National Civic Review 90:2

Contents

NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Christopher T. Gates

ARTICLES

Citizen Democracy
Dorothy Ridings

This essay by the new chair of the board of directors of the National Civic League finds a common thread among proposed political reforms: the need to connect the capital-P politics of campaigns and elections with the small-p politics of volunteerism and community involvement. Dorothy Ridings is also the president and CEO of the Council on Foundations.

Federal Campaign Finance Reform: The Long and Winding Road
Scott Harshbarger, Edwin Davis

Senate passage of the McCain-Feingold bill may herald the culmina-tion of a reform effort begun more than fifteen years ago. An inside look at the process by the president and the national director of Common Cause recaps the ups and downs of this long effort.

Localism and Reform: The Benefits of Political Diversity
Carl Castillo, Mike McGrath

Campaign finance reform efforts have been more successful at the state and local levels than they have been nationally. This discussion of reform measures around the country by researchers with the New Politics Program of the National Civic League emphasizes the importance of local political movements for the continued evolution of our democracy.

New York City's Campaign Finance System: Why Is the Best Hope for Reform Being Ignored?
Mark Schmitt

Partial public financing is the undiscovered country of campaign finance reform. If it makes it in New York, can it make it anywhere?

Free Airtime: Another Means for Cleaning Up Campaigns
Matt Farrey

The impact of limiting the supply of political money (campaign finance reform) can be enhanced by reducing the demand for dollars. The associate director of the Alliance for Better Campaigns explains a novel proposal to create a Broadcast Bank, funded by a spectrum usage fee charged to television stations, to underwrite the cost of political advertising for qualified candidates.

So You Want to Run for President? Ha! Barriers to Third-Party Entry
Ralph Nader, Theresa Amato

Third parties might not draw much of a crowd, but it seems they're still too much for the two-party system. The Green Party presidential candidate and his campaign manager recount the obstacles to third-party participation and make the case for procedural fairness in the name of some familiar American values, including competition.

Who Should Elect the President? The Case Against the Electoral College
Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins

Fallout from Election 2000 might be the key to success for the Harold Stassen of reform issues. The president of the League of Women Voters seeks to revoke the charter of the nation's most peculiar college.

Renewed Momentum for Voting System Reform
Rob Richie, Steven Hill

Instant runoff voting and proportional representation gain interest and support as the major political parties consider for whom the spoiler turns, and voters decide that the lesser of two evils is not enough of a choice.

Voting Reforms After Florida
Caleb Kleppner

When in doubt, form a commission. Florida's embarrassment of electoral follies sparked a prairie fire of studies. The director of the Center for Voting and Democracy's Majority Vote Project lists the players and offers a guide for where to find them.

What Does It Mean to Be a Good Citizen?
Charles Bens

Everybody has an answer. Check yours against a citizenship index that goes beyond traditional criteria to add a new dimension to the concept.

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

At a Crossroad
Gregory Maher

Community development corporations are the workhorses of the community development movement. This article details implications of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 for renewing divested areas.