Question

Would you support President Roosevelt’s proposal? Explain.


“The need for collecting large campaign funds would vanish [go away] if Congress provided an appropriation [federal money] for the proper . . . expenses of each of the great national parties, an appropriation ample [large] enough to meet the necessity [the needs of the political parties]. . . . Then [the parties should agree that] no party receiving campaign funds from the [federal] Treasury should accept more than a fixed amount from any individual . . . and  [detailed information about the money taken in and spent] could without difficulty be provided.”

—President Theodore Roosevelt, Annual Message to Congress, December


I know this is like a your own opinion question but im just confused can someone just make it a little bit more simple it sounds like to me that both parties will be receiving the same amount of money

Answer 1

President Roosvelt's proposal, as it is written here, refers to the congress giving a fixed and equivalent amount of money to each of the large parties that are postulated calculated large enough to cover the main needs of the campaign. In addition, the parties can receive a fixed amount of other individuals, as long as they give a detailed report of it. With this second contribution, not necessarily both parties have the same amount, but their campaign budget is reduced proportionally to their voters and does not lend itself to the appearance of incredibly large funds from a single donor that unbalance the campaign or give rise to to suspicions of corruption.