WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011 -- The Supreme Court has struck down a provision of a campaign financing system in Arizona that gives extra cash to publicly funded candidates who face privately funded rivals and independent groups. The 5-4 ruling Monday is the latest in a series of decisions by the court's conservative majority upending campaign finance laws
CSM: from March, 2011: The case, Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett, examines an Arizona law that provides public funding for political candidates. At issue is the provision providing matching funds to publicly-funded candidates.........In 2008, the justices voted 5-to-4 to invalidate the so-called Millionaire’s Amendment, a federal law designed to level the playing field between congressional candidates using their personal wealth to fund their campaigns and those abiding by campaign contribution limits. The law raised the federal contribution limits for candidates facing wealthy opponents.....
On the other hand, with the politicians we have in Arizona, public financing has had zero notable effect on retiring some of the worst politicians in the nation (Russell Pearce, McCain, Kyl). There are some things money can't buy, like voters who are informed about issues, and who demand the truth, real solutions to major problems, and accountability from government.