Voting with Dollars: A New Paradigm for Campaign Finance

By: Bruce A. Ackerman and Ian Ayres

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Synopsis: In this book, two leading law professors challenge the existing campaign reform agenda and present a new initiative that avoids the mistakes of the past. Bruce Ackerman and Ian Ayres build on the example of the secret ballot and propose a system of "secret donation booths" for campaign contributions. They unveil a plan in which the government provides each voter with a special credit card account containing fifty "Patriot dollars" for presidential elections. To use this money, citizens go to their local automated teller machine and anonymously send their Patriot dollars to their favorite candidates or political organizations. Americans are free to make additional contributions, but they must also give these gifts anonymously. Because candidates cannot identify who provided the funds, big contributors will find it much harder to buy political influence. And the need for politicians to compete for the Patriot dollars will give much more power to the people. "--BOOK JACKET. Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved