Tag Archives: fair elections

Rep. Lofgren Votes to Drain the Swamp

A few members of California’s congressional delegation played leading roles today in passing the most sweeping reforms in our campaign finance system since the post-Watergate era through the House Administration committee. The bill could head for a full vote in the House as soon as next week, which would give the rest of our delegation a similar chance to show they are hearing voters’ call for change and are getting serious about reform.

Lofgren joined Rep. Susan Davis in passing the Fair Elections Now Act.  Fair Elections would let members of Congress focus on their constituents instead of raising money from lobbyists or other special interests. Candidates would raise donations of $100 or less from their home state, which would be matched on a four-to-one basis from a fair elections fund. The system is funded by the sale of broadcast spectrum and would not cost taxpayers a dime.

 

 

This fairly bold act comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling earlier this year which is unleashing a torrent of campaign cash from corporations who can now spend unlimited amounts of money to support or attack candidates for Congress.  A Fair Elections system would allow candidates to fight back without themselves becoming beholden to special interests.

Bashing politicians has become an easy sport these days, with approval ratings for both congress and our state legislature in the tank.  Voters at both the recent Glenn Beck rally in DC and at MoveOn events around the country are saying strikingly similar things about the crisis of big money in politics and support for Fair Elections. Yet conventional wisdom is that incumbents will never change a system that got them elected, and certainly wouldn't take up any bold reforms in the heat of an elections.Given that, its truly refreshing to see that at least some elected officials seem to be listening, and seem to be ready to make major changes.

Unfortunately, California's Rep. Dan Lungren seems to be happy with things the way they are. Lungren offered an amendment in the committee aimed at ensuring that Fair Elections would not go into effect in any year there's a federal deficit.This ploy ignores the fact that the bill pays for itself, neither adding to the deficit nor adding to taxes, and would have created a perverse future incentive for incumbents to run up a deficit anytime they wanted to gut campaign finance laws. Fortunately, Lofgren, Davis, and four other committee members shot the amendment down.

 

Want to End Giveaways to the Wealthy? Ask the Governor to Sign AB 583!

The current plan to give $700 billion away to Wall Street – the same ones who got us into this mess – is a sign we need Clean Money public financing of campaigns more than ever.  Finance, insurance, and real estate firms have poured over $5 billion in contributions into politicians’ hands since 1990.  They’ve already been paid back by special interest giveaways many times over, and now they’re asking for over $2,000 from every man, woman, and child in the country.

Clean Money is the Only Way to Stop this Madness From Happening Again and Again!

Urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign AB 583, the California Fair Elections Act, to start ending special interest dominance of politics by sending him a fax right now:

www.CAclean.org/letters

By providing for Clean Money for Secretary of State candidates, AB 583 would let California show the rest of the nation that there’s a much better way, not to mention making sure that the elected official responsible for the very integrity of our elections doesn’t have to fundraise.

Once you’ve sent your fax, please make a call to the Governor as well.  It’s quick because AB 583 has already gotten so many calls that they had to make it one of only five bills (out of 875!) that have their own automated response option.

CALL 916-445-2841 NOW!

You’ll get an automated system when you call so won’t need to even talk to anybody. Do the following:

> Press 1 for English

> Press 2 to “Voice your opinion on legislation”

> Press 5 “about AB 583, regarding the Political Reform Act”

> Press 1 “to register your support”

The line may be busy at first because so many people are calling.  Keep trying until you get through – you should after a few tries.

The Governor said it best:  Special interests have a stranglehold on Sacramento.  Here’s how it works.  Money comes in.  Favors go out.  The people lose..

Remind the Governor of his chance to change that by sending the fax and making the call:

www.CAclean.org/letters

California Clean Money Campaign

www.CAclean.org  

Clean Money, Fair Elections Vote as Close as Can Be – Write and Call!

AB 583, the California Fair Elections Act, is likely to have its floor vote in the State Senate today and definitely by Sunday – two steps from the Governor’s desk!  But the vote is going to be a nail-biter.

Lobbyists and the California Chamber of Commerce are trying to kill the bill because it partially pays for the system by raising registration fees on lobbyists to the same level as they are in Illinois ($350 a year), though they’re really worried about not having as much access to elected officials because the $143 million they spend every six months lobbying won’t mean as much if candidates can get elected with public funds.

Let’s not let them stop Fair Elections!  Please send a free fax to your State Senator and to Senate leaders asking them to vote yes on the bill.  Over a thousand people have faxed already, but the more faxes they get today, the better:

www.CAclean.org/letters

Then call up your Senator and ask them to vote Yes!  The fax tool will show you’re their number.

This is the closest a Clean Money bill has ever made it to getting through both houses of the legislature in California, and AB 583 makes the perfect pilot project by funding Secretary of State races to make sure they never have to take money from the likes of Diebold or other private contributors.  So let’s make it happen!

California Clean Money Campaign

www.CAclean.org  

Keep it on the radar: Public financing for Congress

Where does Dianne Feinstein stand on “clean elections”?  We’ll soon find out.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate’s Rules and Administration committee—chaired by Sen. Feinstein–will hold a hearing on a “Clean Elections” bill for the first time in over a decade.  And this bill has some heft behind it: the sponsors of the Fair Elections Now Act (S.1285) are Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), no slouches. 

But one big question is whether Sen. Feinstein will use her leadership to lend support to this bill, and ultimately to help shepherd it through the Senate.  She’s been relatively mum so far—but here’s hoping she gets behind Fair Elections Now.

This bill creates a voluntary system of public campaign financing for congressional candidates. Instead of having to raise money from special interest groups, wealthy donors and big business, candidates who qualify under this system could opt to be publicly financed, freed from the constraints of constant fundraising and soliciting. Think about it: Candidates could trade in $2,000 a plate dinners and the unwritten quid pro quos from lobbyists for spending time with average voters and focusing on constituents, not contributions.

As chairwoman of the Rules and Administration committee, Senator Feinstein is in a unique position to support this important legislation. As a Senator who has worked hard to change the corrupting influence of million-dollar politics, we should be able to count on Feinstein to help support this historic legislation

Plus, she’s from California, a place that has seen its share of top-dollar, special-interest-driven campaigns—not to mention its share of corrupt elected officials, such as recent standouts John Doolittle and Duke Cunningham.

If you’re wondering what you can do to help, well, the best way is by calling the Senator’s office in D.C. at (202) 224-3841 and telling her that the Fair Elections Now Act is a terrific bill and an important reform and you urge her to support it.  If you’re afraid of the telephone, you can always opt for a petition: www.stopthemoneychase.org/feinstein.