Do you think we should have public financing of national elections?

Today NPR reported on the fundraising levels of the top Democrats. Hillary Clinton has some $26 million amassed thusfar and others are in the millions as well. Is this the way we should be electing our leaders though? Who can pay for the most advertising?

If all candidates had to go thru petition gathering and then those who reached a certain threshold, even minor party candidates, were given x dollars, would we then have to actually examine their ideas and platforms, judge them on an even scale and look for quality of thought, not just the ability to market themselves massively like cars or beer?

Do you think we should have public financing of national elections?

No. Let them take as much money as they want from whomever they want - but they have to disclose the source.

Do you think we should have public financing of national elections?

Special interest versus the people. Campaign finance reform will fix this country...Make candidates go back to the people for their money. Get rid of soft money (unlimited special interest money) and cap all fundraisers to 1000 dollars per person and 2000 a married couple, the old way. Once soft money is out of the equation the politician goes to the people for their campaign war chest and therefore must be loyal to the people. Now the special interest are winning big and the everyday person is getting the crap knock out of them.

Do you think we should have public financing of national elections?

80 percent of the monies amassed by candidates is used for the purchase of air time from the various networks and affiliates. I think our electoral system would work better if the time were given to each candidate who qualified. Say 2000 minutes per year. That way the politicians would need to garner less. Additionally I believe that each candidate should only be allowed to take public donations and nothing more than $100.00. All donations are to be documented and placed in public archives for public viewing.

Do you think we should have public financing of national elections?

That would be the ideal answer. Unfortunately, lobbying has become a business in capitol hill. All of us citizens are the only ones that can stop this non-sense. Probably as a grass root movement.

The ideal would be a debate where candidates can show and defend their platforms without cost. The media should provide coverage for these debates for free. We need laws that force all media institutions (regardless of ideology) to transmit these debates to all citizens.

Imagine how difference the elections can be without all non-sense advertising and real debates between candidates. It%26#039;s obvious that the real bad apples will fall a lot earlier.