Evaluate The View That Campaign Finance Requires Reform. (30)

AGREE 1

The influence of money undermines democracy as corporations wealthy individuals have a disproportionate influence on policies.

Trump administration received substantial support from the fossil fuel industry which can be seen has having influenced environmental policies such as the repeal of the Clean Power plan.

DISAGREE 1

Campaign finance reform would limit freedom of speech under the 1^st amendment.

Citizens United v FEC (2010), the SC supported this view. Court ruled that the govt cannot restrict political expenditure as doing so would violate their free speech rights under the 1^st amendment

AGREE 2

There is a lack of transparency and huge amounts of money in campaign finance lead to distrust in the electoral system

The concept of ‘dark money’ allows significant sums to be spent without full disclosure.

the Lincoln Project spent over $67 million in the 2020 election without full transparency about their funding sources. 

DISAGREE 2

Regulating campaign finance is increasingly difficult as those with money will always find a way to influence politics in the US.

FECA set limits on how much individuals and PACs could donate to candidates but people found a loophole which allowed them to use soft money. In 2000, the Republican Party raised $244 million in soft money.

AGREE 3

Current system disadvantages candidates who don’t have access to wealthy donors or large PACS. Often leads to incumbents winning due to the ability to outspend challengers.

during his 2012 re-election campaign Barack Obama raised over $700 million, significantly out-fundraising his challenger, Mitt Romney.

DISAGREE 3

 There have been times where candidates who have spent less than there opponents have won.

In the 2016 Presidential Election, Trump spent considerably less than Hilary Clinton but still emerged victorious.