ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the issues of public financing of campaigns and other reforms suggested as remedies to the abuses associated with money and politics. It explains the impact of campaign contributions and fundraising on the practice of contemporary American politics. The chapter describes the attempts to define and control the limits of campaign fundraising and spending in American politics. A companion Federal Election Campaign law in 1974 established the Federal Elections Commission, provided for public financing of presidential elections, and set specific limits on campaign contributions to federal candidates. The use of the First Amendment free speech argument as a basis for campaign contributions gave Congress the opportunity to avoid sweeping financial reform or moving to comprehensive public financing of elections. Because of the controversial Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case, the debate continues over the wisdom of defining campaign contributions as a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment.
