The problem isn't the principle of equal access. It's enforcement.

The only way truly to limit the amount of money spent is to say that all political speech for all parties on all topics must be literally free. As in, no charge.

Personally, I would love to see that. It would take the profit motive right out of political advertising. But I don't know how it could be done. Materials still cost money, even if people were willing to donate their time. And the donation of the time of $200/hour consultants is still a quantifiable gift in kind.

Also, everyone would have to have equal exposure. So does that mean that, in an election year, the incumbent is not to appear in the papers, on the internet, on TV, on radio or billboards, even if he or she is making news doing the job, because it can be construed as campaign exposure?

Suppose my friends and I really hate Ralph Nader -- and I mean a group of regular people, not just Mr. and Mrs. GotRocks and their millionaire country club friends (at whom this legislation is squarely aimed) -- and we want to take out ads opposing him, as a third party candidate in the next election. Our opposition will act in support of other candidates, even if we can't stand any of them either. What category of "campaign contribution" is that? If that's considered "free speech" and outright support of a candidate is regulated by campaign finance rules, there will be no advertising in support of anyone. If negative speech is unregulated, then negative ads are all we will have.

This won't help the voters learn a blessed thing, and squabbles over who is allowed to say what about whom will tie up the courts for years and years and years.

As far as I can see, the only thing that can be done is to record and report, in a very public fashion, every last damn cent that is spent on political speech, and by whom. No more anonymous contributions. Every last donut must be reported. That way, since influence-pedalling can't be prevented without preventing some people from exercising political speech, at least we will all know who is trying to buy whom and for how much.

Of course, someone will try to buy the auditors, but there you go. Not even the Vestals were all Virgins, really.

Regards--
Mary Anne