Campaign Finance Reform: The Shifting and Ambiguous Line Between Where Money Talks and Speech is Free

Do you hate the fact that corporations have too much influence over the legislative process, but love the First Amendment and want to protect it, too? In today's climate of corrupt politics alongside real threats to free speech, it seems that anything we do to address one problem will make the other problem even worse. Big money controlling our political agenda is a huge problem. Yet attempts to regulate it have often implicated constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech. This book analyzes the arguments on both sides, recognizes the legitimate claims of each, and proposes possible solutions. The influence of money in politics has been a problem for over a century. This book provides a brief historical account of campaign finance reform efforts beginning with the 1925 Federal Corrupt Practices Act. It then describes the tensions between alternating Congressional Acts and U.S. Supreme Court rulings to deal with the problem of money in politics. A critical analysis of the fallacies of the Citizens United decision also acknowledges that there are real issues with the infringement of political speech. Proposed solutions avoid (or make more transparent) corporate influence on the legislative process without running afoul of the First Amendment. A great complement to civics education classes and programs, and a thought-provoking read for legal and policy wonks.