[EM] NY state "fair elections" public funding bill (comments asap please?)

[Richard Fobes]

On 5/27/2013 5:54 PM, Warren D Smith wrote:
> http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?sh=printbill&bn=S04705&term=2013
 > Re: [EM] NY state "fair elections" public funding bill (comments 
asap	please?)

Below is what I wrote on this topic in my book "Ending The Hidden 
Unfairness In U.S. Elections."

Warren, if you reference the book's title, you are welcome to copy this 
where it might prove useful.

Adrian, you are welcome to publish this at Democracy Chronicles.  You 
just need to write a brief (one-paragraph?) intro that refers to what is 
said in the article that Warren references.

For those who don't know, I am currently creating an ebook version of 
this book, and I will be making it available for free.  Soon anyone (at 
least in the U.S.) will be able to access a copy online through their 
local library.  (Translation: I am not trying to sell copies of this 
book; rather I'm trying to educate people about what's really going on 
in politics, and why we need election-method reform.)

Richard Fobes


Section title: Publicly Finance Monopolies?  Why?

Some citizens have supported the idea of public funding for Presidential 
campaigns, which are the most expensive election campaigns.  Public 
funding means that taxpayer money is provided to the candidate in return 
for a promise not to exceed specific spending limits.  On the surface 
this sounds like a good way to make funding available to candidates who 
don't compromise their principles by accepting money from special interests.

Under current conditions, public funding for candidates doesn't make 
sense.  Why?  Because the candidates who are publicly funded would often 
be defeated in their primary elections, where unfair plurality voting is 
used.  Also consider that the biggest campaign contributors can simply 
spend more money.  Why waste taxpayer money trying to defeat 
much-better-funded candidates?

What about the checkbox on federal income-tax forms that says: 
"Presidential Election Campaign: Do you, or your spouse if filing a 
joint return, want $ to go to this fund"?  It provides money for public 
funding of Presidential campaigns.  Checking the box does not deduct the 
money from that taxpayer's account, but taxpayers do end up paying for 
money put into that fund.

The movement to offer public funding of election campaigns simply 
reveals that voters are currently unable to defeat undesired well-funded 
candidates simply by voting.  This undemocratic situation reveals an 
inadequacy in voting methods, not a need to compete against 
special-interest money by using taxpayer's money.