Our dysfunctional politics has completely failed to stop money from owning the political system. The Supremes said it was all about free speech and free access to the market place of ideas. I have a simple proposal fully in line with free speech and free access to the market place of ideas. It would not take any government, so no socialism. I am sure the Tea'ers will support it. Well maybe not, they like shouting down speakers.
The proposal is an an example of an age old America model. If you can't end it, then regulate it. We can't stop the flood of money, but we can regulate how ads are presented. If anyone publicly distributes electronically or in print an advocacy ad, then they have to give the named candidate, party, or legislative proposal a rebuttal time. Any public advocacy would have to gave a portion of the ad space or time in electronic distribution to the opposition to respond to the ad's message. This is an established method in debate whether in congress or in the court room it is a well established principle.
Before any ad, web ad included, publishes it must be presented to the opposition. The opposition would have 48 hours to add a rebuttal in either 33% of the overall print space or runtime of the ad. So how would this work Meg Whitman could spend one hundred million on TV spots but the last 10 seconds of the 30 second spots would be given to Jerry Brown. It allows the rich to let money rain (pun-pology), but still not completely drown the system of actual debate.
It could be simply passed as law, requires no funding stream. It inhibits the speech of no one. It is not a barrier to anyone's access to the public debate. 66% for the big spender, 33% to the opposition, and 1% to state who paid for the ad. I am sure this won't happen because both parties worship at the altar of money with far more reverence than any other God.
Here is an Illinois Example
Kirk Ad
Alexi is a Crook
Alexi is a Greek Crook
Rebuttal No I'm not, well father was Greek
paid for by Mark Kirk
Giannoulias Ad
Mark Kirk is a liar
Mark Kirk lied about military record
Rebuttal Well I did, but I'm sorry, and I'm not a crook.
paid for by Giannoulias
We could pass this law if we had a functioning political system that wasn't in the pockets of those with all the gold.