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Political Spending: Civic Engagement is Not a Threat to Democracy
January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

The First Amendment guarantees every American freedom of speech. That freedom includes the right to spend money on speech. Without money, a political group cannot buy ads, print fliers, organize protests, or hire staff. Short of shouting one’s opinions on a street corner, it takes money to spread a message. Recognizing this relationship, the Supreme Court has long prohibited the…

Outside Spending and Incumbency in Indiana

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May 9, 2012   •  By Jason Farrell   •  

Fox News reported that Senator Dick Lugar R-IN, lost his renomination bid after 35 years in office. Lugar is expected to be one of ...

Does Less Income Mean Less Representation?
May 1, 2012   •  By Matt Nese   •  , ,

Do politicians better represent the interests of their higher income constituents? Perhaps because of the increasing costs of campaigns, or the greater participation of high ...

The (Non-)Effects of Campaign Finance Spending Bans on Macro Political Outcomes: Evidence From the States
February 20, 2012   •  By Matt Nese   •  , ,

This paper seeks to understand the effect of campaign finance laws on electoral and policy outcomes. Spurred by the recent Supreme Court decision, Citizens United ...

Campaign Spending, Diminishing Marginal Returns, and Campaign Finance Restrictions in Judicial Elections

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October 1, 2011   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , ,

Abstract: For years, scholars of elections have argued about whether campaign finance limitations adversely affect electoral competition. In this article, we examine how the ...

Challenging the presumptions of America’s Fiscal Crisis: Follow the Money

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September 28, 2011   •  By Jason Farrell   •  ,

Americans for Campaign Reform, a reform advocacy group chaired by former US Senators Bill Bradley, Bob Kerrey, Warren Rudman and Alan Simpson (of the ...

The Myth of the Level Playing Field: Knowledge, Affect, and Repitition in Public Debate
March 1, 2010   •  By IFS staff   •  ,

Justice Holmes famously asserted that “the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the ...

Campaign Fund-raising and Spending for Deterrence and Savings
April 1, 2009   •  By IFS staff   •  , ,

I present a model of fund-raising in repeated elections where funds are raised to deter the entry of strong challengers, and to increase the probability ...

Does Money Buy Elections? The Impact of Spending on U.S. Congressional Campaigns
January 1, 2008   •  By IFS staff   •  , ,

For many Americans, money is one of the most troubling aspects in modern election campaigns. The reasons voters give are simple: money is seen as a barrier ...

Campaign Finance Red Tape: Strangling Free Speech & Political Debate
October 1, 2007   •  By IFS staff   •  , , ,

Twenty-four states permit citizens to make laws directly through ballot measures. These states also regulate how citizens—if they band together—may speak out about them. In the name ...

Does Money Buy Power? Interest Group Resources and Policy Outcomes

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April 12, 2007   •  By IFS Staff   •  , ,

Abstract: Popular accounts of interest group influence in the policy process often focus on organizational budgets and campaign contributions, asserting that these resources lead ...

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