Campaign Finance Reform

The effect of campaign financing on the U.S. political system and proposed reforms

Glossary

CONTRIBUTION: money given directly to a federal candidate or party to use at their own discretion

CAMPAIGN EXPENSES: the direct costs of campaigning, such as spending on promotional merchandise (signs and buttons), rallies, polling, and hiring political consultants as long as they are not connected with fundraising

INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES: money spent on activities that expressly supports or opposes the election or defeat of a candidate but cannot be made at request of the candidate or party

ELECTIONEERING COMMUNICATIONS: broadcast advertising (TV ads) that do not directly endorse a candidate within 30 days of primary and convention or 60 days before general election, if not during these times then they are just general issue ads and do not have to be disclosed

SOFT MONEY- donations made to avoid federal regulations which a person donates to party organization (such as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) or the Republican National Committee (GOP). These organizations were supposed to use this money for political party building activities such as get out the vote, but ultimately poor regulation led to this money being used for "issue ads"

HARD MONEY- contributions to candidates

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PAC)- a regulated organization by the FEC that raises money from individuals and other PACs and can make limited, direct contributions to political parties as well as candidates

Proposed Reforms

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Many of the proposed reforms to campaign finance, are already used in some states around the country. In this section I outline some of the many campaign finance reform ideas and give examples of the reforms that are in use today.

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