Just a MoJo

Tax payers may soon have the option to give more money to the government to increase competition and fairness in the 2012 presidential campaign.

Legislation was introduced in Washington on Jan. 30 by congressmen from both sides of the aisle and seeks to strengthen the presidential public financing system to account for the modern presidential campaign.

“This legislation is a small but necessary investment to protect our democracy and preserve the integrity of our presidential elections,” said Senator Russ Feingold, D-Wis.

“We want to reform the system so the funding provided is an amount that is realistic, in a timeframe appropriate for today’s campaigns and discourages reliance on influence-peddlers who collect large sums of money.”

According to the Federal Election Commission, the current public financing program matches a private individual’s small donation up to $250; if the candidate agrees to follow the commission’s rules of campaign finance reform.

In 2006, the League of Women Voters joined other organizations in sending letters to members of Congress that sought support for a voluntary system of public financing. The League’s president, Mary G. Wilson, hailed the introduction of the legislation saying that it “aims at cutting the reigns that big money and special interests have over presidential elections in this country.”

The current public financing system was created following the Watergate scandal to allow candidates to be competitive in a presidential campaign without becoming dependent on private donations. The legislative changes seek to increase fair competition among candidates beginning in the primaries.

Currently, voters can check a box on their tax forms to give $3 to the public presidential finance system, the under the revised system the amount would be increased to $10.

The proposed changes also include increasing the amount of federal matching funds for the presidential primaries and increasing the spending limits for candidates who participate in the public financing system.

In order to qualify for public financing, a candidate must raise $5,000 in 20 states, but in the current legislation that figure would be raised to $25,000.

Senator and presidential hopeful John Edwards, D-N.C., declined the public financing option for his campaign, citing that he needs to spend more than the funding program will allow in order to compete with other candidates who have “virtually unlimited private donations.”

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