Are Flat Grants to Candidates Better than a Voucher-Based Public Financing System?

Responding to my recent L.A. Times oped, an official with the has written this letter to the editor (3rd letter on page). I agree that seed money for new candidates is required even under a voucher program, but I'm not so sure that we need to use a public financing system to "level the playing field" so that fringe candidates get the same funding as more popular candidates.

Just Who Won McConnell v FEC Again?

See this profile of Floyd Abrams, which contains the following statement: "To the horror of many liberals, Abrams joined former Whitewater investigator Kenneth Starr in successfully challenging the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance-reform law on the grounds it violated the First Amendment."

Election Reform in Pennsylvania

Stephen Medvic has this analysis of a recent election reform taskforce report.

"Blogging Through the Tulips"

Steve McGookin, writing at Forbes.com, offers these thoughts on the FEC internet rulemaking.

"You Can't Compete With Voters' Feet"

The Washington Post offers this Outlook piece by Bill Bishop, which references an article on redistricting and competitiveness by Alan Abramowitz. Michael McDonald responds, having reached conclusions contrary to Abramowitz.

Compulsory Voting and Income Inequality

Alberto Chong and Mauricio Olivera have written On Compulsory Voting and Income Inequality in a Cross-Section of Countries. Here is the abstract:

This paper explores the link between compulsory voting and income distribution using a cross-section of countries around the world. Our empirical cross-country analysis for 91 countries during the period 1960-2000 shows that compulsory voting, when enforced strictly, improves income distribution, as measured by the Gini coefficient and the bottom income quintiles of the population. Our findings are robust to changes and additions to our benchmark specification. Since poorer countries suffer from relatively greater income inequality, it might make sense to promote such voting schemes in developing regions such as Latin America. This proposal assumes that bureaucratic costs related with design and implementation are not excessive.

No Clingman v. Beaver Opinion Today

The next opportunity for the Supreme Court's ruling is May 23.

Who is Going to Oppose Review in the Sorrell Case?

Not the defenders of the law. See NVRI's press release, which notes that following the filing of the cert petition by the Vermont Republican Party, "Defenders of Vermont’s campaign spending limits law immediately announced that they would join in urging the Supreme Court to review the case. Such a review could result in a landscape change in the way campaigns are financed across the country."

Interesting Principles for Regulation of Campaign Finance Activities on the Internet

See these principles, put forward by the Center for Democracy & Technology. Link via Mike Krempasky, who has some very interesting observations on the recent forum on the FEC's rulemaking.

-- 
Rick Hasen
William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School
919 Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA  90015-1211
(213)736-1466
(213)380-3769 – fax
rick.hasen@lls.edu
http://electionlawblog.org
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html