Public Opinion and Campaign Finance: Reformers Versus Reality

• Published in: The independent review (Oakland, Calif.) Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 207 - 219
• Main Author: Primo, David M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Independent Institute 01.10.2002
• Subjects: Campaign finance; Campaign finance reform; Candidates; Contributions (Donations); Elected officials; Elections; Government spending; Policy Reform; Political Campaigns; Political corruption; Political reform; Polls; Public Opinion; State Society Relationship; Trust; Trust in government; United States of America
• ISSN: 1086-1653; 2169-3420

The popular view that campaign finance reform is considered a top priority of the American public is scrutinized. It is argued that although Americans do favor some type of reform, they have assigned it a low priority. The public's perceived preoccupation with the subject, it is claimed, is due primarily to its popularity among the mass media. Public opinion data from 2002 shows that only 1% of the population considered campaign finance reform one of the most important issues of that year; this was just after the Enron bankruptcy scandal that both the media & elected officials had linked to campaign finance. It is also argued that Americans' trust in government is not linked to campaign spending. Data shows that the huge decline in public trust in government that began in the 1960s actually preceded a big jump in campaign spending. It is therefore concluded that the increase in spending could not have caused the drop in trust, which was more likely caused by the Watergate affair, the war in Vietnam, & other public scandals. 1 Figure, 16 References. J. Paul