July 26, 2007 at 12:38:30

Tell Congress: Support the Fair Elections Now Act

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By Nick Nyhart (about the author)

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For OpEdNews: Nick Nyhart - Writer

Dear friend,

Fair Elections Now!

Elections should be about voters and volunteers, not donors and dollars.

The recent Presidential fundraising headlines speak for themselves. Candidates are crisscrossing the nation scooping up thousand dollar contributions hoping to meet the $100 million dollar entrance fee for the 2008 elections. In the first six months of this year, the candidates have raised $277 million—more than doubling the record setting pace the 2004 candidates set. Instead of focusing on us and how they can make our lives and America better, campaigns spend almost all of their time trying to figure out how they’re going to hit the $100 million benchmark.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In the seven states and two cities that have enacted Clean Elections reform, politics as usual is now about door knocking and house parties. The big money political game is almost non-existent where Clean Elections is in effect.

Help us bring Clean Elections to the rest of the country. Click here to become a citizen co-sponsor.

Under Clean Elections, candidates qualify for a public grant by collecting a set number of small contributions—usually $5. Once qualified, politicians forgo all private fundraising and must adhere to strict spending limits.

It’s worked so well around the country it’s become a model for federal races. This spring, with Congressional campaign fundraising also shattering past records, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced the bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act (FENA). It will provide full public financing for qualified congressional candidates. Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

Become a Citizen Cosponsor and let your elected officials know you want elections to be about all voters instead of big money special interests.

It’s going to take an army of citizens to take on the big money interests who pull the strings in our nation’s capitol. In fact, it will probably come as no surprise that the big broadcasters have already sent out word that this legislation means less advertising –and less profit –for them and they’re lobbying behind the scenes against us.