Election Day 2012 looks like it is going to be Groundhog Day 2012. Another election dominated by money. Another series of promises made on the campaign trail, broken as soon as donors and lobbyists come calling when legislatures convene.

For the public and most lawmakers, the problem is clear. Our present system has long rewarded politicians who rely on deep-pocketed supporters to provide massive amounts of cash to pay for increasingly costly campaigns. A string of recent Supreme Court decisions has exacerbated the problem, allowing corporations nearly free rein to attack candidates who present a threat to their bottom line, pushing officeholders to seek even more money. This adds to the pervasive sentiment that our elected officials’ primary function is to raise money. Large numbers of voters have disengaged from a system in which they don’t seem to matter. With no end in sight and increasing frustration driven by a stagnant economy, American democracy is in peril.

The good news is that we know how to solve what appears to be an insurmountable problem: Pass legislation that pushes candidates to rely on the 99 percent for their campaign dollars instead of on the moneyed elite. This principle has been put into practice in places like Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, and North Carolina, where candidates who give up big donations run entirely on a combination of small contributions and public funds. Such campaigns require lawmakers to depend on a broad base of constituents for funding and align election financing with the core democratic values of equality, accountability, and representation. To protect this relationship from a runaway Supreme Court, a constitutional amendment that would authorize Congress to regulate outside political expenditures is also likely required.