Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[guzbug]

OT: just this one more time.

"Fairer elections are possible
Clean elections, or the public financing of political campaigns, are a proven reform to give voters more control over government, make politicians accountable to constituents rather than campaign contributors, save taxpayers money and level the playing field by giving all citizens a fair shot at getting elected.

In light of pay-to-play scandals that have rocked Congress and statehouses nationwide in recent years, many voters are eager for this kind of significant change. In fact, three out of four voters support a voluntary system of publicly financed campaigns, according to a June 2006 poll by a bipartisan polling firm.

What are Clean Elections?
Clean elections, or the public financing of political campaigns, are a proven reform to give voters more control over government, make politicians accountable to constituents rather than campaign contributors, save taxpayers money and level the playing field by giving all citizens a fair shot at getting elected.

In light of pay-to-play scandals that have rocked Congress and statehouses nationwide in recent years, many voters are eager for this kind of significant change. In fact, three out of four voters support a voluntary system of publicly financed campaigns, according to a June 2006 poll by a bipartisan polling firm.

How Clean Elections work
Under a clean elections system, a candidate raises a threshold sum of small contributions. Once that amount is raised, the candidate gets a grant in exchange for an agreement to raise no more money. In Connecticut, for example, which passed voluntary Clean Elections law in 2005, a state senate candidate would have to raise $15,000 in contributions of $100 or less. That candidate would then receive a $35,000 grant for his or her primary and an additional $85,000 to continue to the general elections. Candidates would be legible for additional matching funds to keep pace with a privately funded candidate who outspends them, or to deal with independent expenditures that target them.

Experience with Clean Elections systems in the states cost in the range of $2 to $6 per voting age resident per year. Taxpayers win because elected officials serve the public’s agenda, not the interests of lobbyists, unions and corporations.

Common Cause and our coalition partners are working hard to enact Clean Elections for Congressional races. We have tripled the support in Congress for this reform in the last year alone. We’re working with Senators Durbin and Specter to pass the Fair Elections Now Act; visit http://www.stopthemoneychase.org to take action and learn more about our federal work.

Which states have Clean Elections?
As usual, the states are way ahead of the federal government on this reform. Seven states and two cities already have voluntary Clean Elections in place: Arizona, Connecticut, Main New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Vermont, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon."