Baltimore Sun: Public financing changes campaigns, government

September 4, 2009

Carl Jordan's letter ("Does public financing produce better politicians?") raises some important questions. While public financing is certainly not a panacea, a number of Mr. Jordan's questions have indeed been answered in the states that have implemented and enjoyed the benefits of public financing systems.

Part of the appeal of public financing is that it enables qualified candidates and community leaders to run for political office even if they don't have immense personal wealth or access to others with it. These non-traditional candidates certainly benefit from public financing. In Maine, the existence of public financing was cited as an important factor in deciding to run for office by 87 percent of first-time candidates, including a single mother working as a waitress and backed by overwhelming community support. In states with public financing, the non-traditional candidate examples abound, and the statistics back them up.

Mr. Jordan also asks if state houses are suddenly devoid of corporate interests. Jeffrey Garfield, executive director of the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission, testified in a congressional hearing on the Fair Elections Now Act on July 30th that yes, special interest money was virtually eliminated from 2008 state legislative campaigns. Corporate interests are still welcome to petition government and fully exercise their First Amendment rights. But according to multiple accounts from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who was elected governor of Arizona with public financing, it completely changed the tone of meetings with lobbyists by removing all of the expectations that accompany large campaign contributions. Ms. Napolitano credits public financing and the freedom it provides from special interests with allowing her to offer prescription drug discounts to all Arizonans.

It may be true, as Mr. Jordan argues, that we will always have at least some reason to be cynical of politicians, but experience shows public financing goes a long, long way toward better government, and is worth fighting for.

Matt Stempeck

The writer is an advocate with Americans for Campaign Reform.