Representatives Sarbanes (D-MD) and Price (D-NC), in response to various problems with Big Money and gerrymandering, have put together a legislative proposal for the future. One of the facets of their proposal is public financing for smaller candidates:
Protect every American’s voice from being drowned out by big wealthy and well-connected donors, and allow citizen-funded candidates to combat Super PACs and outside groups by earning additional public matching funds within 60 days of an election.
I suspect that if this is funded from taxes rather than donations, it’ll break up on the rocks of SCOTUS. Free speech rights should include the right not to fund the speech of someone I don’t like. If it’s funded through donations, well, I suspect donations will be anemic. Why give to an anonymous fund which will fund people I may not like, when I can just give the money to the candidate I prefer?
