Campaign Finance

AZ Campaign Finance: How Clean is Clean?

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Arizona's Campaign Finance Reform

Arizona's campaign finance reform project has succeeded in three election cycles, but questions linger. Is the Grand Canyon State a model for the new age of electioneering, or will big money find another end-around the process?

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Q&A: Congressman Raul Grijalva

Policy Today magazine cover showing neighbors talking
October 19, 2005

PT talks to Raúl Grijalva, U.S. Congressman from Arizona and co-sponsor of the "Clean Money, Clean Elections" bill—H.R. 3099—now being considered in the House Government Reform Committee.

PT: Tell us a little bit about the "Clean Money, Clean Elections" bill that you are co-sponsoring with Congressman John Tierney (D-MA).

Grijalva: It's an attempt to level the playing field. In my experience in politics—and Tierney's is much more than mine—it appears that money, power and influence have come to dictate what kinds of policies are passed. I came here on a grassroots campaign with people's $25, $50 and $100 checks, and I when I got here, I saw that many of our problems come from the disproportionate influence of money on elected officials.

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Campaign Finance Reform: The Price of Leadership

Policy Today magazine cover showing neighbors talking
October 19, 2005

"The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, to obtain the rulers for men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue the common good for society," wrote James Madison in Federalist No. 57. What would he say about today's big-money campaigns?

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