Arizona voters adopted the Clean Elections system of funding elections to increase public participation in government in a number of ways — to increase the number of candidates running for office, to increase the number of citizens involved in campaigns and to increase discussion of the issues.

Last week, Gov. Jan Brewer offered the Legislature a new package of ballot proposals that could be sent to Arizona voters in a special election:

On June 5, the Arizona Capitol Times published a letter entitled “Why Clean Elections needs to end now.” The League of Women Voters of Arizona, which was instrumental in writing and achieving the passage of the Clean Elections law and which remains a major supporter of the system, takes issue with opposition to that law. Clean Elections is neither un-American nor unconstitutional.

In his Arizona Capitol Times commentary (“Why Clean Elections needs to end now,” June 5), Rep. Rick Murphy calls for the end of Clean Elections in Arizona. Rep. Murphy calls Clean Elections “un-American” and notes that he has been opposed to Clean Elections since it was first proposed. His major complaint is that his participating opponents receive matching funds when he outspends them.

Will the Republican Party remain the low-tax, limited-government party of Ronald Reagan? Or will it abandon its limited-government principles and become the "tax collector for the welfare state," following the Democratic Party around to raise taxes to pay for ever-increasing tax-and-spend government.

I have been opposed to the idea of taxpayer-funded campaigns ever since Arizona’s so-called “Clean Elections” plan was first proposed. It is simply un-American that the government decides who gets money for political speech and that the funds come from hardworking taxpayers who may or may not support the views expressed.

Arizona faces huge challenges with the state’s economy and the state budget deficit. That is why Children Action Alliance, the Arizona Education Association, the Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition and Service Employees International Union have joined together with other organizations from across the state to form the Arizona Budget Coalition (ABC).

Traditionally, gun-rights advocates have extolled liberty. But lately in Arizona, the gun lobby has taken a strange and puzzling U-turn.

Economic development can mean many things to many people. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club believes economic development means establishing a state tax structure that is pro-growth, maintaining a regulatory system that is delicate and light and ensuring that the role of government in the economy is limited at most. Then let the market sort out the rest.

There are some things worth fighting for. The law, as mandated by the will of the people of Arizona, is one of them. The principles set forth in the state Constitution are another.