Opinions
   articles

Wespeaks:
Campaign finance effects you

In the 2000 election cycle alone, approximately three billion dollars will be spent on political campaigns. This is more than the total GDP of Peru. What’s even more disturbing is the fact that the great majority of this money comes not from individual citizens or the government or the candidates themselves. It comes from corporations and special interest groups who seriously undermine the credibility of the electoral system and the ability of individual citizens to make their voices heard. Not only does our current campaign finance system prevent the average citizen from having a voice, it also contributes to growing voter apathy and the lack of diversity in the federal government.

Are you still not sure how campaign finance reform can affect you personally? You’d be surprised at the number of ways big money in politics can affect your life: student loans, health care and the environment are all affected by the special interest groups who try to buy off politicians.

On October 23, Wesleyan is lucky enough to have Miles Rapaport, former Connecticut Secretary of State and executive director of Democracy Works, a campaign finance reform group, on campus to discuss the past and future of campaign finance reform. Rapaport will be speaking at 7:30 on Monday night in PAC 002, with discussion following a brief lecture. Come find out how the campaign finance system works, how big money and special interest groups directly affect you and the drive to get publicly funded elections in Connecticut. Only with comprehensive campaign finance reform can we restore real democracy to our electoral system.
 

Colao and Solow are members of the class of 2004 and Students for Campaign Finance Reform