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Tax-Financed Campaigns: A Speech-Chilling, Costly, and Failed Policy
January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

Tax-financed campaigns are government-operated programs that seek to replace or supplement private, voluntary campaign contributions with government grants of taxpayer dollars to candidates who meet certain requirements. These programs, often tagged with euphemistic names such as “democracy dollars” or “clean elections,” take many forms. Some provide tax dollars to candidates based on the donations they’ve received while other programs provide…

IFS Chairman Bradley A. Smith Criticizes “Cynicism” of S. 1 in Opening Statement at Senate Rules Committee Hearing
March 24, 2021   •  By Luke Wachob   •  , , , , , , ,

At a March 24 hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Institute for Free Speech Chairman Bradley A. Smith warned that ...

Testimony of Bradley A. Smith Before the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee on S. 1
March 24, 2021   •  By Brad Smith   •  , , , , , , ,

The Institute for Free Speech writes to express serious concerns about the devastating effect H.R. 1 would have on Americans’ freedom of speech and ...

Democrats’ Election Bill Is a Disaster for Free Speech
March 9, 2021   •  By Ryan Morrison   •  , , , , , ,

The consequence of all this will be less speech. Fewer individuals will give to causes they believe in for fear of receiving threats or ...

“For the People Act” gives politicians more power, curtails speech
March 6, 2021   •  By Brad Smith   •  , , , , , ,

The threats to free speech in the so-called “For the People Act” span hundreds of pages and are too numerous to cover in their ...

Letter to U.S. House of Representatives in Opposition to H.R. 1
March 3, 2021   •  By David Keating   •  , , , , , , ,

The Institute for Free Speech strongly opposes H.R. 1, the Orwellian “For the People Act.” More appropriately known as the “For the Politicians Act,” ...

Letter to U.S. House Administration Committee on H.R. 1’s Harms to Speech and Assembly Rights
February 25, 2021   •  By David Keating   •  , , , , , , ,

The Institute for Free Speech writes to express serious concerns about the devastating effect H.R. 1 would have on Americans’ freedom of speech and ...

Misleading H.R. 1 Poll Manufactures Support for Limiting Speech
January 26, 2021   •  By Luke Wachob   •  , , , , , , ,

A new poll from progressive supporters of H.R. 1 misleads about the bill's impact and ignores the many restrictions the legislation imposes on First ...

H.R. 1 and S. 1 Resource Guide (2021)
January 25, 2021   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , , , , , , ,

H.R. 1 and S. 1 would impose sweeping new restrictions on speech about campaigns and public affairs. The Institute for Free Speech has created ...

Do Campaign Finance Reforms Insulate Incumbents from Competition? New Evidence from State Legislative Elections
July 10, 2020   •  By IFS Staff   •  , ,

Abstract: Variations in state campaign finance regulations across states and over time provide an opportunity to test the effects of reforms on the electoral ...

Taxpayer-financed campaigns could be an expensive mistake for New Yorkers
June 5, 2020   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  , ,

In the midst of a devastating pandemic and plummeting tax revenue, New York’s new budget law gives millions of tax dollars to politicians for ...

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