As Senator Mark Hanna said in 1895: "There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money and I can't remember what the second one is." The need to raise vast sums of money from special interests drives the behavior of elected officials in many ways, most of them bad for civility and public policy. Here, for example, is a list of the "heavy hitters," the biggest donors to congressional campaigns, according to FEC records. The top donors are not evenly divided between the two parties. (Can you guess which party they support? Be sure to check your guess.)
On this page you'll find an analysis of the many reforms that have been proposed or implemented. Which ones reduce the influence of special interests? Which ones lead to more incivility?
WHAT HAS BEEN THE EFFECT OF THE CITIZENS UNITED RULING?
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RESOURCES
--Rick Hansen's Election Law Blog
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