---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Public control of the political process…"
description: "\"Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy depends upon public financing.\" — Dennis K..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png"
---

#  Public control of the political process requires public…

![“Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy depends upon public financing.” quote by Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png)

> “Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy depends upon public financing.”

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Public financing is essential to protect democracy from private influence and ensure equal political participation.

**In simple terms:** Public money for politics keeps democracy fair.

Key Takeaway

Support public financing for elections.

Themes

democracy political reform campaign finance

Mood

optimistic critical

Type

political advocacy

When to use this quote

- election campaigns
- policy advocacy
- citizen activism
- legislative lobbying

Key Concepts

public goods political equality

Questions to Reflect On

- How would public financing change candidate behavior?
- What obstacles exist to reform?

A Different Perspective

Implementation faces strong opposition from entrenched interests.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[American democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-democracy/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Financing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financing/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Restoration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restoration/)

## Related quotes

> [I believe we have to move, eventually in our country, toward a system of public financing that really works for candidates running for federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-napolitano/i-believe-we-have-to-move-eventually-in-our-country-toward-a-system/)

[Janet Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-napolitano/)

> [One of the things I care about a lot is public financing in elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/one-of-the-things-i-care-about-a-lot-is-public-financing-in-elections/)

[Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/)

> [I've been a strong supporter of public financing my whole career. I'm the first guy to introduce a public financing bill to the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-ve-been-a-strong-supporter-of-public-financing-my-whole-career-i-m/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [It is a public financing system that everybody knows is antiquated. It no longer works. Nobody can become president based on that system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-is-a-public-financing-system-that-everybody-knows-is-antiquated-it/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [I also believe that if we're serious about change, we need to have a real discussion about public financing for congressional elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-also-believe-that-if-we-re-serious-about-change-we-need-to-have-a/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Remember, the first presidential candidate to reject public financing for both the primary and general election was... Barack Obama, in 2008. He did it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/remember-the-first-presidential-candidate-to-reject-public-financing/)

[Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/)

> [The most effective means for restoring the integrity of our electoral process, and repairing the public's tattered faith in its elected representatives, is through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-most-effective-means-for-restoring-the-integrity-of-our-electoral/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [In fact, not only do I support eliminating soft money, but I support full public financing for campaigns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-lee/in-fact-not-only-do-i-support-eliminating-soft-money-but-i-support/)

[Barbara Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-lee/)

> [Public financing would fix campaign donor problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/public-financing-would-fix-campaign-donor-problems/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am an advocate... of public financing for years. That is the one way to get money out of politics. I believe that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dodd/i-am-an-advocate-of-public-financing-for-years-that-is-the-one-way-to/)

[Christopher Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dodd/)

> [The survival of American democracy depends less on the size of its armies than on the capacity of its individual citizens to rely... on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-survival-of-american-democracy-depends-less-on-the-size-of-its/)

[Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/)

> [American democracy depends on the public's ability to remain accurately informed on our state of affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-steyer/american-democracy-depends-on-the-public-s-ability-to-remain/)

[Tom Steyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-steyer/)

> [The advocates of public control cannot do without inflation. They need it in order to finance their policy of reckless spending and of lavishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-advocates-of-public-control-cannot-do-without-inflation-they-need/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [All the mega corporations on the planet make their obscene profits off the labor and suffering of others, with complete disregard for the effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/all-the-mega-corporations-on-the-planet-make-their-obscene-profits-2/)

[Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/)

> [ It \[the internet\] should be publicly controlled but Washington is not a system of public control, it's mainly a system of corporate control. We… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-the-internet-should-be-publicly-controlled-but-washington-is-not-a/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

