November 27, 1973
Page 38197
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I am pleased to join as a cosponsor of the proposal to provide public financing of Federal election campaigns, which we are now considering as an amendment to the debt ceiling extension bill. The influence of money in politics poses the greatest of dangers to our political system. The evidence and allegations about abuses in the last Presidential campaign have exposed to the Nation the gravity of those dangers. And the proposal before us, a workable system of public financing for Presidential general elections and primaries, and congressional general elections, would help guard against those dangers by removing from much of our political process the pernicious influence of money.
Money in politics undermines our system in many ways: in the appearance of corruptibility, eroding the faith of our citizens in the integrity of the electoral process; in the disproportionate representation of the wealthy and special interests, who by their contributions increase the ability of candidates they support to mount effective campaigns; and in the unfair access of contributors to government officials and candidates. Only through a system of public financing can these abuses be curbed, and the influence of private money in politics be neutralized.
The public financing system we consider today would expand existing law to achieve this end. It establishes a Federal election campaign fund, based on the existing check-off system, to be financed by allocations of $2 from the taxes of each individual – and $4 from joint tax returns – with each taxpayer retaining the option to deny this allocation. The fund could be supplemented by appropriations if taxpayer allocations proved insufficient. The fund and the system of public financing would be administered by the Comptroller General, who would certify candidates and payments, and make audits and reports. Stiff criminal penalties would be provided for violations of the funding, spending, and reporting requirements.
Payments from the Federal election campaign fund would finance the total cost of campaigns of major party candidates in general elections for the Presidency, Senate, or the House of Representatives. These candidates would be prohibited from accepting private funds. Major party Presidential candidates would receive payments of 15 cents times the number of voting age population; this currently amounts to about $21 million. Congressional candidates would also receive 15 cents times the voting age population in their constituency, with a minimum payment of $175,000 in a Senatorial race and $90,000 in a congressional race. Public financing payments would be adjusted by cost of living increases. Candidates of minor parties, or new parties, would receive a Federal payment amounting to a proportion of the major party candidate allotment, based on the percentage of their party's vote in the preceding or current election compared to the average vote for major party candidates. Minor party and new party candidates would be able to supplement this amount with private fund raising up to the total spending limit allowed to major party candidates.
For Presidential primary campaigns, the proposal would establish a mixed system of public and private financing. The Federal election campaign fund would match the first $100 donated by each private contributor, beginning with a minimum amount of $100,000 in small $100-or-less contributions. An overall limit of $15 million on Presidential primary spending would be imposed, to be increased according to cost-of-living changes.
The cost of this system of public financing would be minimal compared to the reform it would provide. Federal campaign payments would amount to $200 million in Presidential years, and $100 million in the years when only congressional elections are held, for a total 4-year cost of about $300 million and an average yearly cost of $75 million. At less than one-third of 1 percent of our Federal budget, the cost of public funding is small if it will safeguard integrity and confidence in our democratic system.
Mr. President, this system of public financing represents a balance – a workable balance between the need to limit total campaign spending, provide sufficient funds to allow incumbents and challengers alike to present their case to the electorate, and the need to neutralize the influence of money in politics.
I commend the efforts of my distinguished colleagues who have worked together to bring this proposal before the Senate, especially its authors, Senators KENNEDY, CRANSTON, HART, MATHIAS, MONDALE, SCHWEIKER, HUGH SCOTT, STAFFORD, STEVENSON, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Elections of the Rules Committee, Senator PELL, who has conducted worthwhile hearings on public financing. I join them in urging the Senate to adopt the pending public financing proposal.