Posted: May 23rd, 2023

M3A1: Citizens United

M3A1: Citizens United

http://digital.films.com.vlib.excelsior.edu/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=6976 (copy and paste the link) Review Campaign Finance: Abuses and Reforms. [Video File] [48 min 25 sec] before you participate in this activity.

Parts of the video will discuss aspects of campaign finance and reform. Before engaging in this activity, please return to the first discussion topic on political donations; review the discussion taking place and review the video on campaign financing

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I have reviewed the video on campaign finance and the discussion on political donations. The video provides a good overview of the history of campaign finance in the United States and the different reforms that have been proposed. The discussion on political donations raises some important questions about the role of money in politics and the impact of campaign finance on democracy.

One of the main concerns about campaign finance is that it can lead to corruption. When candidates are beholden to large donors, they may be more likely to make decisions that benefit those donors instead of the public good. This can lead to policies that are not in the best interests of the people, such as tax cuts for the wealthy or cuts to social programs.

Another concern about campaign finance is that it can give an unfair advantage to wealthy individuals and special interests. When wealthy individuals and special interests can spend unlimited amounts of money on elections, they can drown out the voices of ordinary citizens. This can make it difficult for candidates who are not supported by these wealthy individuals and special interests to win elections.

There are a number of reforms that have been proposed to address the problems with campaign finance. One reform is to overturn the Citizens United decision, which allows corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections. Another reform is to implement public financing of elections, which would provide candidates with a public subsidy to offset the cost of running for office. Public financing would help to level the playing field and give ordinary citizens a greater voice in elections.

The issue of campaign finance is complex and there is no easy solution. However, it is an important issue that deserves our attention. We need to find ways to reform campaign finance so that money does not have an undue influence on our democracy.

Here are some additional thoughts on the issue of campaign finance:

Campaign finance is a complex issue with no easy answers.
There are a number of reforms that have been proposed to address the problems with campaign finance, but none of these reforms are perfect.
It is important to continue to have a public discussion about campaign finance and to work towards finding solutions that will protect our democracy.

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