Campaign finance is the chokehold in current politics. If we don't try to reform it, we shouldn't flatter ourselves that anything substantial will happen. Obama, with his direct fund raising system, is uniquely positioned to accomplish this. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
New York has a law that provides for 4-1 public financing with strict total limits that are lifted if the opponent chooses not to abide by them. With that kind of matching you have to be willing to put in a hell of a lot of your own cash to seriously outspend a credible oppponent. Not sure if it's NYC or state. On the other hand I'm just cynical enough not to want to lay odds against the SC invalidating that kind of thing on a national level - they could find something, they've got the creativity.
