ABSTRACT
Chiding corporate special interests, President Clinton has promised to enact far-reaching reforms in health care, environmental protection, and economic development, among other areas. The only way to ensure effective and honest representation by lawmakers is through basic campaign finance reform, with public funding of campaigns. The 1992 campaigns dramatically illustrated the depth of voter disillusionment with politics as usual—as well as the deep yearning of ordinary Americans to participate in the democratic process. Since incumbents typically have a hammerlock on re-election, ordinary citizens who used to participate actively in campaigns have largely given up. A massive campaign has been waged by insurance companies, manufacturers, and other corporate interests to roll back the legal rights of plaintiffs to obtain full compensation for their injuries through civil litigation. Citizens groups turn to initiatives when state legislators or city officials refuse to respond to an issue, despite public opinion.
