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  

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  

(A first step.  Should be interesting. – promoted by David Dayen)

AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, has a new funding source to pay for full public financing for Secretary of State campaigns – a $350 annual registration fee on lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist employers.  As you might suppose, the lobbyists are up in arms at the idea of having to pay the same fee they pay in Illinois – not to mention losing access to elected officials they can’t donate to because they’re using Clean Money instead of private money – and are coming out to fight it.

Let’s not let them stop Clean Money!  The Senate Appropriations Committee hearing is in room 4203 in the state capitol building on Monday morning at 10:00am, and it’s huge.  We’ve got to pack the hearing room with people power to stop the lobbyists from killing it.  Carpools of Clean Money supporters from all parts of the Bay Area all the way down to Orange County are driving up, but we need even more.

If there’s any chance you can come, please join us!  Send an email to [email protected] to tell us you’re coming or to be hooked up with a carpool.

Can’t make it?  Send a fax!

If you can’t make it, use the California Clean Money Campaign’s online letter-writing tool to send a free fax to Appropriations Chair Tom Torlakson, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata, and other targets.  The more faxes they get this week, the better!

www.CAclean.org/letters

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  

This is an absolutely enormous development.  Clean Money got kind of lost in the shuffle at last weekend’s CDP Convention, but Loni Hancock’s AB 583 has been quietly making its way through the Assembly.  It cleared the Assembly Elections Committee, and yesterday there was a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which was favorable.  And now, the Senate President pro Tem has signed on to be a co-author.  Considering that the CDP wouldn’t take a position on Clean Money just a year ago, this is historic news.  Susan Lerner writes in an email to supporters:

I want you to be among the first to hear the exciting news:  California Senate President pro Tem Don Perata just became a co-author of AB 583, the Clean Money bill!

The President pro Tem joins an ever-growing list of Legislators who are co-authors of AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act.  Clean Money supporters in Senator Perata’s Oakland district and throughout California should be proud because it was your calls, letters, and petitions that convinced him to sign on as a active Clean Money supporter.

over…

As Mark Leno said in yesterday’s Appropriation Committee hearing, “AB 583 is more than just a bill, it’s a movement.”  Two years ago it was stopped in committee.  Last year it cleared the Assembly.  And this year, Perata’s support will go a long way to helping it pass both houses and go on to the governor.  This movement understands that the ability to wage fair and clean elections is vital to sustaining our democracy.  You can join the movement working to clean up our political process here.