The House Committee on Administration today voted to send the Fair Elections Now Act, H.R. 6116, to the floor of the House of Representatives. The following is the statement of Center for Competitive Politics President Sean Parnell
“Today the Committee on House Administration voted to divert hundreds of millions, even billions, of taxpayer dollars into the campaign coffers of fringe candidates, incumbents, and candidates favored by well-organized interest groups able to provide the necessary contributions to qualify for public funding. These are not just the conclusions of Republicans opposing the bill, but of 2 Democratic members of the committee including an ardent supporter of the concept of taxpayer funding for political campaigns.”
“In addition to these concerns raised by Democratic Congressmen Artur Davis and Michael Capuano, the simple fact is that this welfare-for-politicians scheme cannot deliver on its promise of cleaner politics, more responsive elected officials, reduced corruption, improved public perception of Congress, or increased civic participation, any more than the failed programs in Arizona and Maine have. Congress should not waste its time with a floor vote on H.R. 6116.”
The Center for Competitive Politics prepared a detailed analysis of the Fair Elections Now Act (then H.R. 1826) last summer, which can be read here