One thing you can say about the political establishment in Washington is that at least they’re consistent. They consistently ignore what the American people think.
Consider public funding, or matching funds, given to presidential candidates. The program just doesn’t work. And the American people know it though Washington, DC isn’t paying much attention. First, the matching funds candidates were supposed to get aren’t there. Candidates are going to receive only half of the funds they were promised by the federal government. And why aren’t the funds available? Because the people don’t support the presidential matching funds program. Only 14 percent of taxpayers marked the box to provide public funds to presidential candidates, even though doing so doesn’t increase what a taxpayer owes the IRS. If 86 percent of Americans don’t support the program, why don’t our Washington representatives end it? Oh, I forgot they don’t listen to us.
The matching funds program certainly doesn’t help voters. Those who can raise enough money ignore the system. Those who can’t and feel they need the taxpayer funds to be competitive must agree to limit their communications to voters. How on earth does that give us better information? It doesn’t. It’s not surprising though. The campaign finance system is designed for the benefit of career politicians, not voters.
When it comes to presidential public funding, the politicians aren’t listening, but the voters have already spoken. No match.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.