Public Financing of Elections Would Lead Us Out of the Partisan Swamp

http://alternet.org/story/73011/

"Big money is driving up the costs of campaigning and preventing candidates who are strong on brains, people skills, independence and vision -- but who don't have access to deep pockets--from running for and winning office. Endless fundraising steals the focus of our leaders, requiring that they spend less time leading the nation to solutions that work for all Americans, regardless of their ability to make a political donation."

Nick Nyhart, President and CEO of Public Campaign, writes an excellent piece on how the money chase in politics fuels the partisanship of government that stifle progress in the political process. Candidates can free themselves from partisan loyalty and the need to secure funds from their party by instituting clean elections (public financing of campaigns) and instead run on platforms that are both independent and representative of their constituents.