Senator Obama made an important decision that will impact how he’s able to compete in the general election, and it’s important that we understand the decision, its implications, and the challenge ahead.
Obama’s commitment to public financing remains firm; his commitment to a democratic form of campaign contribution still stands. Obama has argued that his reliance on small contributions is consistent with the central goal of campaign finance reform, which is freeing politicians from big money patrons who will then be ‘owed’ favors.
As it stands, Obama received contribution from over 1.5 million Americans – making his campaign one of the most democratically financed and supported campaigns.
The problem isn’t the amount of money in politics; it’s the source of the money. Our goal shouldn’t be to keep money out of politics — but rather to keep big money out of politics. Public financing is critical to prevent big corporations and the wealthy from continuing their domination of what might otherwise be a truly democratic political system. Public financing should be about preventing plutocracy and facilitating democracy. Political communication, grassroots organization, door to door canvassing, political rallies all cost money — but they are critical for engaging everyday people in the political process. Let’s face it, the long heated, expensive, primary battle has engaged more people in politics today than in decades. Read the rest of Robert Creamer very informative article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/obamas-opt-out-of-public_b_108240.html
Paulette
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