In Georgia’s U.S. Senate race this year, about $34 million has already been spent on ads to sway voters. More than $11 million of that comes from outside groups, many of which do not disclose donors. And that’s just one race. Nationally, estimates are that anonymous outside spending could reach $700 million or more this year.
The groups that run these ads have been flexing their spending muscles earlier in the election cycle, running ads that often frame the debate in a polarizing way. And because the ads don’t identify who’s paying for them except for generically named groups like “Americans for America,” voters are left in the dark about who’s really behind the message. So no one takes responsibility or is held accountable for what the ads say.
All this anonymous spending has alienated Americans of every political stripe. Too many of our fellow citizens have left the town square cynical and frustrated with a political process they no longer think they have a stake in. In a recent poll, 65 percent of respondents felt the current wave of ad spending isn’t just politics as usual. It’s tilting elected officials’ views toward the funders’ interests.
This is a major problem for the long-term health of our democracy. But it has been ignored at the Federal Election Commission, the agency responsible for overseeing the federal campaign finance system. The FEC was created to ensure the integrity of federal elections after Watergate.
The agency is supposed to require disclosure of money given and spent so voters know who is trying to influence the outcome. This transparency is crucial, especially after Supreme Court rulings loosening rules on corporate political spending and limits on individual campaign contributions. For years, however, the FEC has been a cloistered agency, mired in gridlock.
As the FEC’s Vice Chair, I want to change that. The FEC has to do more to promote public confidence and participation in the political process. And it must be open to public concerns and ideas. That’s why I have visited Atlanta and been across the country this fall — to hear from the American people.
We need to hear the views of Georgians from across the political spectrum. Money in politics goes to the government’s ability to represent and serve the public. If you care about jobs, the size of government, or another issue, we are all better off when we have a transparent, competitive political system.
What do you think? Is this the system we have? If it isn’t, what should we do to encourage greater transparency, broader participation, and better competition in our democracy?
Make your voice heard. The future of our democracy depends on it.
