Empowering small donors and voters

Fair Elections

Public Financing-Buy Back this Country!

Folks,
    We can buy back this nation for $10 apiece!!!
Here's the math:
There are 137 million taxpayers in this nation -individuals- not businesses or corporations.
137,000,000 times $10 = One Billion, 370 million dollars ($1,370,000,000)
Multiply by 4 years and you get ...
Five Billion, 480 million dollars ($5,480,000,000) ... and that's not even counting interest.
*****************  
We could have voter-owned elections for $10 bucks a year!
Arizona does it, Maine does it - Portland, OR and Albuquerque do it.  In fact, the only 2 states who have successfully fought off the pharmaceutical companies when the state wanted to pass some restrictions on drug companies are AZ and Maine!!  
Almost 80% of their state legislators ran on the Clean Election laws. 80% did not take any money from lobbyists, fat cats, corporations, and PACs.  80% did not owe anything to the power brokers.

It means ordinary people get to run for office... We don't have to be rich or beg for money.  We simply have to get enough signatures of registered voters on a petition saying they want this person to run for office.  That is proof that you are a viable candidate and people want a chance to vote for you.

What's not to like?

Mary Francis

Fair Elections

My message to President-elect Obama:

Elections should not be bought by special interests.  Fair elections are essential if we really call ourselves a democracy.  Please reform the election funding so that special interests cannot determine which candidates can get their messages out.  Pass a fair elections policy before another national election takes place.  I realize you got a lot of funds from donations, many of whom were small donors.  This does not change the need for making elections fully fair.

Fair Elections Act

My vision for the country is to resolve the economy problem.  We have been borrowing two billion dollars per day from China for the past thirty years.  Voters are concerned about this fact.  

Elections are being funded by special interest groups which represent a small percentage of voters.  We shouldn't be concerned with having to represent less than one percent of the American people.  We should be concerned with making America a strong and prosperous nation as it once was.  The Fair Elections Now Act would change the way our country is paying for elections and whose voices are getting heard in our Nation's Capitol.  This bill is important and should be considered a high priority.

Leaders need to look at the way our financial institutions are run and make regulations that benefit consumers instead of a small group of investors.  Finances need to be allocated more equally so the distribution of equity is pliable to the economy.

Our country can't have foreigners invading our territory and reaping benefits and resources that they aren't entitled to while eliminating lucrative employment and housing for the people who legally reside here.  
We shouldn't have to push the number one on our telephones to speak our the language of our land.  Then when you finally get through to someone, they don't speak fluent english anyway!  Talk about gridlock.

Crime needs to be looked at more closely.  We live in a society where gangs and drug dealers are manipulating our lives.  Fear and intimidation is controlling our people.  I hear about it everywhere I go.  They are too scared to come forward.  They live in fear of being sought after by the perpetrator because the system can't rehabilitate them or keep them locked up or they have people to do their dirty work for them.

Healthcare needs to be addressed.  Stem cell research provided us with information to help us improve the system.  We need research to provide us with the answers to curing ailments.  Many people can't afford the costs of care perscriptions and aren't getting the proper care or medication.   Maybe a sliding scale system would be better than fixed pricing.  

Improvements must be made to fix our broken system.

Thank you for your endeavor.

America Deserves Better

My message to Obama included my letter and photos sent to the Republican National Committee last month.  The body is as follows and best expresses my sentiments.  

Dear Senator McCain and Governor Palin,

I do not want to see the American Dream die to an Obama victory.  I represent the female version of  "Joe the Plumber."  Friends call me Mountain Mama Melody, a radical single Christian who dares to be outspoken for conservative American values.

Enclosed you'll find a $25 contribution to the RNC Victory 2008.  I wish it could be more, however I was recently unemployed from my most recent position as a public servant for the Sacramento City Managers Office due to Sacramento's $58M budget deficit.  

At present I am struggling merely to survive amidst a monumental political battle to maintain my 10-acre property on the S. Fork of the American River.  My home sets upon the historic Mt. Murphy overlooking the white water rapids known as "Troublemaker" and the Marshall Gold Discovery Historic State Park, site of the 1849 Gold Rush.  Henry Bigler, one of the Mormon workers at Sutter's Mill, held the first known religious ceremony in El Dorado County atop Mt. Murphy on Christmas day in 1847.  I held a Bible study in the MGDH State Park for 6 of the 10 years I've lived here. The attached photos will give you a better idea of my front yard and back yard views as well as put a face to my name.    

Every year nearly 750,000 visitors come to Coloma (population 750) to learn about the "California Rush for Riches" that changed the face of our nation.  Despite the economic downturn, last year CA State Parks managed to fund the necessary monies to purchase 246 acres surrounding my home on 2 sides.  The unethical manner in which this transaction took place and the disastrous repercussions has caused a public outrage, yet the media has surreptitiously buried this scandal.  I have dared speak up demanding accountability especially as it relates to public safety and the depreciation of surrounding home values.  Subsequently I was threatened with the ultimate loss of my job under the guise of the economic crisis.      

