Before the U.S. campaign finance system can be fixed, we first have to understand why it has developed into the system as it exists today. The nature of democracy itself, the American capitalist economic system, the content of the U.S. Constitution and how it is interpreted, the structure of our governmental institutions, the competition for governmental power, and the behavior of campaign finance actors have all played a role in shaping the system.

The Fundamentals of Campaign Finance in the U.S. takes care to situate the campaign finance system in the context of the broader U.S. political and economic system. Dwyre and Kolodny offer readers a brief tour through the development of the campaign finance regulatory structure, highlighting the Supreme Court's commitment to free speech over political equality from Buckley v. Valeo (1976) through the passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA, 2002). They also examine the driving force behind campaign finance reform-corruption-through historical, transactional, and institutional perspectives. While diving into the insufficiency of the disclosure and enforcement of campaign finance laws and calling attention to multiple federal agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, and (principally) the Federal Election Commission, the authors show how a narrow view on campaign finance makes change difficult and why reforms often have limited success. By examining the fundamentals, Dwyre and Kolodny show the difficulties of changing a political system whose candidates have always relied on private funding of campaigns to one that guarantees free speech rights while minimizing concerns of corruption.

About the Author

Diana Dwyre is Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of the Social Science Program at California State University, Chico.
Robin Kolodny is Professor of Political Science at Temple University.

Reviews

"Anyone interested in campaign finance should read Dwyre and Kolodny's book. Especially insightful is their analysis of the effects of political parties, interest groups, and the federal courts on the transition from a regulatory system that focused on deterring corruption to a system that allows for virtually unfettered spending in the name of free speech."

-- Paul Herrnson, University of Connecticut

"Dwyre and Kolodny have produced arguably the best and clearest book so far explaining money and politics in the US. They provide a cogent discussion of the basic goals of American democracy and a succinct history of the role of money and politics as well as the legal efforts to regulate or control it. Summing up: highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals."

-- CHOICE



Book Information
ISBN 9780472076888
Author Diana Dwyre
Format Hardback
Page Count 392
Imprint The University of Michigan Press
Publisher The University of Michigan Press