Campaign Finance

By undermining competitive elections, campaign finance laws undermine democracy. Campaign finance ‘‘reform’’ distracts us from the real issue, the ultimate source of potential corruption—ubiquitous government. Government today fosters corruption because it exercises vast powers over virtually every aspect of life. Is it any wonder that special interests—indeed, every interest but the general—should be trying either to take advantage of that or to protect themselves from it?

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Commentary

Have Faith in the American Voter

By Trevor Burrus. New York Daily News. October 22, 2012.

Citizens United and the 2012 Campaign

By Ilya Shapiro. Illinois Business Journal. October 1, 2012.

Citizens United and Forked-Tongued Candidates

By Trevor Burrus. Huffington Post. September 6, 2012.

More Commentary

Cato Studies

Free Speech and the 527 Prohibition

By Stephen M. Hoersting. Briefing Paper No. 96. April 3, 2006.

Uncompetitive Elections and the American Political System

By Patrick Basham and Dennis Polhill. Policy Analysis No. 547. June 30, 2005.

Three Myths about Voter Turnout in the United States

By John Samples. Policy Analysis No. 524. September 14, 2004.

More Cato Studies

Public Filings

To Fix Our Campaign Finance System, Liberalize Political Speech Rather than Restricting It

By Ilya Shapiro. Testimony. July 24, 2012.

McComish v. Bennett

By Ilya Shapiro. Legal Briefs. January 20, 2011.

McComish v. Bennett

By Ilya Shapiro. Legal Briefs. September 16, 2010.

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Reviews & Journals

Not under My First Amendment

Floyd Abrams. Cato's Letter. Fall 2005.

Events

Is Taxpayer Financing of Campaigns Constitutional?

Featuring John Samples. November 17, 2010. Policy Forum.

Campaign Finance after Citizens United: What Now?

Featuring John Samples and Ilya Shapiro. February 2, 2010. Capitol Hill Briefing.

What to Do about Self-Funded Campaigns

Featuring John Samples and Ilya Shapiro. April 21, 2008. Capitol Hill Briefing.

More Events