Brown University Political Science Professor Darrell West has a new book entitled, Checkbook Democracy: How Money Corrupts Political Campaigns (Northeastern University Press, 2000). In this book, West looks at how politics became such a money chase, why money has become such a pernicious influence on public debate, and what can be done to redeem the corrupted system. Drawing on interviews, memoirs, press coverage, legal depositions, and government documents, West's timely book investigates recent examples of campaign abuses. Included in his probe are such cases as the infamous Willie Horton appeals in the 1988 presidential campaign, the Christian Action Network ads against homosexuals, Asian contributions to the Democrats, tobacco company donations to the Republicans, and President Clinton's 1996 campaign infractions. The numerous case studies expose the manifold loopholes and problems in current campaign finance laws, including soft money contributions, independent expenditures, issue advocacy, foreign contributions, and political activists by non-profit organizations.