This morning, as I donated to several Democratic candidates (Udall, Nunn, and Braley to name a few), I was disappointed to see the following requirement when I prepared to contribute:
"I am at least eighteen years old."
This is NOT a requirement to contribute to a federal campaign.
The original McCain-Feingold finance law prohibited anyone under 18 from contributing to a campaign. Fortunately, the Supreme Court struck down that aspect of the bill.
The Federal Election Commission has since enacted a simple and fair rule regarding campaign contributions by minors:
_________________
An individual who is under 18 years old may make
contributions to candidates and political commit-
tees, subject to the limit of $2,500 per election, if:
1. The decision to contribute is made knowingly
and voluntarily by the minor;
2. The funds, goods or services contributed
are owned or controlled by the minor,
proceeds from a trust for which he or she
is a beneficiary or funds withdrawn by the
minor from a financial account opened
and maintained in his or her name; and
3. The contribution is not made using funds
given to the minor as a gift for the purpose
of making the contribution, and is not in any
way controlled by another individual. 110.19.
_________________
Unfortunately, Act Blue has chosen to ignore this rule and adopt the most restrictive approach possible: prohibiting those under 18 from contributing to a campaign.
While other campaigns have set a lower minimum age (usually sixteen), Act Blue's approach denies high school aged students who may actually have their own job and wish to contribute to the campaign of their choice from doing so.
That's not very progressive.
Sixteen year olds in Austria, Brazil and Argentina (among other countries) can vote in national elections. Scotland trusted 16 year olds to vote in its independence referendum. Yet, Act Blue won't even trust sixteen year olds to make a campaign contribution.
So they can't vote and they can't contribute. But they can volunteer! True, but teens who are juggling school and a part time job may not have the time needed to volunteer on a campaign. Why shouldn't they have the right to give their hard earned money instead?