The Importance of Campaign Finance Reform

Campaign Finance Reform

            Since the United States is a country based off of the principles of democracy, its elections are essential parts of the country’s existence. A person trying to get elected to a position in the United States must have the means to get his or her voice heard due to the fact that the country is so vast. However, the U.S.’s capitalistic society mandates that money is a factor in every campaign. Everything costs money: advertisements on television, advertisements in newspapers, segments on radio stations, campaigning products, wages for campaign employees, etc. Because of this, the rich dominate the political system and thus the policies that are made. Campaign finance reform is thus an essential step in this country’s judicial endeavors because it equals the playing field for those who wish to run for office and it lessens corruption. Furthermore, objections towards campaign finance reform are meritless when one examines them in full context.

            First off, campaign finance reform helps to level the playing field so that a person can get elected based on his or her merit rather than the amount of money that the candidate has. Dr. Minch, a professor at Truman State University, says “candidates of enormous leadership potential but small wallets have failed due to the lack of resources” they have. Though these third party candidates may have great ideas, their ideas are not equally expressed due to their lack of funding. For example in New Jersey, a candidate must raise a minimum of $340,000 in order to take part in the televised gubernatorial debate (Public). Because of this, the average citizen is not exposed to the full panel of options that they have to vote for and moreover, many are unaware of the existence of other candidates all together. Furthermore, certain states, along with the federal government, provide a public financing option, which means that if a candidate reaches a certain threshold in funds, the government will match a certain amount of the money candidates are put at a higher disadvantage because their rich counterparts are able to access this government aid but they themselves aren’t. Campaign finance reform will therefore be beneficial to America because it will allow the everyday individual who has great ideas to run a campaign that is supported by the necessary funds to let his or her platform be known. Reform will also, as Dr. Minch points out, lead to more turnover in politics because fresh political faces and ideas will be introduced via every election. This turnover will in essence allow for the better shaping of this country (Minch). All in all, campaign finance reform is beneficial to the United States because it allows a greater amount of variety and ideas to manifest and it gives those new ideas the ability to be implemented by giving individuals a greater ability to successfully carry out a campaign.