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RedditIn a 5-to-4 decision as we went to press, the Supreme Court upheld nearly all the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act's provisions. It would have been a major setback if the Court hadn't agreed with the law's banning of national party soft money and restrictions on electioneering ads. However, with 95 percent of Americans not giving any money and the bulk coming in $2,000 checks from a tiny, wealthy elite, big money still dominates the electoral process. Candidates and communities without access to wealth are still essentially excluded from meaningful participation. Exhibit A: Bush's Rangers and Pioneers. More reform is needed.
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Rethinking the Veepstakes
John Nichols: The process of picking a Vice President needn't be the craven political exercise it is today. Do we even need one?
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Boxed In
Peter C. Baker: Electoral reform in the United States will require federal intervention to empower voters and overcome the challenges posed by state and local autonomy.
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Protecting the Rights of Millionaires
Laura MacCleery: By equating money with free speech, is the Supreme Court defending the right of the rich to steal elections?
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Noted.
Kudos to Minnesota's recount process; and kudos to Van Jones, 2008 recipient of the $100,000 Puffin/Nation Prize for green economy activism.
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Stimulus Now
On Day One, Congress must present Obama with a bold stimulus plan focused on putting people to work, rebuilding infrastructure and expanding the productive capacity of the economy.
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Noted.
Kristina Rizga on harnessing young voters' energy, Stephen Duncombe on a spoof edition of the New York Times
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