Monday, October 20, 2008

$150 million!

As you've no doubt heard, Barack Obama raised $150 million in September. Even more significant, the campaign reports that more than a half-million new donors, and that the average contribution is only $86.00. True, there are large donors out there, but they are swamped by the number of ordinary Americans (3 million people have contributed) giving hard-earned dollars to change the way Washington works.

McCain may be right that Obama has broken the system of public financing, although it is much more likely that his campaign has shown conclusively that it is broken. McCain may also be accurate in saying that it will take a scandal to bring us to revive the estimable idea that campaigns should be financed by the whole nation. But Obama has shown that the interests cannot compete with the people when the people are aroused.

1 comment:

Leanderthal, Lighthouse Keeper said...

Hey George Will,

How's that for campaign finance reform and true Freedom of Speech? At less than a hundred bucks a head it's doubtful that any one individual is going to have undue influence on a politician. But 500,000 individuals---that's a different story.

Contrast this to one lobbyist contributing $500,000
which you defend as protected by the First Amendment.

I think Obama gets it right.