The Arizona Republic has used the last two days’ editorials to highlight problems with the Arizona’s Clean Elections system (our system of publicly funded campaigns).
But after highlighting all the problems with the 1998 “reform”, the legislature should ask voters if they want to keep the broken system in the first place, rather than spend time trying to fix the system. Put a question on the 2008 ballot that asks voters if they want to keep Arizona’s public finance system. The language on the ballot should read something like this:
A “yes” vote shall retain the Clean Elections system, which uses tax dollars to fund political campaigns.
A “no” vote shall have the effect of eliminating taxpayer-funded elections.
Those are honest descriptions, and if that’s what appeared on the ballot, the “no’s” would win.
Senator Jon Kyl
Congressman Jeff Flake
Congressman John Shadegg
Stephen Moore
Steve Forbes
Senator John McCain
Dr. Arthur Laffer