Public Campaign Action Fund - Fair Elections Now Act - Comments

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Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:11:09 +0000

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Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:37:51 +0000

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Special Interest Money is Nothing More Than Bribery

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:47:33 +0000

Members of Congress have managed to create a seemingly lawful system whereby they can legally accept money from lobbyists or other persons who represent special interest groups that are actively involved in trying to influence those same politicians in future votes. The special interest groups that contribute large sums of money to political campaigns want and expect “their politicians” to enact (or help in some way) legislation that favors the group that provided the money. In America today, we are living under a political system that not only allows, but encourages and condones the legalized bribery of members of congress. That is why I believe “America has the best congress that special interest money can buy.” Compare these two examples: 1. If a known drug dealer gives a police officer in a narcotics enforcement unit a $1,000. “Contribution” for the policeman’s ball and says “I hope you consider looking the other way when I’m selling drugs on the corner.” Whether or not the police officer takes any kind of official action that benefits the drug dealer, if he accepts the money, he commits the crime of bribery, right? 2. If a lobbyist or member of a special interest group gives a member of congress a $1,000. “Contribution” for his campaign and says: I hope you consider our position on any upcoming votes that affect us.” Whether or not the congressmen or Senator takes some kind of official action that benefits that person or organization, if he accepts the money, isn’t that still bribery? Neither of these public servants should be taking money from people or organizations to influence their decisions they will make during the course of performing their official duties. Shouldn’t both situations be considered illegal conduct by those involved? Well, not if you are a member of congress. Bribery is defined as “a corrupt activity in which a person offers or receives goods, money, services, etc. to sway a person’s opinion, action, or decision.” Merely accepting the goods, money, services, etc, is a crime. It is immaterial whether or not the person receiving the benefit, does anything. In the case of members of congress, however, receiving money is only considered to be bribery if the briber explicitly says to the politician (the one being bribed): "I'm giving you this money as payment for a yes or no vote on the house floor tomorrow." The reality of political life in America today is that politicians are being bribed every day by special interest groups that want them to legislate in a way that benefits them and not the American people. Americans are bearing the brunt of this horrific situation in ways that affect us all every day of our lives. The current campaign finance laws are built on a legal fiction. The legal fiction is that campaign contributions from special interest groups are considered to be legal and within the law even though they are actually bribes. Money given to members of congress by special interest groups is nothing more than "legalized bribery." Through bundled contributions and PAC giving, industries, labor unions, and other special interest groups pay to persuade lawmakers to vote their way on the issues. No matter how it is said, Special Interest dollars buys votes and it also buys elections. The real scandal in the nation’s capitol is that this everyday bribery remains legal. Candidates who please their special interest money donors through their votes, are usually rewarded with more bribes, I mean more campaign contributions. This legalized bribery system has created a “Privileged Oligarchy” made up of selected members of congress and big donor elites from wealthy special interest groups. This oligarchy is currently governing this country and making decisions that oftentimes are not in the best interests of the American people, but rather in favor of the special interest groups. Our elections should be about what American citizens want, not about what big special interest donors want. I will support any legislation that defines the receipt of special interest money by members of congress as bribery and therefore illegal. I also will support legislation that removes the monetary limits on individual contributions to campaigns, as the US Constitution does not give Congress the authority to set such limits because it limits the citizens’ free speech rights. I support the continuation of legislation requiring the full and immediate disclosure of all contributions to Federal election campaigns. No exceptions or loopholes allowed. Although I do not fully support the concept of government financing of campaigns, the following two pieces of legislation, currently introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives, are a step in the right direction and I would support them as well. They are H.R. 1614 “The Clean Money, Clean Elections Act of 2007” and S.936 “The Fair Elections Now Act.” By: JOHN W. WALLACE Candidate for Congress New York’s 20th Congressional District www.johnwallaceforcongress.com

How Much Longer??

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:29:54 +0000

How much longer will the members of our society be subjected to this type of behavior from public office memebers before some type of action is demanded by the public. I am sick of seeing the headlines "Another Political Scandal". I am young and get very distrought when election time comes around, it is hard to find a viable candidate to vote for, is there no honest loyal people willing to run for office? Sammie www.sammiestanning.com

Clean publicly financed elections

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:19:02 +0000

It's time for California and the rest of the country to catch up to Maine, Connecticut, Arizona, North Carolina (Judges), and New Jersey (test counties). All these states have clean publicly financed elections. It works!

this should have been done a

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:26:17 +0000

this should have been done a loooooong time ago! Pay-to-Play Politics needs to be OUTLAWED,with stiff penalties,up to and including DEATH for violators! this is just messing with the very foundations of Democracy! if a lot of soldiers who fought and died for Democracy could see this mess we,re in today,would they be proud/happy?{i didn,t think so!}

election finance

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:11:41 +0000

I am so very gladdened by news that this issue is coming before congress. I hope that reason can prevail this time. Our continuation as a democracy as anyone today would want it, is dependent on truly free and fair elections, one person one vote. This can not happen as long as the dollar is accepted as speech, as this gives big money power that needs to be held by "The Sovereign Citizen". This really is the same issue that lead to the American Revolution, overlords "King George" considering the people as sources of revenue for himself. Instead of understanding that governing means creating the means for the pursuit of happiness for the people according to their recommendations expressed by their actual votes in free and fair elections. As we find ourselves balanced at this same precipitous what happens now is indeed as momentous as the original writing and signing of our Constitution. If we expect Iraq to form a government for itself posthaste, our leaders need to show the way, and be a proper example, leave the fear of the unknown and do what is right, save democracy and return the sovereignty to each American. If they miss the opportunity, Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson's and others experiment in democratic self governance is over!

Clean Elections

Sat, 19 May 2007 19:23:17 +0000

We the People want our country back that siply put means elected officials that represents us not corporations.

Lobbist "Bundling"

Fri, 18 May 2007 20:10:49 +0000

WOW have you people learned a lot from W. DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO!!!!!!!

Myself and the millions of

Fri, 18 May 2007 20:09:19 +0000

Myself and the millions of voters who are sick of the soft money buying the elections intend to INSIST that clean election reform will NOT BE FORGOTTEN. This is one of the reasons we voted out many of the unethical cretins occupying space in the previous WORSE CONGRESS IN HISTORY. The soft money collected by bundling MUST BE PHASED OUT for true reform to take place.

Save money, Save democracy

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:50:19 +0000

Great information! Maybe the discussion we should really have is about how much it's costing us not to have public funding. The kind of money that's needed to win elections today isn't given without some accountability on the part of the recipient or expectations on the part of the donor. If we want greater accountability from our elected officials, we have to return political influence to voters.

Publically financed

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 23:29:53 +0000

Publically financed campaigns seems fairly impossible when we have appointed presidents, stolen elections, and many more lobbiests in Washington than representatives. All of these interests will lose power if elections become clean and transparent. We will have to fight for every inch of progress in this direction. No one gives up power voluntarily.

Clean Money Clean Elections

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:02:27 +0000

This is the biggest thing on the horizon. It should be generating way more buzz than it is. It will happen sooner or later, hopefully sooner. If people are worried about what it will cost, think about what our crooked system costs us every day now. Robin van Liew, Holden MA