Online petition would be first step to support public campaign financing

[flpoljunkie]

John Kerry's website, johnkerry.com, could give the American people a way to show their support for Kerry's reintroduction of S.918, The Clean Money, Clean Elections Act, by signing up to co-sponsor this bill--similar to the "Kidsfirst" healthcare campaign linked below.

Without public financing, we will remain a government of, by and for the special interests--not the people.

The time is ripe to harness the power of the "internets" for the public good and "take our country back."

http://www.johnkerry.com/features/kidsfirst.html

[karynnj]

1. Has Kerry said he is re-introducing it

I think it would be a great idea. Even though other Democrats are talking about the same thing - linking it to the long term efforts of people like Wellstone and Kerry would make it clear that this was a consistent long term goal that Kerry (and probably others) have espoused for their entire careers not a knee jerk reaction to the public demand for reform.

[mom cat]

2. We will see if he reintroduces it.

:popcorn:

[flpoljunkie]

3. Rep Barney Frank, D-MA, is co-sponsor of David Obey's H.R.4694.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR04694:@@@P

Can find no equivalent Senate bill on public financing of campaigns. The Senate will be debating lobbying reform today, altho interestingly, they do not mention this on the Senate website: http://www.senate.gov As long as lobbyists can not only serve as fundraisers, let alone as campaign treasurers for members of Congress, there can be no really meaningful lobbying reform--disclosure is not enough to clean up our corrupt system.

H.R.4694

Title: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for expenditure limitations and public financing for House of Representatives general elections, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Obey, David R. (introduced 2/1/2006) Cosponsors (7)
Latest Major Action: 2/1/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

COSPONSORS(7), ALPHABETICAL

Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. - 2/1/2006
Rep Filner, Bob - 2/1/2006
Rep Frank, Barney - 2/1/2006
Rep Israel, Steve - 2/1/2006
Rep McGovern, James P. - 2/1/2006
Rep Ryan, Tim - 2/1/2006
Rep Waxman, Henry A. - 2/1/2006

[flpoljunkie]

4. Senate now debating lobby reform. Trent Lott speaking now on disclosure.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Sen. Dodd is recommending that public financing of campaigns be separated

from the lobbying reform bill, and brought up independently, so as not to lard up up the lobby reform bill and kill the chances for its passage.