Time to address state's money chase
The following is a Counterpoint column:
By Bob Hall
We commend House Speaker Jim Black for recommending an important set of reforms for the political process and for effectively opening the door for more discussion related to campaign finance reform, ethics and lobbying reform. We think it is vital for legislative leaders to begin discussing ways to address the escalating arms race in political fund-raising that is at the heart of so many of the issues being investigated today.
From the beginning, Democracy North Carolina has stressed that the real problem is not Black -- it's green. The money chase in state politics is out of control, and it is distorting the election and the law-making process. Certainly, we must hold wrongdoers accountable, but we must also address the root cause of problems.
In his column on Feb. 19, Rob Christensen of The News & Observer described the "Washingtonization of Raleigh or the professionalization of politics." As he noted, "Most of the political money flowing into Jones Street is from people who expect something out of the legislature. Nearly every sizable contribution includes an unwritten IOU."
That's the basic definition of special-interest domination. The public interest suffers. Candidates feel trapped in an arms race. Voters feel pushed out, etc. It's time for political leaders in North Carolina to discuss how we can adapt the "voter-owned" public financing program now in place for appellate judges to other offices. Arizona and Maine have provided a public financing option in the last few legislative cycles, and more than half the candidates are using it.
Public financing is not a freebie -- candidates have to raise hundreds of small qualifying contributions from registered voters to qualify to use public money. Now is the time to get serious about serious reform -- provide candidates with a real alternative to the money chase, reward those who reject special-interest money and focus on accountability to voters. Empowering those candidates (and their supporters) will do wonders to apply pressure for a cleaner political process.
The writer is director of Democracy North Carolina.
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