Missouri needs publicly financed campaigns

If you have followed the presidential campaigns this year, you know that the major candidates are each raising well over $100 million for their races.  That’s a lot of money that families could better use to cope with rising fuel and food prices.  Too often the influence of money overshadows the opinions of our neighbors and constituents, the people we are elected to represent.  We are stuck in a vicious cycle, where candidates are forced to solicit massive donations in order to remain competitive.  To do otherwise would be to concede defeat and forfeit any chance of changing the system once they are elected.