Issue Position: Campaign Finance Reform

Issue Position

Elections shouldn't be auctions. All Americans have the right to support the candidates they wish. Common sense allows that campaign costs -- and fund raising -- should follow rational limits. And, every dollar raised should be publically reported.

I support efforts to limit the amount raised and spent in elections. In Missouri a congressional district is home to about 748,000 people. A limit of $2.00 spent per candidate per resident per election cycle seems reasonable, allowing up to $1.5 million to be spent on a House race.

In this campaign I will accept no more than $500 from and individual and $1,000 from a group for the primary and the general election cycles. This is less than the Federal Election Commission allows in direct contributions but I feel it is a reasonable limit.

Despite what the Supreme Court says, corporations are not people: they can't vote (at least not yet). Corporations, lobbying groups and secrecy-cloaked "charities" should not have the right to pour millions of dollars into elections -- especially when they attack one candidate while claiming no connection to the one they support. Legislation to control these abuses is needed.

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