The Hill News

A few weeks ago, we were reminded that President Ronald Reagan â€" had he lived â€" would have been 100 years old this year. We all have many, contrasting memories of President Reagan, but one signature phrase many can recall is “trust but verify.” Reagan said this while negotiating with the Soviet Union for increased transparency of our respective nuclear arsenals during the Cold War.

In 2011, nuclear arms races aren’t the only ones that could benefit from greater transparency. Too many American elections turn into a fundraising arms race where each side tries to spend the other into the ground. Like the Cold War â€" where there were proxy battles in Cuba, Vietnam and Korea instead of direct fights between the super powers â€" in elections there are also proxy battles, not between the candidates themselves, but among their ideological and financial supporters.

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