March
20, 2007 -Clean Elections proposals were introduced in the
U.S. Senate and the Congress. We need to work for their
passage!
On
March 20th, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D-IL),
alongside sponsor Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced the
bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act (S.1285). Modeled
on the successful systems in Maine, Arizona, and North Carolina,
the bill will provide full public financing for qualified congressional
candidates.
In
the U.S. House, Representatives John Tierney (D-MA) and Raul Grijalva
(D-AZ), have introduced companion legislation, the Clean Money
Clean Elections Act (HR 3641).
Already
working in 7 states and 2 cities, Clean Elections helps keep
politicians working for the voters and not for the special interests
and their lobbyists by providing public campaign funding to
qualified candidates that agree to forgo private contributions
and follow strict spending limits.
And -
urge your Congressional representative to co-sponsor and support
these bills.
In
the U.S. Senate, the Fair Elections Now Act would make a total
of $2.8 billion available every election for candidates who demonstrate
a basic level of support by raising "seed money" but
then agree to limit their campaign spending to the amount allocated
from public funds. Seed money contributions, solely for
campaign start-up costs, would be limited to contributions of
no more than $100. It would bring a proven system of campaign
finance reform to the federal level, freeing politicians from
the burdens of constant fundraising and helping to restore the
people's faith in our elected officials.
It's
time to bring back the power of citizens to elect representatives
not bought and paid for by special interest lobbyists and big-money
donors.
Nick
Nyhart, Executive Director of Public
Campaign, writes:
This
represents an historic opportunity for every elected official
in Congress to say "no" to the politics of big checks
and the endless money chase and "yes" to putting voters
first.
These
measures would turn the big money culture of Washington upside
down.
Under the Fair Elections Now Act, candidates will depend on ordinary
voters in their districts to run a competitive campaign for office.
The price for a ticket to a fundraiser is five dollars. Bring
a crowd of your neighbors to a backyard barbeque, and you'll likely
draw a candidate for Congress.
That
stands in sharp contrast to the scores of political fundraising
parties
in Washington, D.C. this week, where high dollar lobbyists and their
clients will snack on fancy hors d'oeuvres and chomp down access
to America's lawmakers. The Fair Elections Now Act offers a clear
alternative to the unlimited spending and open-ended fundraising
chase that has become the essence of our country's politics.
The
policy proposal is modeled on public financing systems in place
in seven states and two cities. Last November, more than 200
officials were elected in Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina who
ran under public financing systems, often called "Clean Elections."
The
basic idea is simple.
Candidates who collect a large number of small contributions can
qualify for public financing of their campaigns. In return,
they agree to strict spending limits and halt their private fundraising.
Candidates facing an unusually high-spending opponent and those
attacked by independent expenditures can receive additional public
"fair fight" funds. Similar laws are also in place
for all or some offices in Connecticut, New Jersey, New Mexico,
Vermont, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon.
Does
the Fair Elections Now Act have a chance at becoming law?
Absolutely, though the battle to change the D.C. power structure's
dependence on big money contributions won't be an easy one. But
it's not simply the campaign reform community's fight. Washington
politicians know the current system isn't sustainable and a number
of the country's leading issue and constituency groups, from the
Sierra Club to the NAACP to the AFL-CIO are solidly behind the Fair
Elections Now Act.
More
than that, the voters are dead tired of pay-to-play politics.
They sent a message last November, but until the announcement today,
our elected leaders have not moved to confront head on the issue
of endless campaign fundraising. With new corruption scandals
breaking almost on a routine basis, there will be no let up in the
pressure to give voters greater control over the political system
- something else our lawmakers can take to the bank.
WASHINGTON
LEGISLATORS IN U.S. CONGRESS
U.S. House of Representatives
1st
District, Jay Inslee (D) 1-800-422-5521
Shoreline office: 206—361-0233
2nd
District, Rick Larson (D) 202—225-2605
Everett office: 425—252-3188
3rd
District, Brian Baird (D) 202-225-3536
Vancouver office: 360-695-6292
4th
District, Doc Hastings (R) 202-225-5816
Pasco office: 509-543-9396
5th
District, Cathy McMorris (R) 202-225-2006
Spokane office: 509-353-2374
6th
District, Norm Dicks (D) 800-947-6676
Tacoma office: 253-593-6536
7th
District, Jim McDermott (D) 202-225-3106
Seattle office: 206-553-7170
8th
District, Dave Reichert (R) 202-225-7761
Mercer Island office: 206-275-3438
9th
District, Adam Smith (D) 202-225-8901
Tacoma office: 253-896-3775
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