People Want Democracy

A new poll by Public Campaign shows broad, bipartisan support for public financing of all elections:

In the wake of lobbyist scandals, the soaring costs of campaigns, and discontent with Washington, voters are hungry for a more open, clean, and fair system of campaign funding.

• Three out of four voters support a voluntary system of publicly funded campaigns. (2) Seventy-four percent of voters support a proposal for voluntary public funding of federal elections (57% strongly) with only 16% opposed.

• Support for public financing of Congressional elections cross all party lines. Eighty percent of Democrats, 78% of Independents, and 65% of Republicans support this reform.

• Support of this reform is strong across demographic and regional groups. This reform enjoys strong support across gender lines, age groups, and regionally—garnering no less than 60% support and in most cases around three-quarters support.

• Support for public financing of elections helps Congressional candidates. Respondents were given a generic congressional profile ballot, with standard “Republican” and “Democratic” issue platforms. On this initial test, the “Democratic” candidate outpaces the “Republican” candidate by 53% to 37%. Then half the respondents were told the “Republican” signed a pledge to support the reform and that the “Democrat” refused, and vice versa for the other half of respondents. In both cases the congressional candidate who signed the pledge was able to increase their lead substantially over an opponent who refused to sign it. The “Republican” candidate supporting reform wins 49% to 39% over an anti-reform Democrat. The “Democratic” candidate supporting reform wins 58% to 29% over an anti-reform Republican.

• Voters support this reform because of the positive changes they overwhelmingly believe will come from it. Fully 82% of voters believe it is likely, as a result of publicly financed elections, that candidates will win on their ideas, not because of the money they raise, and 81% believe it is likely politicians will be more accountable to voters instead of large contributors. Additionally, voters also feel it is likely citizens with good ideas will have a fair shot at winning rather than just the rich and powerful (79% likely), and that special interests will not receive as many favors, tax breaks, and deals from politicians (77% likely).

• The low perception voters have of congressional ethics is driving their support for this reform. Voters’ unfavorable views of Congress (36% favorable, 52% unfavorable) and lobbyists (14% favorable, 66% unfavorable) spell trouble for the Washington status quo. Voters are angry about business as usual and are demanding significant change.

Now, if I had a dollar for all the things that had 75-80% public support that didn't pass the Congress...

I could self-fund my own election campaign!

But you know, this one might have a shot at working if we kept the pressure on. The key is to incubate it in the states and get more and more Clean Money candidates elected, who understand the process fully. It will reach a tipping point where there would be enough Clean Money Congressmen in the legislature to pass the bill.

To kick-start this process, Public Campaign is asking all politicians to sign a pledge supporting campaign spending limits, lobbyist restrictions and full disclosure of lobbying activities. This is a first step to getting politicians to understand the issues. The people want democracy with a small d. This is bipartisan and across every part of the country. Now it's about getting the leaders to figure that out, and making them get out in front of it.

UPDATE: I'm told that it's not possible for states to set down Clean Money laws for what are federal campaigns for the House and the Senate. But as such candidates move on, state legislatures often being the testing ground for Congress, it's extremely possible to have sitting federal Reps. or Sens. who have at least been through a clean-money campaign.