Bob Bauer offers a grounded and pragmatic new take on how to think about the pros/cons of further deregulating campaign finance to permit more efficient party coordination. I am generally skeptical that bolstering the financial position of party leaders in elections will moderate politics, and still I found myself pausing (even persuaded) by several of his arguments. I encourage everyone–especially skeptics–to read Baur’s own words. But here, in my words, are some of his key points:

A point about principle:

Focusing on the impact of barriers to party coordination with respect to unions ( membership-based civic groups rather than billionaires and megadonors) clarifies how “coordination” rules genuinely burden the right of association: the ability of the party network to act in concert

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