Campaign Finance and American Democracy
What the Public Really Thinks and Why It Matters
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Campaign Finance and American Democracy
What the Public Really Thinks and Why It Matters
In recent decades, and particularly since the US Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United decision, lawmakers and other elites have told Americans that stricter campaign finance laws are needed to improve faith in the elections process, increase trust in the government, and counter cynicism toward politics. But as David M. Primo and Jeffrey D. Milyo argue, politicians and the public alike should reconsider the conventional wisdom in light of surprising and comprehensive empirical evidence to the contrary.
Primo and Milyo probe original survey data to determine Americans’ sentiments on the role of money in politics, what drives these sentiments, and why they matter. What Primo and Milyo find is that while many individuals support the idea of reform, they are also skeptical that reform would successfully limit corruption, which Americans believe stains almost every fiber of the political system. Moreover, support for campaign finance restrictions is deeply divided along party lines, reflecting the polarization of our times. Ultimately, Primo and Milyo contend, American attitudes toward money in politics reflect larger fears about the health of American democracy, fears that will not be allayed by campaign finance reform.
Primo and Milyo probe original survey data to determine Americans’ sentiments on the role of money in politics, what drives these sentiments, and why they matter. What Primo and Milyo find is that while many individuals support the idea of reform, they are also skeptical that reform would successfully limit corruption, which Americans believe stains almost every fiber of the political system. Moreover, support for campaign finance restrictions is deeply divided along party lines, reflecting the polarization of our times. Ultimately, Primo and Milyo contend, American attitudes toward money in politics reflect larger fears about the health of American democracy, fears that will not be allayed by campaign finance reform.
256 pages | 12 line drawings, 53 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2020
Political Science: American Government and Politics
Reviews
Table of Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Weak Link?
Chapter 3. The Uninformed Public
Chapter 4. The Malleable Public
Chapter 5. The Cynical Public
Chapter 6. The Pragmatic Public
Chapter 7. What Do the Experts Think?
Chapter 8. Campaign Finance Laws and Trust in Government
Chapter 9. Conclusion
Appendix A: 2015 and 2016 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) Survey Background, Methodology, and Questions
Appendix B: CCES Questions for Chapter 3
Appendix C: CCES Questions for Chapter 4
Appendix D: CCES Questions for Chapter 5
Appendix E: CCES Questions for Chapter 6
Appendix F: Expert Survey Background, Methodology, and Questions
Appendix G: Survey Questions for Chapter 8
Notes
References
Index
Appendix B: CCES Questions for Chapter 3
Appendix C: CCES Questions for Chapter 4
Appendix D: CCES Questions for Chapter 5
Appendix E: CCES Questions for Chapter 6
Appendix F: Expert Survey Background, Methodology, and Questions
Appendix G: Survey Questions for Chapter 8
Notes
References
Index
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