Dear MoveOn member,
The Iraq debate rages on, but leaders in Congress are kicking off another important fight—public financing of our elections. Top Democrats and Republicans just announced a groundbreaking bill to repair our democracy with fairly funded elections.1
Can you imagine if people could be elected to Congress without massive wealth and without begging for campaign cash from big donors? Congress wouldn't owe corporate lobbyists any favors. That's why those very lobbyists will work overtime to kill this exciting reform.
Let's work to make Congress answer to the people. The first step is to gather 200,000 signatures for this petition: "Congress must pass public financing to make our elections fair."
Please click here to add your name to the petition:
pol.moveon.org
After you sign, forward this email to your friends, co-workers, and family to spread the word.
This is our best chance ever to advance the cause of public financing for fair elections. The idea's been proven in numerous states, and with the new Congress, this effort has a real shot.2 It will take hard work, but public financing of elections has become a personal passion for two of the most powerful senators in the country—the number two Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA). This bipartisan effort is unprecedented.
The Fair Elections Now Act would let candidates run on their ideas, not how much money they can raise. Candidates would qualify for public financing by raising small donations from enough voters to show they have real grassroots support. If their opponent opts for private fundraising, publicly financed candidates would receive extra funds to match dollar for dollar.3
The money for the Fair Elections system would be raised by charging a new fee to big media companies. Media companies use the public airwaves to make huge profits from political ads every election season.
Beating back the lobbyists and winning this reform won't happen overnight, but today we begin a crucial fight for fair elections.
Sign this petition to make Congress answer to the people: "Congress must pass public financing to make our elections fair." Clicking here will add your name:
pol.moveon.org
Thank you for all you do.
–Noah, Ilyse, Tom, Jennifer, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, March 22nd, 2007
P.S. If you want to learn more, check out this great op-ed from our friends at Public Campaign:
moveon.org
Sources:
1. "Specter joins Democrats in call for public campaign financing," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 21, 2007
post-gazette.com
2. "Durbin and Specter Take on D.C. Money Culture," Huffington Post, March 20, 2007
moveon.org
3. Senate Fair Elections Now Act, Public Campaign
publicampaign.org |
