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

Research

If at first you don't succeed

By Josh Zaharoff
Posted on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 02:23:27 PM EST

The Washington Post editorial staff yesterday put in their two cents in support of Montgomery County's public financing effort in an editorial entitled, "End the Money Chase."  While we continue to work towards Clean Elections for the state of Maryland, as the editorial notes, the state assembly has thus far failed to pass public financing reform, which leaves three options:

  1. Continue pushing state lawmakers, especially state Senators and Sen. Majority Leader Mike Miller, to heed the will of their constituents and pass voluntary full public financing for the state.
  2. Take it to the local level, like Montgomery County is working to do, in the system described in the Post editorial.
  3. Give up and go home.

We're working simultaneously on options 1 and 2.


Tags: maryland, montgomery county, clean elections, public financing, campaign finance reform (all tags)


Display:

If at first you don't succeed :: 3 Comments

A PAC to take on Election Reform?

Is there anyone who is taking more direct action to promote election reform by donating to candidates who champion reform?

I am growing frustrated seeing the two dozen groups that support reform do little more than lament the poor judgment of our elected representatives and write uncompelling letters to the editors of local papers.

Is anyone interested in forming a PAC to raise money for a non-partisan movement to alert the voters in each congressional district which candidates are committed to be champions of public finance of elections, redistricting reform, open primaries, election security, etc.

I was hoping that someone like Bloomberg or Soros or other rich folks with a conscience who seed such an organization.

Paul Silver
Co-blogger at The Moderate Voice
pjsilver@yahoo.com

by pjsilver on Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 03:25:26 PM EST


Re: A PAC to take on Election Reform

Common Cause has no PAC or 527.  One of our allies, Public Campaign Action Fund, does do electoral work focused on the issue of public financing of campaigns.  One of their current efforts is targeted at Mitch McConnell, for example.

In a couple of states--I know of this happening in North Carolina and Iowa, informally--groups of political donors who are sick of constantly being hit up for contributions are organizing to push state lawmakers to pass full public financing reform, though this doesn't get at your question per se.

One historical example comes from Arnold Hiatt, former CEO of Stride-Rite Shoes and a champion of public financing, who gave $500,000 to the DNC in 1996 to make the point that people like him should not be able to give gifts of that size to influence political parties and campaigns.  I know of no such contribution of that size since then.

by Josh Zaharoff on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 10:01:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]


Thanks

Thanks Josh for responding with useful information.
I am already contributing to the Public Campaign Action Fund.

It would be useful if all of the participating organizations could publish a constantly updated list of which candidates in all elections are champions of election reform.  Each of us could take it from there to write letters to the local papers and use viral marketing to spread the word.

Paul

by pjsilver on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 06:55:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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