During the past summer, I interned for the nonprofit political watchdog Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks the flow of money in state elections and advocates for campaign finance reform. As I quickly learned, the cost of running for political office has risen to outrageous heights and is continually bogged down by a stream of special interest money. After my experience with the WDC, I am certainly a proponent of reforming the current system of how campaigns are financed.

The special interest problem is only one of many failings in the election process. We live in a “pay to play” democracy where large donors and special interests are too frequently the deciding factor in elections. Thus, reform of the current campaign financing system is in dire need.

Webendorfer is a sophomore political science major.