Campaign Reform

Campaigns have become too dependent on money. Politicians hire paid lobbyists because they provide a voice for specific interests. Elected officials obviously can’t accept money in exchange for a vote, but when a lobbyist donates money and then pushes for a vote on a specific issue, the public has every reason to question the system. It may not violate the law, but let’s be honest about how it looks.

Everyday citizens can lobby too, but they often get, at best, a form letter or a few minutes of a legislator’s time. A paid lobbyist usually gets a better audience.

Most citizens don’t enjoy political ads, yard signs, door knocking, phone calls, mailers, or campaign emails. With email, at least people can read the subject line, delete it, or mark it as spam. But the rest of it consumes time and money.

I would favor banning most of these campaign methods. Each candidate could receive a public website for campaign information and space in the voters’ guide. Candidates could also still speak publicly, appear on talk shows, attend forums, march in parades, and stand in their districts with personal banners.

Think about the possible benefits. Less waste material in landfills. Fewer phone calls during dinner. Fewer knocks at the door. Less campaign money wasted on advertising. More room for regular people to run for office, not just candidates who can raise large sums of money.

This would be a major shift, but it’s worth discussing. Let’s find out how far we can take the proposal.  

Connecticut has a good direct donation restriction to candidates but does not address advertising.