The Economic Realities of Political Reform Elections and the US Senate [Paperback]

Regens and Gaddie argue that proposed political campaign finance reforms will not necessarily have the impact expected by advocates.The central political issue in American politics during the 1990s is the need for political campaign reform. Several proposals have been advanced to reform the system of congressional elections, especially the financing of campaigns. We examine U.S. Senate elections to determine the potential impact of several electoral reform proposals. Spending limits, contribution limits, and public financing proposals will not necessarily have the impact expected by advocates. The final fate of reform resides with self-interested incumbents who will design reform.The central political issue in American politics during the 1990s is the need for political campaign reform. Several proposals have been advanced to reform the system of congressional elections, especially the financing of campaigns. We examine U.S. Senate elections to determine the potential impact of several electoral reform proposals. Spending limits, contribution limits, and public financing proposals will not necessarily have the impact expected by advocates. The final fate of reform resides with self-interested incumbents who will design reform.The central political issue in American politics during the 1990s is the need for political campaign reform. The authors examine the United States Senate elections to determine the potential impact of several electoral reform proposals. They conclude that spending limits, contribution limits, and public financing proposals will not necessarily have the impact expected by advocates. The final fate of reform resides with self-interested incumbents who will design reform.List of tables and figures; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1. The Senate in transition and campaign finance; 2. Early money and profit-taking in Senate campaigns; 3. Targeting rent-provision by major interests; 4. Sitting in the cheap seats?; 5. Implications forl3´