Money Rules: Financing Elections In America

by Gierzynski,Anthony

• ISBN13: 9780813368610
• ISBN10: 0813368618
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1999-12-31
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The role of money in the U.S. electoral process has become more and more controversial in recent years. Following the Buckley ruling and other legislation in 1996, candidates and political parties are free to raise virtually unlimited "soft" money, making money perhaps the most significant factor in a campaign's success. InMoey Rules, Anthony Gierzynski theorizes that, under our current system of financing elections, our political process has tilted too far in favor of politicalfreedom, at the expense of politicalequality. Gierzynski examines the historical roots of the campaign finance dilemma, demonstrates its effects on the local, state, and national levels, and projects the long-term outcomes for American politics.

Author Biography

Anthony Gierzynski is associate professor of political science at the University of Vermont.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	xi
Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction	1	(20)
The 1996 Election: A System in Crisis	2	(9)
The Context	11	(2)
The Basic Conflict	13	(3)
The Problem with the Current System of Campaign Finance	16	(1)
Plan of the Book	17	(4)
Understanding Campaign-Finance Behavior	21	(16)
The Settings	22	(9)
Money and Power	31	(4)
Conclusion	35	(2)
Elections, Campaign-Finance Law, and Public Opinion	37	(20)
Money in Elections	38	(3)
A Brief History of Campaign-Finance Regulation	41	(7)
The Status of Campaign-Finance Laws Today	48	(1)
Public Opinion on Campaign Finance	49	(3)
Summary	52	(5)
Money in Elections	57	(36)
Money and Election Returns	59	(5)
The Distribution of Money	64	(24)
Conclusion	88	(5)
Contributors	93	(22)
The Relationship Between Contributors and Lawmakers	95	(5)
Who Gives?	100	(11)
Conclusion	111	(4)
Conclusion	115	(16)
Campaign-Finance Reform	118	(13)
Appendix	131	(2)
Glossary	133	(2)
References	135	(4)
Index	139