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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Does Campaign Finance Reform Have a Future?

    By a vote of five to four, the US Supreme Court has taken another swipe at 40-year-old Watergate Era reforms designed to restrain the power of money in politics. An individual donor still can't give more than $2600 to a single candidate in a given election — but the total amount he or she can contribute is now unlimited.

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    By Warren Olney • May 10, 2014 • 1 min read

    By a vote of five to four, the US Supreme Court has taken another swipe at 40-year-old Watergate Era reforms designed to restrain the power of money in politics. An individual donor still can't give more than $2600 to a single candidate in a given election — but the total amount he or she can contribute is now unlimited. The majority says removing some limits on individual donors will strengthen democracy. The dissenters call that a threat to the very integrity of government. Political pros envision more money from mega-rich contributors as soon as this year's campaigns for Congress. Will that mean increased corruption, real or apparent? Will what's left of campaign reform survive the next challenge?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Money and Politics in the Aftermath of McCutcheon v. FEC
    1. 0:00Kerry on US Middle East Policy, 'It's Reality Check Time'
    2. 8:05Does Campaign Finance Reform Have a Future?You’re reading this
    3. 42:52Is College Really Harder to Get Into than It Used to Be?
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Caitlin Shamberg

      KCRW

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Benjamin Gottlieb

      Reporter, Fill-in Host

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Jenny Hamel

      KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      John Dunbar

      Center for Public Integrity

    • KCRW placeholder

      James Bopp

      Bopp Law Firm

    • KCRW placeholder

      Tara Malloy

      Campaign Legal Center

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Money and Politics in the Aftermath of McCutcheon v. FEC
    1. 0:00Kerry on US Middle East Policy, 'It's Reality Check Time'
    2. 8:05Does Campaign Finance Reform Have a Future?You’re reading this
    3. 42:52Is College Really Harder to Get Into than It Used to Be?
    Back to To the Point