PACs, however, provide a valuable public service by monitoring the activities of legislators and reporting the information to interested individuals. PACs mobilize small contributors and increase the importance of their contributions by combining them with those of like-minded individuals. A ban on PACs would eliminate one of the most important forms of political access available to small contributors. It would violate not only the right to free speech but also the rights of individuals to associate and to petition government for redress of grievances. In addition to raising or abolishing individual contribution levels, Congress should abolish limits on political party contributions to candidates.
Parties serve to mediate disputes between interests and to form governing coalitions.
Restricting financial support from the party to a candidate means that party support is of little more importance to a candidate than the support of any single interest group. Such a scenario naturally increases a candidate's reliance on special interests. Furthermore, by weakening the bond between candidate and party, FECA makes it more difficult for voters to hold one or the other party accountable for legislative action. In that way, FECA contributes to legislative gridlock and to the type of incumbent protection that has fueled demand for term limits. Restrictions on party contributions should be repealed.