Huffington Magazine Issue 72 | Page 49

SARAH L. VOISIN/THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES CRACKING THE CODE tax credit to every American voter to use as a contribution to the political candidate of his or her choosing. By being tied to a large pool of funds, small donors become as valuable as big ones. The bill would also bar participating candidates from accepting contributions larger than $1,000. The push for a campaign finance reform bill comes at a critical moment. The Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision opened the political spending floodgates and ushered in the era of the super PAC. This month, the court heard arguments in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, which HUFFINGTON 10.27.13 “THE NOTION THAT WE’RE SIMPLY GOING TO REGULATE THE BIG MONEY OUT BY ESTABLISHING LIMITS HAS FADED.” challenges the aggregate federal two-year contribution limit for individual donors. Without this limit, big donors would be able to spread their wealth further throughout Congress, gaining more influence in the process. While it may seem quixotic to push for campaign finance reform Public Campaign CEO Nick Nyhart (right) spoke of the need to restore fair elections during a tour of fundraising hotspots in June 2013.