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More welfare for politicians?

For years, many Republicans have derided public campaign financing as welfare for politicians. Now the Florida House has suddenly taken an interest in the final days of the legislative session, backing a drastic change that would enable candidates to raise huge amounts of money and still qualify for public money. That sort of mischief distorts the purpose of public campaign financing, and the Senate should reject it.

Rep. Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton, wants to more than triple the amount of money candidates for governor or the Cabinet can spend and still be eligible for public matching dollars in their campaigns. He argues that the current limit, roughly $6.7-million for a governor's race, is unrealistic. But the amount he proposes, roughly $21-million, is more than both major candidates spent combined in 2002.

The manner in which House members approached this shift in political philosophy and elections policy leaves their motives open to question. Reagan skipped the usual rigor of public testimony and committee hearings, springing the idea in a floor amendment to a broader elections bill. Said Ben Wilcox of Common Cause: "I would object to this on process alone. It's almost like somebody's throwing something against the wall to see if it sticks."

It is reasonable to question whether the current spending limit candidates must accept to qualify for public matching money is reasonable. Gov. Jeb Bush, who always has rejected public money, has voiced support for the increase, complaining that "places like North Dakota spend more money on statewide races."

The public campaign financing law, though, is designed to level the playing field in statewide races, limit the influence of special interests and rein in outrageous campaign spending. Bush may admire the $902,500 that North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven raised last year for a re-election that drew only 316,000 voters, but North Dakota doesn't have public campaign financing. Its campaign spending is not something to be emulated. The House bill would blow the lid off campaign spending in Florida and ask the public to subsidize it.

Senate President Tom Lee is appropriately skeptical. The Senate should reject this attempt to subvert the intent of public campaign financing.

[Last modified April 30, 2005, 00:51:14]