National Convention - Ethics
1. Legislation in the public interest is a good thing.
2. Legislation contrary to the public interest is a bad thing.
3. Most legislators need money from outside sources in order to become or remain legislators.
4. These legislators will tend to vote for measures in the interest of individuals and corporations who make large contributions to their campaigns.
5. Individuals and corporations who make large contributions to legislators’ campaigns often have interests that are contrary to the public interest.
6. Therefore, most legislators will sometimes vote for measures contrary to the public interest. This (by 2) is a bad thing.
7. It is in the public interest to have laws that prevent bad things.
8. Campaign finance reform could prevent this bad thing.
9. Therefore, there is need for campaign finance reform.
10. But campaign finance reform would restrict contributions to legislators’ campaigns.
11. Such restrictions would not be in the individual interests of legislators receiving campaign contributions.
12. Legislators will tend not to vote for measures that are contrary to their individual interests.
13. Therefore (by 3), most legislators will tend not to vote for campaign finance reform.
14. Because of this conflict of interest, there is a need for legislators to disqualify themselves when campaign finance reform is voted on. |
