to give every serious candidate a certain amount of cash to spend on their campaigns and thats it. The amount of money spent now is obscene. I would love to see a national primary though that would be a great idea.