What you can do NOW to get the ball rolling in Congress to Clean Up Campaigns! Sign the petition!

[flpoljunkie]

Think about the price we all pay in the lost time members of Congress spend raising money rather than solving the problems facing this country. When Congress could be wrestling with the growing threats to homeownership caused by reckless lenders, they're off courting campaign donations from the banking industry. When Congress could be addressing the serious problem of health care in this country, insurance company lobbyists and pharmaceutical executives are hosting fundraisers for key committee members.

It is an unsustainable system, and one that needs changing as soon as possible.

Text and Link to the petition: http://ga3.org/campaign/fairelectionsnow

I am proud to sign on a citizen co-sponsor of the Fair Elections Now Act introduced in the U.S. Senate and the Clean Money Clean Elections Act introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 20, 2007.

Fair Elections are about voters -- not big campaign donors. Modeled after successful "clean elections" laws in seven states and two cities, this legislation would make it possible for candidates to seek public office without having to court big money special interests for campaign contributions. Once elected, these candidates are accountable only to voters, not big campaign donors.

At a time when money in politics scandals have infiltrated all levels of government, I am encouraged by Members of Congress that are willing to take up the important work of fixing the problems in our campaign finance system.

Now is the time for the Fair Elections Now Act and the Clean Money Clean Elections Act!

Signed by:

http://ga3.org/campaign/fairelectionsnow

Groups backing this proposal represent an unprecedented reform coalition whose members exceed 60 million Americans. And that's good, and necessary, because this is a big change for incumbent members of Congress. A major campaign is in the works, including petition drives to sign up tens of thousands of citizen co-sponsors, public education efforts through letters to the editor, and setting up scores of in-district meetings with members of Congress.

These groups are listed in Senator Durbin's 3/20/07 Statement:

The Fair Elections Now Act is supported by a wide range of organizations, including the Americans for Campaign Reform, Common Cause, Democracy 21, Public Citizen, U.S. PIRG, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Campaign for Americas Future, Communications Workers of America, League of Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, MoveOn.org, NAACP, National Council of Churches USA, SEIU, Sierra Club and US Action.

http://www.durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=270951