Take off the caps

In the past few years that Missourians have had limits, set by law, on the contributions they can make to political candidates, creative ways have been found to skirt the law. As documented in a series of reports Friday, Saturday and today, political campaign strategists have found major loopholes in contribution limits. As a result, candidates are able to manipulate millions of dollars in contributions without clearly identifying the sources of those funds in the required campaign reports.

A bill to end this malarky is scheduled to get a committee hearing in the Missouri House this week. With only two weeks left in this year's legislative session, there isn't much time to push through such a bill. But politicians and political strategists across the board agree in principle that limits -- especially limits that can easily be circumvented -- aren't in the best interests of voters, candidates or their financial supporters.

The proposed bill would eliminate the caps on donations but require much more reporting that would tell the public exactly where the money is coming from. Moreover, the reporting would be more timely and more transparent under the proposed changes, especially in the final days before an election when last-minute spending targets wavering voters or raises issues designed to turn out voters likely to vote one way or another.

Campaign spending limits have never made sense, either on the state or federal level. Missouri's bill, of course, would address only state candidates and their campaign donations. The proposed bill is based on the fundamental belief that support, financial or otherwise, for any candidate is protected free speech. The public's interests are best served when it knows who's behind the money -- information that helps voters make critical choices at the ballot box.

This bill deserves serious and speedy consideration in Jefferson City. With bipartisan support, it should be able to move quickly through the legislative process -- provided committee action is deliberate and swift. This bill should be on Gov. Matt Blunt's desk by the time the session ends.