Exposing the Campaign Finance Lobby

Sometimes it is difficult to show how the First Amendment and campaign finance reform are relevant to most Americans. But recent statements from a leading advocate of reform illustrate the significance of these issues.

In April, the Democracy Alliance gathered in Chicago to discuss how best to shut down conservative policies. At the April meeting, Democracy Alliance president Gara LaMarche revealed a fundamental truth about campaign finance reform efforts. He noted that if Democracy Alliance couldn't get court decisions like Citizens United v. FEC or McCutcheon v. FEC overturned, "we will never make the progress we need to make on critical issues facing the country and the world like climate change and gun violence."

Campaign finance laws are simply the lynchpin to get other left-of-center policies enacted. Campaign finance provisions make it more difficult for the Tea Party and grassroots to associate, hindering their effectiveness. Campaign finance laws allow stealth prosecutors to target political activists and shut down their operations. Campaign finance reform simply makes it more difficult for every American, rich or poor, to speak their mind and share their views.

There is another side to this coin. Those pushing reform like climate change and gun control mute other voices, making space for their own views to predominate. This gives a false sense of public discussion: clear the room of opposing voices, enjoy a muted debate, and push your agenda ahead unhindered. Of course, the American experiment is predicated upon the idea that the best policies will come from a full and rigorous debate by the American public. Wise policy does not arise out of self-selected vacuum chambers of liberal advocacy.

This then is the truth of the campaign finance reform lobby. Enact stringent laws aimed at "political corruption" that make the exercise of First Amendment freedoms impractical. This instills political apathy in the public, ensures that the majority of voices in any debate are political operatives pushing an agenda, and wholly destroys the First Amendment.

Thankfully, the Roberts Court has been firm in protecting the First Amendment, which is exactly why the Democracy Alliance seeks to undo these gains.