On 5/27/2013 5:54 PM, Warren D Smith wrote:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?sh=printbill&bn=S04705&term=2013
> Re: [EM] NY state "fair elections" public funding bill (comments
asap please?)
Below is what I wrote on this topic in my book "Ending The Hidden
Unfairness In U.S. Elections."
Warren, if you reference the book's title, you are welcome to copy this
where it might prove useful.
Adrian, you are welcome to publish this at Democracy Chronicles. You
just need to write a brief (one-paragraph?) intro that refers to what is
said in the article that Warren references.
For those who don't know, I am currently creating an ebook version of
this book, and I will be making it available for free. Soon anyone (at
least in the U.S.) will be able to access a copy online through their
local library. (Translation: I am not trying to sell copies of this
book; rather I'm trying to educate people about what's really going on
in politics, and why we need election-method reform.)
Richard Fobes
Section title: Publicly Finance Monopolies? Why?
Some citizens have supported the idea of public funding for Presidential
campaigns, which are the most expensive election campaigns. Public
funding means that taxpayer money is provided to the candidate in return
for a promise not to exceed specific spending limits. On the surface
this sounds like a good way to make funding available to candidates who
don't compromise their principles by accepting money from special interests.
Under current conditions, public funding for candidates doesn't make
sense. Why? Because the candidates who are publicly funded would often
be defeated in their primary elections, where unfair plurality voting is
used. Also consider that the biggest campaign contributors can simply
spend more money. Why waste taxpayer money trying to defeat
much-better-funded candidates?
What about the checkbox on federal income-tax forms that says:
"Presidential Election Campaign: Do you, or your spouse if filing a
joint return, want $ to go to this fund"? It provides money for public
funding of Presidential campaigns. Checking the box does not deduct the
money from that taxpayer's account, but taxpayers do end up paying for
money put into that fund.
The movement to offer public funding of election campaigns simply
reveals that voters are currently unable to defeat undesired well-funded
candidates simply by voting. This undemocratic situation reveals an
inadequacy in voting methods, not a need to compete against
special-interest money by using taxpayer's money.
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