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Campaign Finance

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Collapse of the Campaign Finance Regime?

Thomas E. Mann, April 2008, The Forum, Volume 6, Issue 1

The fascinating 2008 presidential election has produced recent campaign finance developments, writes Thomas Mann, suffiently dramatic as to raise questions about the viability of the entire regime of campaign finance law. Read More

Campaign Finance, U.S. Politics, Courts, U.S. Congress, Elections

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioCampaign 2008: The Final Weeks

Friday, October 31, 2008
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC

Reuters/Gary HershornSenators McCain and Obama are making a final push to identify themselves with voters before November 4. In the campaign's final days, what tactics have proven to be the most successful? Will their efforts pay off? On October 31, Brookings's Opportunity 08 project and Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs examined key questions on the role of money, advertising and mobilization in the 2008 campaign. Read More

Political Campaigns, Politics, U.S. Politics, Elections, Campaign Finance

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhat's Next For Campaign Finance?

Thomas E. Mann, July 24, 2008, The American Prospect

Thomas Mann frequently appeared in the media to offer comprehensive analysis of and justification for the proposed contribution limits and other fixes to the existing campaign finance structures. But now, as the Obama campaign continues to shatter assumptions about fundraising, Mann discussed with Abby Rapoport of The American Prospect on how new efforts at reform should focus more on public funding of candidates and less on contribution limits.
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Campaign Finance, Political Campaigns, Elections, U.S. Politics, Federal Election Commission

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Report on the 2008 Presidential Nomination Ads

Darrell M. West, July 02, 2008, The Brookings Institution

A Report on the 2008 Presidential Nomination AdsFew aspects of campaigns attract as much discussion as television advertisements. Yet many observers are not happy with the quality of information presented in ads or the tone of political discourse. In looking at campaign ads in this year’s presidential nominating election, Darrell West finds that ads were more negative than in previous races. Read More

U.S. Politics, Campaign Finance, Media & Journalism, Elections, Political Campaigns

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioMoney in the 2008 Elections

Thomas E. Mann, July 01, 2008, The Chautauquan Daily

Money in the 2008 ElectionsThomas Mann examines the virtues of the presidential public financing system and whether the existing laws should be reconsidered in light of recent practices from presidential nominees. Read More

Campaign Finance, U.S. Politics, Elections, Politics, Political Campaigns

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCampaign Finance: Is Unregulated Spending the Most Effective Way to Ensure Citizens Have the Power to Speak to Their Government?

Thomas E. Mann, July 13, 2007, Los Angeles Times

Is money in politics a problem at all, or is unregulated spending the most effective way to ensure citizens have the power to speak to their government? Thomas Mann and Bradley Smith debate on the future of campaign finance reform. Read More

Campaign Finance, U.S. Politics, Political Campaigns, Elections, U.S. Judiciary

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCampaign Finance: Matching Candidates' Scratch

Thomas E. Mann, July 12, 2007, Los Angeles Times

Are matching funds ever going to work at the federal level? Can they succeed at the state and local levels? Thomas E. Mann and Bradley Smith debate the future of campaign finance reform.
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Campaign Finance, Courts, U.S. Politics, Political Campaigns, Elections

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCampaign Finance Reform: Are There Smarter Ways to Fix the System?

Thomas E. Mann, July 12, 2007, Los Angeles Times

Are there campaign finance reform methods that are not vulnerable to 1st Amendment challenges? Thomas E. Mann and Bradley Smith debate the future of campaign finance reform.
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Campaign Finance, Courts, U.S. Politics, Political Campaigns, Elections

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioDoes the Supreme Court's Recent Wisconsin Right to Life Decision Signal the End of All Campaign Finance Reform Laws?

Thomas E. Mann, July 10, 2007, Los Angeles Times

Does the Supreme Court's recent Wisconsin Right to Life decision signal the end of all campaign finance reform laws? Thomas Mann and Bradley Smith debate the future of campaign finance reform.
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Campaign Finance, Courts, U.S. Politics, Political Campaigns, U.S. Judiciary

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCampaign Finance Reloaded

Thomas E. Mann, July 09, 2007, Los Angeles Times

Senior Fellow Thomas Mann argues that the Supreme Court went both too far and not far enough in its Wisconsin Right to Life decision. Read More

Campaign Finance, U.S. Politics, Courts, Political Campaigns, Elections

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSuppressing Political Speech?

Thomas E. Mann, July 09, 2007, Opportunity 08: What Matters

A recent Supreme Court ruling allows paid ads by unions and corporations to run right up until Election Day. Brookings Thomas Mann argues that the decision gutted a good faith effort by Congress to limit the influence of money in politics. Read More

Campaign Finance, Courts, U.S. Politics, Political Campaigns, Elections

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioRepealing the Limitation on Party Expenditures on Behalf of Candidates in General Elections

Thomas E. Mann, April 18, 2007, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Testimony by Thomas E. Mann, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (4/18/07) Read More

U.S. Politics, Campaign Finance, U.S. Congress, Elections, Governance

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioBipartisan Campaign Reform Act: Success or Failure?

Thomas E. Mann, April 10, 2007, The Campaign Legal Center

Opinion by Thomas E. Mann, The Campaign Legal Center (4/10/07) Read More

U.S. Politics, Campaign Finance, Elections, Politics

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioElectronic Filing of Senate Campaign Finance Reports

Thomas E. Mann, March 14, 2007, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Testimony by Thomas E. Mann, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (3/14/07) Read More

U.S. Congress, U.S. Politics, Campaign Finance, Governance, Elections

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioFinancing the 2006 Midterm Elections

Tuesday, September 12, 2006
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC

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Campaign Finance, U.S. Politics, Elections, Politics

In Brief

Attempts to limit the influence of money on American political campaigns dates back to the 1860s. Recently, Congress passed legislation requiring candidates to disclose sources of campaign contributions and how the money is spent – and regulated the use of "soft-money" contributions. Are the reforms working?

Featured Experts

Thomas E. Mann

Thomas E. Mann

Senior Fellow, Governance Studies
The W. Averell Harriman Chair

A noted congressional scholar, Tom Mann writes and speaks widely on issues related to campaigns; elections; and the effectiveness of Congress. He has conducted polls for congressional candidates and overseen national public opinion studies. Mann recently co-authored The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track.
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Anthony Corrado

Anthony Corrado

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies

An expert on political finance, Anthony Corrado focuses on campaign finance; political party behavior; and campaign and election law.


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Suzanne Maloney studies Iran, the political economy of the Persian Gulf and Middle East energy policy. A former U.S. State Department policy advisor, she has also counseled private companies on Middle East issues.

Policy CenterEngelberg Center for Health Care Reform

The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform provides practical solutions to achieve high-quality, innovative, affordable health care with particular emphasis on identifying opportunities on the national, state and local levels.

ExpertMauricio Cárdenas

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TopicEducation

The economic and political well-being of any democracy requires a well-educated citizenry. Brookings’s work has extended beyond the K-12 bookends to include pre-school interventions and issues in higher education. Experts are tackling fundamental issues on the role of education in the national and global economy.

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ProgramGovernance Studies

Governance Studies explores political institutions of the United States and other democracies to assess how they govern, how their practices compare and how citizens and public servants can advance sound governance.

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