We'd all love to see meaningful campign finance reform enacted in Congress, but the odds are hopelessly stacked against us.
Most of our politicians were elected as a result of the big money influence that we'd like to do away with. Though they'll dance about and posture, they're not about to bite the hand that feeds them.
The best way to bring about change, therefore, is to target people who are running for office for the very first time-- before the talons of big money can sink too deeply into their flesh. What if we were to create an objective standard-- like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval-- but for HONEST POLITICIANS.
People running for elected office could apply for the Seal if they pledge to:
(1) REFUSE money from corporations, unions, and special interest groups, and only accept donations from individual citizens.
(2) CONDEMN any outside organization who takes out ads on their behalf
(3) PUBLISH a full list of their contributors and the people they meet with
(4) VOTE only for balanced budgets and legislation without earmarks
(5) REFRAIN from running any ads that attack their opponent's character or personal lives
Of course these specific points are just suggestions, but you get the general idea. The Seal would have its own website and organization that works to raise gobs of cash:
One third of the money goes towards policing the pledges and banning any politician who breaks their promise
One third goes to promoting the Seal to the American people so that it gains more traction each year
One third is given to first time politicians who make the pledge and are running for elected office with little-to-no financial means
To increase the Seal's reach and credibility, it should be offered to people of any party affiliation and the organization itself should be non-partisan. All Americans, regardless of their ideology, are sick of the big money corruption in our system. On that point we agree.
By promoting honesty in politics, we can all focus more on the actual issues that matter. I see this as the quickest path to meaningful campaign finance reform.
Does this idea interest anyone? How would you go about it? What specific improvements would you make?