Galbraith Calls for Broad Changes In State Statutes on Political Gifts

John Kenneth Galbraith has proposed that private contributions to political campaigns be sharply curtailed and replaced with public grants.

Galbraith, Paul M. Warburg professor of Economics and former ambassador to India, said the change was necessary to reduce the influence of large contributors.

"Contractors, loan sharks, insurance brokers, job seekers and a variety of multiple-purpose grifters contribute money in the manner of architects in the expectation that if their man is elected he will assist them in practicing their particular art, on behalf of and at the expense of, the people of Massachusetts," Galbraith wrote in the Boston Globe. The article, which ran as a banner story on page one of yesterday's morning edition, had been requested by the newspaper.

"From this outlay," Galbraith continued, "they [the contributors] retrieve enough future income to pay off the investment with a reasonable profit."

Galbraith does not propose the complete elimination of private contributions. Rather he suggests a limit of $25 per person in any one general or primary election. "All such contributions would be paid not to the candidate but to the state auditor, who would in turn redistribute them to the designated candidates .... It will be observed that this arrangement would allow public participation in campaign financing and allow a candidate with a genuinely wide following to benefit therefrom."

Public Grant

To support most campaign expenses, Galbraith urges providing "every regularly nominated candidate with a public grant of sufficient size to enable him to get his name, merit, if any, and platform before the people."

"These would be available to candidates for state-wide office, the General Court and for the Senate and House of Representatives. They would be graded in size in accordance with the importance and regional scope of the office and should be substantial -- perhaps $500,000 for a candidate for the governorship or Senate down to $1000 for a member of the Legislature."

In addition to these changes, Galbraith asks that a limit be established on the candidate's contribution to his own campaign. The limit, should "in no case [exceed] a few hundred dollars and in most cases [be] much less; the candidates should also be required "to keep such current records as would allow for a rapid and full audit of their expenditures. Such an audit might be instituted in instances of alleged or suspected violation or as a general enforcement measure during the course of the campaign."

Violation of Galbraith's proposal would result in "severe penalties." "Conviction," he wrote, "should involved disqualification from public office for the term for which the candidate was elected."