Progressive Democrat Issue 118: CLEAN ELECTIONS: Democrats support clean elections...Republicans?

These come from the Public Campaign Action Fund.

Seems that the four Democratic front runners are coming out in favor of public financing of elections.

This film clip shows Edwards' endorsement (real time movie).

And here is a film clip of Barack Obama's endorsement (flash media).

Richardson has been acting as governor to enact public financing:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson plans to turn his endorsement of public financing for judicial races into action when he signs the bill recently passed out of the state legislature in special session that would expand the state's public financing program to include state Supreme and Appellate court races. He plans to line-item veto the "poison pill" provision in the bill that would require voters to amend the state constitution to eliminate retention elections (making those judges run in partisan races) before the public financing system could take effect. New Mexico already has public financing available to candidates for the state's Public Regulation Commission, and the city of Albuquerque approved public financing for municipal elections by ballot initiative in 2005. Many thanks to New Mexico Common Cause and Public Campaign Board member Richard Romero, for their efforts in passing this bill!

Regarding Hillary Clinton's support for public financing, there is a touch of irony, but overall she is on the right side:

Although she opted out of public financing for her White House bid, she does believe it's the ultimate reform to pursue.

Clinton opted out of public financing because she was able to raise more on her own -- and the amount of public financing that would have been provided would have not been enough to keep her competitive with private fundraisers. However, a system like Clean Elections at the federal level -- as outlined in the Fair Elections Now Act -- would allow publicly funded candidates to be competitive. It's clear that even though Clinton is a successful fundraiser, she's much prefer a system where money wasn't the deciding factor.

Interestingly, she announced her support for public financing at an event where she was endorsed by New Jersey Governor John Corzine, who just a few days ago enthusiastically signed a bill reauthorizing his state's Clean Elections public financing pilot project for legislative races. Clinton declared her views on public financing very clearly: "I believe we have to move, eventually in our country, toward a system of public financing that really works for candidates running for federal office. I will support that as president."

What about the Republicans? Well, not so impressive. McCain is the only one with any good record on this an even he is something of a flip-flopper on public financing:

Republican presidential hopeful, John McCain, meanwhile has been less supportive of public financing while on the campaign trail this year, but has supported it strongly in the past at the state level as well as for the Presidential race. He has joined Obama in promising to run under public financing in the general election if his opponent agrees to do the same.

Now if only he was more consistent on the campaign trail it would put him above the rest of the Republicans on clean elections.

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