It is heartening that the usually dysfunctional Federal Election Commission has now ruled that candidates cannot solicit large-scale donations for the new “Super PACs” intent on raising hundreds of millions for the 2012 elections. For too long the F.E.C. has spent much of its time creating loopholes for party machines and declining to punish even egregious violators.

In this case, however, the commission had to recognize that the law clearly barred candidates from groveling for unlimited Super PAC money. Now comes the hard part: The commission must rigorously enforce the law. Lately, Republican members of the bipartisan panel have repeatedly blocked needed actions.

Thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision allowing unlimited, secretive donations from corporations, unions and special-interest moguls, the new Super PACs are already gearing up to do land-office business for Republican and Democratic candidates. The one antidote recommended by the court — public disclosure of deep-pocket donors — has been blocked by Congressional Republicans.

The F.E.C. ruling will still let candidates solicit Super PAC money up to a donor’s maximum $5,000 contribution allowed under the law. Candidates will also, unfortunately, be free to speak at Super PAC functions. The Super PAC era is such a growing threat to fair elections that it was deservedly satirized by Stephen Colbert, the political comedian, who registered his own PAC and even got F.E.C. approval to tout it on his show. Voters need to be reminded, as often as possible, about the damage done to democracy when special-interest money trumps all else.