The Denver Post dips its toes in public financing waters with this cautious editorial advocating better disclosure of how campaigns are funded. Their hesitance to endorse public financing for national or Colorado elections outright certainly stems from their assumption that it would follow the model of the current presidential public financing system.

The Post argues that the decline of the presidential system is a strike against public financing, but actually a Clean Elections model would address their concerns (namely it's unpopular and not competitive). A Clean Elections style system gets approval from nearly three-quarters of voters in polling, and as laid out in the Fair Elections Now Act in the Senate calculates funding for candidates based on previous election costs in their districts, with "fair fight fund" provisions should they be outspent by opponents. The Post should look at this model before they dismiss public financing as a viable, and quite possible reform.