More Money, No Problem

The death of taxpayer-financed campaigns

David Weigel from the May 2007 issue

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But if the Net is binding voters closer to their candidates, what's the argument for salvaging public financing? If it doesn't work, and if elections don't suffer when it doesn't work, why try to preserve it?

The most important reason: political advantage. "Several years ago, when John McCain wasn't getting huge donations, it served him well to take these reform positions," says Timothy Lee of the Center for Individual Freedom, which opposes public campaign financing. "I don't question his sincerity at the time. But he needs to admit that the system needs to be killed off, or that the Straight Talk Express has taken a U-turn."

David Weigel is an associate editor of Reason.

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