The Voters "Should Insist"--So Says the New York Times

February 25, 2008

Editorial

Money and the People’s Choices

  A mind-boggling amount of money has already been spent on this year’s presidential election, and we haven’t even gotten to the conventions. The raising and doling out of lavish sums has been dispiriting to watch, a muddle of incompetence, avarice and special pleading, only vaguely restrained by the nation’s campaign finance laws. We sincerely hope that things improve before the general election onslaught. Given this spectacle, it is discouraging to think that this year’s presidential candidates are vying to take control over the national purse strings. Most worrisome may be the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, which heaped $5 million on consultants last month. The campaign splurged on luxury hotel rooms and spent nearly $100,000 for pre-Iowa-caucus party platters. Then there’s Senator John McCain’s quasi-farcical attempt to reverse his commitment to public financing for the primary season. Mr. McCain had grasped at …