Q: Are Super PACs threatening democracy?
A: There’s no question they are. They should be illegal. Citizens United was a ludicrous ruling by the Supreme Court. The only way to deal with it is by a constitutional amendment limiting the amount of money that can be spent on political campaigns.
Q: You say we need public financing of political races. Why?
A: For roughly $3 billion a year out of a $3.5 trillion budget we could take all the special interests out of the legislative process. It would then be influenced more by argument and facts than by dollars. Money is a corrupting influence.
Q: Your view of the presidential campaign so far?
A: The GOP primaries were mean and petty, a blamefest with far too little focus on America’s future. President Obama and Mitt Romney, if he’s the GOP candidate, have to lay out what they would do to fix this country for the future.
Q: Do you feel the president should win reelection?
A: I do and I think [President Obama] is uniquely qualified to lead the country for a second term, but he’s got to lay out the specifics. I think he’s starting to do that now, with his focus on education and infrastructure, among other things.
Q: Why is now the time to tax energy inefficiency?
A: We need more jobs, but we have a great disincentive for hiring in the way we tax work and employers. Let’s have a tax on pollution, on energy inefficiency. We should tax things, not people, not employers.