At the NYU Democracy Project today, Jonathan Adler’s essay , titled Help Legislators Legislate Again, argues that current campaign finance laws contribute to Congress’ increasing inability to generate legislation:

Federal campaign finance laws require legislators to fill their war chests primarily through small donations. With individual contribution limits capped at $3,300 per candidate per election, representatives must reach exponentially more donors to raise equivalent funds. It is common for members of Congress to spend two to four hours per day soliciting donations—time that could otherwise be devoted to meeting with constituents or colleagues, developing policy expertise, or working on legislation.

Former Senator Alan Simpson captured this problem perfectly: “When we were

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