Panelists participated in a forum discussion of the politics of campaign finance laws. They addressed the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, as well as its predecessors. They talked about how campaign finance laws shaped the 2004 election. They talked about President Bush and Senator Kerry’s decision to opt out of the federal system that provides matching funds and caps donations. They talked about obstacles to further reform, as well as the potential impact of proposed reforms to the existing system. The panelists also spoke about the growth of “527” groups and the impact of “soft money” on the recent election. Following their remarks, the panelists responded to questions from members of the audience.