PAST ARTICLES AND EDITORIAL BOARDS CAMPAIGN FINANCE: A CHALLENGER'S PERSPECTIVE ON
FUNDING AND REFORM
Cornelius P. McCarthy
6 J.L. & Pol'y 69 (1997)
From the perspective of a political insider, this author narrates what he perceives to be the problems of the current campaign finance environment. The author posits that the present scheme benefits only incumbents interested in maintaining the status quo. The author advocates a new system which equalizes the disparities between challengers and incumbents through reform legislation.

A reform legislation must encompass two objectives: increasing access to money for candidates of modest means and remediating the potential for corruption. The author believes these challenges could best be met through limits on contributions or in the alternative, a publicly funded system. And while he acknowledges that neither approach would cure all the evils of the present system, failure to act will only benefit incumbents, to the detriment of potential challengers.