Clean elections are a no-brainer. Everyone wins. But in this world where flaws and disguise have power to influence American principles and dreams, we have become conditioned to look for the catch, so we often don't see at face value what is simple and good. Clear, simple, positive language is needed.

Before the Legislature now is a bill called the "West Virginia Public Campaign Financing Act." Based on successes in many states, it offers a process where taxpayers give an imperceptible amount annually for campaigning, so that less-than-rich people can run more easily for public office. The system is voluntary and candidates who participate agree to spending limits.

Yet, it bothers me that publicly financed campaign reform is called "clean." First, "clean" implies that the present system is dirty, when it sometimes isn't. Second, benefits of publicly financed campaigns are seldom argued, so why set a tone of "them vs. us"?

We don't have to take sides to show we want more diverse candidates on a fairer playing field who don't play the game the way those who paid for their campaigns want them to. With a process so obviously good and rarely protested, we don't need to call names.

We do need to educate West Virginians about the opportunity. I suggest we start with the benefits:

When I learned about West Virginia's bill from Carol Warren, a Webster County leader, I asked, "What can go wrong?"

Clean elections are a no-brainer. Everyone wins. But in this world where flaws and disguise have power to influence American principles and dreams, we have become conditioned to look for the catch, so we often don't see at face value what is simple and good. Clear, simple, positive language is needed.

Before the Legislature now is a bill called the "West Virginia Public Campaign Financing Act." Based on successes in many states, it offers a process where taxpayers give an imperceptible amount annually for campaigning, so that less-than-rich people can run more easily for public office. The system is voluntary and candidates who participate agree to spending limits.

Yet, it bothers me that publicly financed campaign reform is called "clean." First, "clean" implies that the present system is dirty, when it sometimes isn't. Second, benefits of publicly financed campaigns are seldom argued, so why set a tone of "them vs. us"?

We don't have to take sides to show we want more diverse candidates on a fairer playing field who don't play the game the way those who paid for their campaigns want them to. With a process so obviously good and rarely protested, we don't need to call names.

We do need to educate West Virginians about the opportunity. I suggest we start with the benefits:

When I learned about West Virginia's bill from Carol Warren, a Webster County leader, I asked, "What can go wrong?"

"No state has had problems," she answered.

I thought of my friend, Allen Loughry II, who wrote, "Don't Buy Another Vote, I Won't Pay for A Landslide!" and his worry that we West Virginians don't seem to feel we can oppose graft and corruption. I wondered if candidates who could be publicly financed would be too intimidated to run against moneyed candidates. I said to myself, "If something can go wrong, it will, eventually, and too often in West Virginia."

Now, after thinking, I see that West Virginia is in a position of strength. We need to make clear to ourselves and others that we "get it" and that we can pass it on to other states coming along.

Let's coin new names or phrases for ads about publicly financed campaigns. Let's make them so clear and basic, and aesthetically good, that every West Virginian who sees an ad will "get it." Let's trademark our phrase, and let other states know what we've done, with pride and skill at good communications.

Let's start an ad campaign, perhaps a simple survey. People love surveys.

Of course, we must figure out who's going to finance the ad campaign. Don't laugh. To quote Rosie the Riveter, our pinup girl, "We can do it!"

Montague, of Cross Lanes, is executive director of Thanks! Plain and Simple Inc.