The result is politicians become less accountable to the average American who loses faith in government and fails to get out and vote - leading, ultimately, to the death of democracy. Observers say both the McCain and Bradley campaigns have used the issue of campaign financing to cast themselves as the man-of the people candidate willing to challenge the status quo. Most politicians enter politics to do good - not to constantly ask people for money Bill Bradley With Mr Clinton's approval, donors were invited to spend the night in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House or to attend coffee mornings there, effectively buying time with the president. There were also allegations that the Democrats had illegally taken money from foreign donors, some of whom are thought to have had links to the Chinese military. Flushed with cash the Democrat campaign was easily able to overcome that of Republican challenger Bob Dole who had spent most of his funds winning his party's nomination.
Soft money makes government a soft touch.
In 1996 Republicans and Democrats both broke the spirit, if not the letter, of campaign financing laws, spending massive amounts of soft money on television commercials that were largely indistinguishable from presidential campaign ads. With control of both the White House and Congress at stake in 2000, analysts expect upwards of half a billion dollars in soft money will have been spent by the close of campaigning. Until we abolish soft money, Americans will never have a government that works as hard for them as it does the special interests John McCain Presidential candidates must also decide whether or not to accept federal matching funds - public money handed over in accordance with the amount a candidate has managed to raise from individual donors. There is no such limit if they reject matching funds because their contributions are so large they can afford to. Most parties agree that this cannot continue and changes need to be made.