Frequent vandalism, violent crimes, and 4 annual arson fires (most recent 7/1/07) upon the historic Mt. Murphy substantiate that this is indeed a "hot spot" for illegal activities.  However due to severe budget restraints and further cutbacks, there is only one Sheriff's deputy to cover an area of over 360 square miles. The El Dorado County Sheriff has therefore advised residents to keep a shotgun loaded and handy in the event the only (1) deputy assigned to this area is unable to respond in a timely manner.  For this reason I've found my 2 guns to be a much more effective means of protection than my telephone when the need for assistance arises.  Yes, I'm a pistol-packing mama just like in the days of the Gold Rush.  One of the greatest threats to our safety and security is actually CA State Parks and local legislators who want to take away our basic Constitutional right to bear arms and protect our homes from government abuses.  As I was legally advised, I have addressed these same concerns to Governor Schwarzenegger, Congressman Doolittle, Senator Dave Cox, Assemblyman Ted Gaines, District #4 Supervisor Ron Briggs, and Bob Edgar of Common Cause.      

On October 15th I attended the McCain/Palin rally at the Capitol Veterans Park where Lloyd Marcus sang his now famous "Sarah Smile."  It was during this rally that I was able to voice my concern on camera about the unfair media biases affecting my personal situation as well as that of the GOP race.  A reporter later approached me from Capitol Weekly Group and requested that I forward to him the pertinent information regarding media biases and unresponsive legislators.  If our government can do this to me, they'll certainly do it to other Americans.    

This is not a battle that can be won in the exorbitantly expensive civil court arena.  In the long run it will take legislative action and intercessory prayers to reverse the present downward spiral of El Dorado County, California, and our entire nation.  Like Sarah Palin, I endeavor to see justice reign by doing all I possibly can to hold power accountable.  I have also stood valiantly in the gap by actively participating in Women Aglow, the Governor's Prayer Team, and Lou Engle's The Call.  I'm confident God hears our prayers for righteous conservative leaders.  Who knows, Coloma may very well become one of the many turning points for revival of our nation, perhaps igniting the "2009 Rush for Spiritual Riches."

Melody Lane The Healing Path Above Trouble Coloma, CA

My Vision - to Barak

My message to President Obama and Congress

The volunteers and workers in the Obama campaign felt they had a voice that was heard.

The Fair Elections Act Now is a good step. Involving all citizens will put and end to pay-to-play politics is Washington.

We believe that you feel that your responsibility is first to the American People as most of the money for your elections came from small donations like mine.

The members of Congress need to feel the same responsibility. The Fair Elections Act Now which you helped write and is supported by a leading Republican, Senator Spector should enable you to encourage Congress to quickly pass it.

The method of funding it by increasing the fee that the media pays for the public property by taxing the air waves is well thought out.

Just as Governor Palin used Alaska's oil to reduce Alaska taxes and be very popular, obtaining more revenues from America's natural resources should be used for the good of all Americans.

The leading companies that caused the financial crisis fought off efforts of regulations especially at the State level even after they had received money from the taxpayers.

Empowering the average voter who can only donate small donation should be the rule for the election of everyone in Washington. The Fair Election Now Act addresses this issue.

Making the individual feel empowered should be one of the first things to happen with the new congress. The change.gov website is an excellent example of this change.

While the $3 checkoff on federal or state income tax for public financing is better than nothing. It does not allow the checkoff to support a candidate of his views.

The mechanism of Fair Election Now Act is an vital additional part which could also be involved in Presidential Campaigns.

Working together can move the world and solve major problems.

Email NOW Senators, Representative and Leaders

Working together can move the world and solve major problems.

Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?

Support the Fair Elections Now Act

Fred Markham, Clean Elections Coordinator, Space Coast Progressive Alliance

Corporate Voters

Common Cause has it right that fair elections will be possible only when the overwhelming influence on Congress of corporations and large wealth is neutralized.  But to date, no practical solution to the corrupting influence of corporate power has been forthcoming.  

Everyone but the Supreme Court knows that it is money that does the real voting in our "democra$y".  Some convoluted reasoning by the Supreme Court led them to conclude that handing out exorbitant sums of money to our politicians is free speech.  This decision led us to a democratic republic run by a vote of dollars rather than a vote of hands.  Rather than a plebiscite, we have a pecuniacite.   Political issues are decided by a show of money rather than a show of hands.  Until this monumental fallacy of our democratic process is righted, fair elections are an impossible fancy.  

Is there a way to right our floundering democracy?  I can offer my ideas.  

"Corporate personhood" is still a much debated idea, but I think it holds the answer to regulating fair elections.  Give each American corporation a vote like any other citizen.  If the concept of corporate personhood is extended to the electoral process, laws regulating political monetary contributions and access to elected officials can apply equally to individual citizens and "corporate citizens"

For instance, limits on monetary contributions can apply equally to American corporate and human entities as they are conceptually the same.  Dupont's pockets become no deeper than yours.

Severely curtailing the amount of monetary influence a corporation can wield will also severely influence the corporations' access to elected politicians.  But to make certain that the awesome power of corporate lobbyist in particular and lobbyists in general is fair, access to elected officials must be strictly regulated.  Any lobbyist should have no better access to Congress than the citizens a Congressman represents.  

Audience time with elected officials must be strictly regulated.  Any citizen should be able to petition an audience with their elected official and granted that audience on a first come first serve basis.  General Motors and Microsoft lobbyists must stand in the same line as you or I.  Professional, full-time lobbyists must become a thing of the past.  K Street should turned into a public square where anyone with an idea or issue can get on a soap box.

This type of change is a tectonic shift in our political process.  I am certain this change will create a few problems in areas outside the electoral process.  For instance, how do our Congressmen, who come to office unschooled on many of the issues they must confront, become informed?  Today they are tutored by corporate lobbyists.  There has to be a better way.  Change in one area often engenders change in another.  That is the type of pain we must experience to same our democracy.