In short, it seems to me that those of us interested in seriously addressing the rampant inequalities and conflicts of interest inherent in today's federal elections would do well to take our lead from the coalitions beyond the Beltway. E. Joshua Rosenkranz I have found this conversation extremely informative and enlightening. More than any exercise in which I have engaged, this conversation has convinced me that full public financing for elections is the approach that carries the greatest promise for the future. Every approach we discussed, every reform we analyzed, was readily defeated with the observation that interested money will continue to leach into the system. As to the political viability of public financing, I am with Ellen Miller on this one.
Public financing is more viable now than it has ever been.
I agree with Ellen that the key is in the states. As states begin to pass reforms like the Maine initiative, the pressure on Congress to pose a real solution will, at some point, be irresistible. In the meantime, the states should be encouraged to experiment with reforms. That is because every serious reform has run into the Buckley wall. The laboratories of democracy have simply not had an opportunity to work in the campaign financing field.