Restoring Democracy: Taking Money Out Of Politics

Like it or not, the candidate with the most money almost always wins elections – not the candidate with the best ideas. Unfortunately, recent US Supreme Court rulings have ensured it will stay this way. However, there is still much we can do to change this and make elected officials accountable to the people they represent, rather than the companies that fund their campaigns.

Right now here in Hawaii, candidates tend to raise money from those who give the most – corporations, big landowners and others whose interests are often directly opposed to those of the general public. This can lead to blatant conflicts of interest when that candidate is elected to office and has to choose between what the community wants or what the corporation wants. The special interests that write the biggest campaign checks continue to have the most access and most influence in politics. If we are going to keep the interests of the people first, then this must change.

The Success of the Arizona Model

In the 1990s elected officials in Arizona were tied to their corporate campaign donors, and utility rates and public policy were regularly shaped in favor of those interests at the expense of the taxpayers. Deciding they had enough of it, Arizona residents changed their elections laws.

Elections should not be for sale to the wealthiest campaign contributors

The result was a change in public policy that put the people first – utilities could no longer count on their hand-picked elected officials to look out for them and were forced to change their ways. What’s best for the people of Arizona became the sole priority for elected officials, and the people of Arizona have voted time and again overwhelmingly to keep the program running.

Here in Hawaii…

In 1978, Hawaii voters chose to create the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund and create a similar elections public funding system. The fund receives about $2.7 million every two years through accrued interest and through a voluntary $2 check off on state income tax forms. Unfortunately, since 1978 elections have become so expensive that this plan no longer provides enough money for candidates to be competitive, who instead are forced to rely on raising money from private institutions.