Jay Mandle, an economics professor on the board of the reform group “Democracy Matters”, made this analysis of A Small Donor Democracy? He discovers that the majority of political donations under $200 still seem to come from those who are relatively well off. And so the Obama rationalization that his small donor army is comparable to a publicly financed campaign is dubious. Prosperous donors are still more influential than the poorer classes and such a system is not a reasonable substitute for a publicly financed campaign system. I had imagined that Obama’s army was mostly made up of college kids sending in $20 at a time. This data surprised me.
So now I find myself reduced to the rationalization that in spite of his flip-flop on using campaign finance for this election Obama still seems to me to be the one most likely to promote campaign and election reform once in office. McCain was the previous champion but I am concerned that he is pandering to constituents not likely to support the de-linking of freedom of speech and campaign donations. I have heard nothing that make me think that Clinton would not continue to pander to wealth.
I am re-reading “Team of Rivals” about Lincoln’s political life. And he too had to follow a very irregular path towards abolition depending on the mood of his constituents and the general public. He started off in public support of very limited rights of African Americans. Only when circumstances lined up in favorable ways was he able to move the goal forward to to almost complete emancipation. Similarly my vote for president is informed by my reading between the lines and trying to see into the heart of the candidates. So far with his bottom-up conception of his campaign, community activist and multicultural roots, and relatively non combative temperament I still lean towards Obama in spite of him doing what he needs to do to get elected.
I can’t bring myself to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Born 1950, Married, Living in Austin Texas, Semi
Retired Small Business owner and investor. My political interest
evolved out of his business experience that the best decisions come out of an objective gathering of information and a pragmatic consideration of costs and benefits. I am interested in promoting Centrist candidates and Policies. My posts are mostly about people and policies that I believe are part of the solution rather the problem.