Editorial: Our society has a vested interest in maintaining a political system in which candidates are free to adhere to their principles  Yet campaigning for elected office is extremely costly, and because only the wealthiest individuals are able to finance their own political campaigns, most candidates must seek funding from private sources  In so doing, the candidates are almost invariably obliged to compromise their principles
Thus, government itself should assume the cost of candidates' campaigns
The government should finance a given activity if doing so will further a vested interest of society.