McCain-Feingold

Definition

The McCain-Feingold Act, officially known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, is a significant piece of legislation aimed at regulating campaign finance in federal elections. It sought to eliminate the influence of soft money and reduce the impact of special interest groups on political campaigns by imposing stricter limits on contributions and expenditures. The act represented a response to concerns about the rising cost of campaigns and the role of money in politics, promoting greater transparency and accountability in electoral funding.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The McCain-Feingold Act banned soft money contributions to national political parties, which previously allowed unlimited donations from individuals and corporations.
2. It imposed stricter limits on individual contributions to candidates, raising the limit but still capping it at $2,000 per election cycle, adjusted for inflation.
3. The law required greater disclosure of campaign finance information, mandating that candidates report their fundraising activities more frequently.
4. The act also addressed issue advocacy ads, requiring organizations that engage in such advertising to disclose their donors if they ran ads within a certain timeframe before an election.
5. While intended to reduce the influence of money in politics, the McCain-Feingold Act faced criticism and legal challenges, leading to subsequent Supreme Court rulings like Citizens United v. FEC that further transformed campaign finance regulations.

Review Questions

• How did the McCain-Feingold Act aim to address the influence of soft money in federal elections?
  • The McCain-Feingold Act aimed to eliminate the influence of soft money by banning its use in contributions to national political parties. Before this legislation, soft money allowed individuals and corporations to donate unlimited amounts for party-building activities without reporting requirements. By restricting these contributions, the act sought to promote a more level playing field in political campaigns and reduce the dominance of special interests.
• Discuss the implications of the increased disclosure requirements introduced by the McCain-Feingold Act on campaign transparency.
  • The McCain-Feingold Act introduced stricter disclosure requirements for campaign financing, mandating that candidates report their contributions and expenditures more frequently. This move aimed to enhance transparency in political funding by allowing voters to see where candidates received their money and how they spent it. Increased disclosure helps hold candidates accountable and informs voters about potential conflicts of interest stemming from large donations from special interest groups.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of the McCain-Feingold Act on campaign finance in light of subsequent Supreme Court decisions.
  • The long-term effects of the McCain-Feingold Act have been significantly altered by subsequent Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United v. FEC. This ruling effectively overturned key provisions of McCain-Feingold by allowing corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts on independent political advertisements. Consequently, while McCain-Feingold sought to limit the influence of money in politics through restrictions and disclosures, these judicial rulings have led to an environment where substantial financial contributions still play a dominant role in elections, raising ongoing concerns about the integrity of democratic processes.

Related terms

Soft Money:

Funds raised by political parties for party-building activities that are not subject to federal contribution limits.

Hard Money:

Contributions that are regulated by law and must be reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), with strict limits on the amounts that individuals or groups can donate.

Federal Election Commission (FEC):

An independent regulatory agency established to enforce federal campaign finance laws, overseeing the administration of election laws, and ensuring transparency in campaign finance.