If we financed their campaigns, they'd work for us, not BP and Goldman Sachs

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.fixcongressfirst.org/pages/pledge?source=kic...

Join the Funders Pledge


Tell politicians that you won't support them if they won't support fair elections.

The Fair Elections Now Act is the only bill that can begin to undo the damage of unrestricted special-interest donations' corrupting our political system.

Take a stand right now — commit that you won't donate to the campaign of any federal candidate who doesn't support cleaning up our elections and passing this vital bill.

By taking this pledge, you're making a statement that ordinary people can stand together against the corporations, unions, and wealthy special interests whose money dominates our politics.

my pledge

First Name :

Last Name :

Email :

Zip Code :

[flpoljunkie]

1. See if your member of Congress supports the Fair Election Now Act

http://thomas.loc.gov

Type 'Fair Elections Now Act' in Search box

There are now 151 cosponsors in the House and 17 in the Senate.

[flpoljunkie]

2. If not now, when? If not us, who? -President Barack Obama

The Republicans will never support public financing. They are true corporate toadies.

President Obama supported and cosponsored bills for public financing of Congressional campaigns when he was in the Senate.

[flpoljunkie]

3. The Fair Elections Now Act would not take effect until January, 2011.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Note: Corporations outspent unions 4:1 in PAC spending, 61:1 on lobbying during 2008 election cycle

Nor will those measures restore any semblance of balance on the political playing field. The Citizens United decision will, in all likelihood, greatly increase the political spending gap between corporations and labor. Corporations may have outspent unions 4:1 in the arena of regulated PAC spending during the 2008 election cycle, but they outspent unions 61:1 on lobbying during the same period – an activity for which corporations could freely tap their profits.
 
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=5609655

(Another reason for public financing of campaigns since unions cannot hope to compete with corporations in either elections or lobbying clout with Congress.)

[flpoljunkie]

4. Rep. Gregory Meeks cosponsored the Fair Elections Now Act 5/25. That makes 152 House cosponsors.

http://thomas.loc.gov

[flpoljunkie]

5. Bernie Sanders, Jon Tester sign on as cosponsors in Senate and Nydia Velazques in the House

(Senator Bernie Sanders is a big proponent of public financing, and although he has said he had some reservations about this particular bill, he signed on as a cosponsor of the Fair Elections Now Act on 5/26 along with Senator Jon Tester and Rep. Nydia Velazquez in the House. There are now 153 cosponsors of the bill in the House and 20 cosponsors in the Senate.)

1. H.R.1826 : To reform the financing of House elections, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Larson, John B. (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (153)
Committees: House Administration; House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 7/30/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Hearings Held.

2. S.752 : A bill to reform the financing of Senate elections, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (20)
Committees: Senate Rules and Administration
Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

http://thomas.loc.gov

[flpoljunkie]

7. Public Campaign: President Obama on Fair Elections

“I also believe that if we’re serious about change, we need to have a real discussion about public financing for congressional elections. Because even if we can stop lobbyists from buying us lunch or taking us out on junkets, they’ll still be able to attend our fundraisers – and that’s access the average American doesn’t have.”

— Barack Obama, August 2, 2007

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gAn6I3-SYo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.publicampaign.org/obama_on_fair_elections