Common Cause - Holding Power ResponsibleCommon Cause - Holding Power Responsible

Topics
Our Issues
Money in Politics
Election Reform
Media and Democracy
Ethics in Government
Government Accountability
Press Center
Research Center
Register to Vote

Sign Up and join the Community - click here

Weekend Open Thread

Chat away.

In case you missed it: earlier this week, a Nebraska radio station reported (download the player here) on a movement to stop the state's Public Service Commissioners from accepting campaign cash from industries they regulate. Otherwise, how are they supposed to rule impartially? And just as important, how can we, the public, know that they're not playing favorites?

Jack Gould of Common Cause Nebraska and explained it in one perfect sentence, followed by the radio host highlighting why this is a legitimate issue.

Jack Gould, CC-Nebraska: The public service commission is there to serve the people of Nebraska, not the utilities.

Fred Knapp, NET Radio News: All five current commissioners have accepted campaign contributions, typically several hundred dollars at a time, from industries they regulate.

One of them, Frank Landis, lists contributions of $500 from the Burlington Northern-Sante Fe, and the Union Pacific, on his campaign finance report.

Landis says asking for contributions is a "judgment call."

Rather than force elected officials to make "judgment calls," how about offering public financing, so that we all know whom they represent when they're in office? Something to think about this long weekend.


Tags: nebraska, public service commission, public financing, clean elections (all tags)


Display:

Linda Chavez and Cesar Chavez

On this very important day when we honor a great American and civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King.  I want to also honor two great Hispanic-American civil rights leaders, the late Cesar Chavez and Linda Chavez. While the work of Cesar Chavez is well known, the work of civil rights leader Linda Chavez is not as commonly known.  

Linda Chavez is head of the Center for Equal Opportunity (www.ceousa.org), which works tirelessly for equal rights for all people. Here are some quotes from her website:

      Bilingual Education

"Multiculturalists have a firm grip on both elementary and secondary schools and the universities. Their ideology of racial and ethnic difference risks balkanizing our multiracial society. Students who don't speak English are locked away in special programs that try to maintain native languages rather than teach English, often without their parents' consent. In many urban schools, African American students are fed a racialist "Afrocentric" curriculum of dubious merit.

CEO seeks to promote educational policies grounded in America's motto: e pluribus unum, "out of many, one."

         Affirmative Action

"Racial preferences are now a well established part of employment, education, and voting rights practices. The federal government runs 19 programs for "disadvantaged" bankers. Even adoption agencies are required to consider race when finding homes for parent-less children.

CEO supports colorblind public policies and seeks to block the expansion of racial preferences and to prevent their use in employment, education, and voting."

 I also want to condemn one of the most racist men in America.  AZ Representative, Raúl Grijalva for spreading hate against non-Hispanics and supporting illegal immigration and anti-Americanism at the tax payers expense. He is the new David Duke.

 

by La Perla on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 01:44:38 AM EST


You are not logged in.

In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.

If not, you can make an account just by filling out the form below. It's quick and free.


contact us | volunteer/intern programs | employment opportunities | site map | privacy policy