Thursday, July 3, 2008
Barack Obama announced he would not accept public financing on June 19, which was a switch from his earlier position. At the beginning of the primary season he said he would take public financing if his general election opponent did. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the Republican Presidential nominee said he would take public financing for his campaign.
“It’s been clear for months that Obama would opt out of public financing,” said Burdett Loomis, professor of political science. “And given his fund-raising prowess, why wouldn’t he?”
Public financing derives from a $3 voluntary check-off box on personal income tax returns. The check-off does not increase the tax payment by $3; it just directs the $3 to the presidential fund. Obama is the first major-party candidate to turn down the government funds for a general election since the program started in 1976.
Obama would have received $84 million after the Democratic National Convention at the end of August, which would have given him more than $30 million to spend per month before Election Day. McCain and Obama both raised $21.2 million in May.
“Public financing can be good, but with the personal income tax form you don’t get to pick which candidate our money goes to,” said Briana Saunders, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, junior and Obama supporter. “I think it’s better for Obama to get money from small donors and spend it how he wants.”
Saunders said the downside of Obama’s decision was that it gave Republicans an opportunity to criticize him.
David Greenwald, Overland Park senior and McCain supporter, said he thought McCain should attack Obama on this issue.
“It seems disingenuous when you’re someone who talks about change and hope, but then you pull this flip-flop,” Greenwald said. “It indicates how he’ll be as a President. What else will he go back on if elected?”
Obama’s decision doesn’t seem to have affected his support from students.
Tanner Willbanks, Lawrence junior and president of KU Amnesty International, gave money to the Obama campaign during the primaries and plans to give money again during the general election if Willbanks has the money.
“I think Obama’s decision not to take public financing could affect some students, if they’re looking for an excuse not to vote for him,” Willbanks said.
Obama said he decided not to take public financing because the system fails to account for spending by independent groups on things like attack ads and that taking small donations from his Web site would be more in the reformist spirit of public financing.
“The campaign finance rules are undergoing changes both in the courts and in practice, which is always the case,” Loomis said. “In the end, money is like water -- it will flow where it can.”
— Edited by Mandy Earles
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