Bill Overview
Title: Ethics Act
Description: This bill requires all political committees to notify the Federal Election Commission of any contribution of $1,000 or more that is received less than 20 days (but more than 48 hours) before an election in which the committee makes a contribution, expenditure, or electioneering communication on behalf of a candidate or political committee of a political party.
Sponsors: Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
Target Audience
Population: People involved or interested in democratic elections in countries similar to the U.S.
Estimated Size: 200000000
- The Ethics Act impacts political committees operating in federal elections, which need to comply with new notification requirements for contributions.
- Given the importance of federal elections in the U.S., regulations affecting transparency and campaign finance indirectly impact all citizens, as voters and participants in the democratic process.
- The direct compliance burden primarily falls on political committees, candidates, political parties, and major donors involved in political campaigning.
- A wider indirect impact might be improved transparency and trust in the democratic process, affecting perceptions of all eligible voters.
- The changes may also influence potential donors' behavior, who are key stakeholders in election funding.
- Media and watchdog organizations interested in electoral transparency will be tracking compliance with these new requirements.
Reasoning
- The Ethics Act affects a narrow but significant segment of the population directly involved with political campaigns, including PACs, political party committees, and candidates.
- The majority of the larger population, while not directly involved, might perceive changes through increased transparency in campaign financing, potentially enhancing trust in electoral processes.
- Media and watchdog organizations may use additional data for reporting, thereby impacting public discussion and perception.
- Complying entities may face moderate administrative efforts to meet new notification requirements, although this may not significantly alter their overall operational costs.
- The policy's success in enhancing democratic transparency could depend on its enforcement and public awareness efforts.
Simulated Interviews
Political Consultant (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could help improve transparency, which is crucial for fair elections.
- There might be some additional work for committees like the ones I work with, but it's manageable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's good for transparency, but I don't see it affecting me directly.
- I hope it leads to more informed voting choices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Teacher (Dallas, TX)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased transparency is always welcome in elections.
- It's important for voters to trust the election process.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Political Activist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step in the right direction for campaign finance reform.
- It's important for holding parties accountable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired Political Donor (Chicago, IL)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The changes might make some donors hesitant, but overall it's beneficial.
- Transparency can improve how donations are perceived.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Journalist (Miami, FL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy can provide journalists like myself with more data to analyze and report on.
- It's a small, yet meaningful piece towards more transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this will be part of a broader campaign finance reform effort.
- Makes me optimistic about future transparency in politics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved transparency might lead to better policy making, but I don't engage deeply with politics.
- I expect some positive changes in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Political Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This change will provide more data which is crucial for analysis.
- Could lead to more informed public debates on campaign finances.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Campaign Manager (Houston, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy increases workloads slightly, but it aligns with our commitment to transparency.
- It will likely affect national campaigns more, but the principles are important.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $4000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $4000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $6000000)
Year 5: $4000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $6000000)
Year 10: $4000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $6000000)
Year 100: $4000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $6000000)
Key Considerations
- The bill primarily incurs costs associated with increased administrative duties for the FEC and political committees.
- Long-term savings could be realized through increased transparency and resulting public trust in the electoral process.
- Tax revenue impact is expected to be negligible but could potentially be affected by broader trust and legitimacy improvements in government.