A new campaign calls for new rules

Barack Obama’s fundraising prowess has been well documented this election season, as has been the large extent to which his funding has come from small donors. The average campaign contribution for Obama is $86, according to the campaign.

Of course, with such an influx of cash – and the obvious disadvantage at which it has put his opponent – there are bound to be accusations of impropriety.

For example, John McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis recently implied there could be either illegal donors, illegal types of donations, or people contributing more than the legal limit.

There’s little proof to either support or deny these accusations, though, mostly because the Obama campaign hasn’t released information on donors who contributed less than $200. In fact, campaigns are not legally obligated to release the identity of these small donors.

According to Slate magazine, it would be possible, and not too hard, to be able to compile a database of donors that could be released. They know this because they did it – not with Obama’s actual donors, obviously, but with an invented list.

The laws that govern campaign finance, like much else in the bureaucracy of government, are outdated.

 Obama’s candidacy has proven that you can fund a presidential campaign with a base of small donors. His system  helped boost him into contention and (depending on what happens Tuesday) possibly into the White House.

McCain’s people and plenty of other critics are right. There is a possibility of impropriety, either by a candidate or by his or her supporters. Because of this, after Congress reconvenes they should seriously consider requiring candidates to disclose all their small donors.

This way, 2012 candidates can go into the race knowing what level of disclosure they must meet and will be able to have more transparent campaigns.

Obama did know the level of disclosure he would have to meet, and he has met that level. There’s no legal reason he should have to disclose any more than he already has. It would be nice if he did, as a show of good faith and as added proof of the unprecedented support he’s gotten.

Honestly, if there’s no funny business, it would only help Obama. If his campaign doesn’t feel safe doing it, that might just be more evidence that in an age of internet fund raising, our campaign finance rules need to be updated.