Items related to The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform
Synopsis
Is campaign finance reform really good for our democracy? John Samples says no, and here takes a penetrating look into the premises and consequences of the long crusade against big money in politics. How many Americans, he asks, know that there is little to no evidence that campaign contributions really influence members of Congress? Or that so-called negative political advertising actually improves the democratic process by increasing voter turnout and knowledge? Or that limits on campaign contributions make it harder to run for office, thereby protecting incumbent representatives from losing their seats of power? Posing tough questions such as these, Samples uncovers numerous fallacies beneath proposals for campaign finance reform. He argues that our most common concerns about money in politics are misplaced, and that the chance to regulate money in politics actually allows representatives to serve their own interests at a cost to their constituents. And, ironically, this crusade against the corruption caused by campaign contributions allows public officials to reduce their vulnerability by suppressing electoral competition. Defying long-held assumptions and conventional political wisdom, The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform is a provocative and decidedly nonpartisan work that will be essential for anyone concerned about the future of American government. “As the federal government’s size and intrusiveness grow, so does its attempt to regulate—ration, really—political speech about the government's composition and behavior. John Samples sees the menace of this through the prism of political philosophy. This book is a lucid and urgently needed warning about a growing assault on the First Amendment and the entire Madisonian understanding of American politics.”—George F. Will
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About the Author
John Samples directs the Cato Institute’s Center for Representative Government and teaches in the government program at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C.
Review
"As the federal government's size and intrusiveness grow, so does its attempt to regulate—ration, really—political speech about the government's composition and behavior. John Samples sees the menace of this through the prism of political philosophy. This book is a lucid and urgently needed warning about a growing assault on the First Amendment and the entire Madisonian understanding of American politics."
(George F. Will)
"A thoughtful antidote to the exalted status accorded campaign finance reform." (James E. Campbell Political Science Quarterly)
"A wonderful volume that debunks pretty much everything that one hears from modern 'good government goo-goos.' From his astute analysis of the seemingly eternal Progressive Movement to his citing of study after study that demonstrate that legal campaign contributions do not 'corrupt' the political process." (William L. Anderson Public Choice)
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