## More by Dennis Kucinich

> [Genetic engineering is having a serious impact on the food we eat, on the environment, and on farmers. To ensure we can maximize benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/genetic-engineering-is-having-a-serious-impact-on-the-food-we-eat-on/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [The energy of the stars becomes us. We become the energy of the stars. Stardust and spirit unite and we begin: one with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/the-energy-of-the-stars-becomes-us-we-become-the-energy-of-the-stars/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [Citizens across the United States are now uniting in a great cause to establish a Department of Peace, seeking nothing less than the transformation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/citizens-across-the-united-states-are-now-uniting-in-a-great-cause-to/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [The Democratic Party headquarters house elf,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/the-democratic-party-headquarters-house-elf/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [There's an ethical dimension to my life and all of our lives, from the time we get up in the morning to the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/there-s-an-ethical-dimension-to-my-life-and-all-of-our-lives-from-the/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [We have to make education a priority, but all this debate about education and testing is almost beside the point. We only spend a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/we-have-to-make-education-a-priority-but-all-this-debate-about/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [The FDA has received over a million comments from citizens demanding labeling of GMOs. 90 percent of Americans agree. So, why no labeling?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/the-fda-has-received-over-a-million-comments-from-citizens-demanding/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [Crimes against humanity in Gaza: is it really a 'buffer zone' - or a bigger plan? -- It's time to step back and ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/crimes-against-humanity-in-gaza-is-it-really-a-buffer-zone-or-a/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [And my approach has always been to stand up and speak out on behalf of the economic rights of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/and-my-approach-has-always-been-to-stand-up-and-speak-out-on-behalf/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [“ Journalist: Congressman Kucinich, I believe you're the only one here who voted against the PATRIOT act right away after 9/11. Why is that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/journalist-congressman-kucinich-i-believe-you-re-the-only-one-here/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [I think we're in a new era where the advancing tide is towards human unity, where people all around the world want to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/i-think-we-re-in-a-new-era-where-the-advancing-tide-is-towards-human/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [When you consider that a steelworker who's making $40,000 a year has virtually the same tax burden as someone who's making $400,000 a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/when-you-consider-that-a-steelworker-who-s-making-40-000-a-year-has/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [There are many people making a difference. I mean, Dr. King never held an office. Gandhi never held an office. There are people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/there-are-many-people-making-a-difference-i-mean-dr-king-never-held/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [Peace is a condition of the heart. It's a state of mind, of tranquility, of calmness, and of centeredness. It's an understanding of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/peace-is-a-condition-of-the-heart-it-s-a-state-of-mind-of-tranquility/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

> [Oh, my family lived in 21 places before I was 17.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/oh-my-family-lived-in-21-places-before-i-was-17/)

[Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

[Explore all 124 Dennis Kucinich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/)

## More American democracy quotes

> [ Elvis \[Presley\] had a stepstool, if you will, to success because he came from the dominant culture. They identified with him. Michael Jackson had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/elvis-presley-had-a-stepstool-if-you-will-to-success-because-he-came/)

[Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/)

> [That's what separates out American democracy from dictators and horrible governments across the world and the reason why that works is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-chamberlain/that-s-what-separates-out-american-democracy-from-dictators-and/)

Charles R. Chamberlain

> [This will be the day when we shall bring into full realization the dream of American democracy -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/this-will-be-the-day-when-we-shall-bring-into-full-realization-the/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [This has all the appearance of a foreign power trying to undermine structures of legitimacy of an American election. That is a serious matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/this-has-all-the-appearance-of-a-foreign-power-trying-to-undermine/)

[Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/)

> [Men like Abraham Lincoln recognized that if the slaveholders were not stopped, it would only be a question of time until they spread their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/men-like-abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-if-the-slaveholders-were-not/)

[Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/)

> [These communities that are losing local news coverage are losing something deeper. They're losing a connection to American democracy. And those connections must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/these-communities-that-are-losing-local-news-coverage-are-losing/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [“Today you go into make a modern recording with all this technology. The bass plays first, then the drums come in later, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/today-you-go-into-make-a-modern-recording-with-all-this-technology/)

[Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/)

> [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [If everyone on the Court always voted for the prosecution against the defendant, for the corporation against the plaintiffs, and for the government against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/if-everyone-on-the-court-always-voted-for-the-prosecution-against-the/)

[Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/)

> [Political violence has no place in Pennsylvania - the birthplace of American democracy - nor anywhere else across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-shapiro/political-violence-has-no-place-in-pennsylvania-the-birthplace-of/)

[Josh Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-shapiro/)

> [The atomic weapons race and the secrecy surrounding it crushed American democracy. It induced us to conduct government according to lies. It distorted justice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/the-atomic-weapons-race-and-the-secrecy-surrounding-it-crushed/)

[Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/)

> [I have no doubt that there are Russian efforts to disturb the fabric of American democracy, but they're disruption efforts. They're troublemaking efforts. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/i-have-no-doubt-that-there-are-russian-efforts-to-disturb-the-fabric/)

[Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/)

> [“Still, it strikes me that, taken together, they do make an argument, and it is this: the rise of American democracy is bound up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/still-it-strikes-me-that-taken-together-they-do-make-an-argument-and/)

[Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/)

> [Mr Jefferson meant that the American system should be a democracy, and he would rather have let the whole world perish than that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/mr-jefferson-meant-that-the-american-system-should-be-a-democracy-and/)

[Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/)

> [I have no doubt that there are Russian efforts to disturb the fabric of American democracy, but they're disruption efforts. The working theory behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/i-have-no-doubt-that-there-are-russian-efforts-to-disturb-the-fabric-2/)

[Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/)

[Browse all 168 American democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-democracy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy depends upon public financing.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dennis Kucinich"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/public-control-of-the-political-process-requires-public-financing-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "American democracy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/public-control-of-the-political-process-requires-public-financing-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/dennis-kucinich-3675_american-democracy_public-control-of-the-political-process_2055484.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy…” — Dennis Kucinich",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Dennis Kucinich",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Public control of the political process...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/public-control-of-the-political-process-requires-public-financing-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/public-control-of-the-political-process-requires-public-financing-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
