Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
I haven't really thought this through, but I would eliminate all corporate/union contributions and allow a maximum of say $500 or $1000 for individuals. At the same time I would reduce the amount that campaigns are allowed to spend, and eliminate public election signage (private property only). If you put strict law on how money can be spent, you reduce the amount that needs to be spent and collected in the first place.
This would mean that parties and candidates would rely on individual donors entirely, and then because they can only spend the money in certain ways it would make it more even for everyone without a public subsidy.
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The problem is, the cost of getting a message out is restricted by this, in a country/province where free speech is supposed to reign. At a time when people are tuning out from politics in droves, restricting adverstising doesn't seem like a good way to get citizens engaged.
I don't like the recent US SC decision about superpacs and funding commercials, but freedom of speech is an important value to protect.
I'd prefer a system that has much higher limits, allows donations from corporations and unions,
but which has disclosure obligations that must be prominently published by the party receiving the funds as a condition of accepting them, as opposed to after the election, together with disclosure of any recent contact between the donor and the recpient. For example, lets say the donation is over $1000, it must be immediately and permanently published:
---NDP has received $5000 from Local 555. Local 555 president Joe met with NDP executive member Fred last week to discuss union issues.
---The Rhino party has received $10,000 from Sensible Citizens Alberta, headed by president Edith. Edith spoke with the the Rhino party last week requesting all elected MLAs be required to wear caution signs at public events.
---McIver has received $2500 from Karen J. Citizen. This was a donation as a result of a discussion from door-knocking.
--Wildrose has received $15,000 from Huge Freaking Energy Corp. Members of their board met with Brian Jean one month ago to discuss energy policy.
This would put the issue of influence front and center and gives citizens an informed ability to evaluate who controls the ebbs and flows of policy positions.
My own experience speaking with corporate representatives of even the largest energy companies over the years is that they are very sensitive to the issue of not trying to appear to be buying politicians. If you make the donation an immediate matter of public record they'll be even more careful.