Why wait for complete public funding of campaigns? Why use the government, why not a charity?

[originalpckelly]

What if people from both sides of the political spectrum came together and created a foundation to publicly fund elections. People would be asked to make contributions to this fund, and they would not be able to pick which candidate gets the money, they would anonymously donate, eliminating all of the problem of private funding.

If a politician wants money from the fund, s/he would have to disclose their funding from all sources.

At the same time a public education campaign would begin, to get people to pressure politicians into this anonymous public funding system.

Is this a good idea? Have I missed some big step or problem?

[Dr.Phool]

1. You missed a big problem.

Politicians who want to be bought, and people and corporations who want to buy them. Look at the current presidential funding system.

Nobody will take the public money, because their opponents will outraise and outspend them by a long shot.

Then there are people even now that don't want their money going to candidates they don't like.

[originalpckelly]

3. Money doesn't work if we don't listen to the ads...

Or the door knockers or phone solicitations.

[Epiphany4z]

2. from what I have read about

some of the ideas floating around...public funds would match whatever the guy running with corporate money was getting...and you do not have start at even the state level..you can work with you local political group to get little town to go with public funding for the local elections...if it ever has a chance my belief is that it will have start that way...at the local level. grass roots