Campaign Finance Reform
Backing Evidence (5 Key Documents)
- Campaign finance reform and public trust (Legislative Studies Quarterly, 2020) Search
- Money in Politics: The Influence of Super PACs (Brennan Center for Justice, 2018) Search
- The Impact of Campaign Spending on Election Outcomes (Journal of Political Economy, 2015) Search
- Public Funding of Campaigns and Legislative Behavior (American Political Science Review, 2017) Search
- Citizens United v. FEC: Impact on Campaign Spending (Congressional Research Service, 2019) Search
The Straw Man Arguments
- Candidates only win because they spend the most money, and they are always bought.
- Ban all money in elections and politics will be completely clean and honest.
The Steel Man (Strong Counter-Suit)
Political spending is a protected form of political speech under the First Amendment. Restricting the ability of individuals, unions, or corporations to pool money to voice support for candidates can silence advocacy groups and give a permanent advantage to incumbent politicians who already have name recognition and media coverage.