In recent years numerous organizations have taken up the issue of campaign finance reform (www.publiccampaign.org, www.democracymatters.org, and www.reclaimdemocracy.org, among others), and I encourage and endorse their work. There has been some success at the state level, where campaign finance reform advocates have managed to implement voluntary Clean Election programs in Maine, Arizona and various municipal jurisdictions. To date, however, there is no immediate prospect of curbing the vast sums of money flowing into Federal general elections.

Because previous legislative efforts to limit spending on Federal election campaigns have run afoul of the First Amendment, my approach is to address the issue at this fundamental (constitutional) level. Framing the issue as a constitutional amendment leaves no doubt as to its constitutionality, and as an amendment it can be presented to the public in the form of a "No" Vote Pledge campaign, a mechanism that could actually bring about the desired change.

I don't represent that the 28th Amendment as currently proposed on this Web site is a perfect solution. I welcome suggestions and modifications, especially from constitutional lawyers and other credentialed experts (I am not an attorney). There may well be other approaches to this issue that merit consideration, and there certainly will be people who contend that this proposed 28th Amendment doesn't go nearly far enough. These are all valid views, and I look forward to improving the current proposal, but my interest in abstract intellectual exercise is limited. I'm far more interested in just getting us out of the system we're in now—no matter how imperfect the landing place.