December 2009
50 posts
Hurry Up and Wait - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com →
Witnessing a member of Congress dialing for dollars from total strangers at $500 a pop brought home for me the dimension of our campaign finance problem as no stack of legal briefs ever did. Rather…
Real Estate Blog - Nothing Changes Until YOU... →
Regardless of your political affiliation or beliefs, if you care about this Country and the direction, please take the few minutes necessary to read and watch. It will take Americans standing up to…
True Courage Action Network - TCAN - Working to... →
The True Courage Action Network is a nonpartisan grassroots organization based in Austin and San Antonio. Founded in late 2006, TCAN is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization incorporated in Texas….
Our view on elections: 5 reasons for public... →
Our view on elections: 5 reasons for public financing
States, cities lead with clean-money alternative to a seamy system. The election year hasn’t even begun, but the nation’s political system is…
Clean Elections Action Meetups across the state →
Join with other Texans interested in Clean Elections. Meet-up groups help people get involved and plan local activities to meet the goal of publicly financed campaigns. If you want to change the way…
Realtors for Reform!! http://bit.ly/7kYTUq
Maine’s vanguard Clean Elections system is under attack by the National Organization for Marriage. Here’s why: http://bit.ly/6hqP9V
Inspiration from Oregon this morning: a great video and idea - the 1000 Twenties Project http://bit.ly/8e9qAo
It probably won’t surprise you that most of the news we get in the door these days at You Street isn’t all that positive. What with Big Pharma, Big Oil, Wall Street, and all the rest spending their hundreds of millions of dollars to influence lawmakers and ensure their needs are met in Congress, it seems like every day that some politician or another is selling out his constituents...
Fair Elections Now: Adonal Foyle's student-based... →
The exciting “change” that so many of us hoped for after the Nov. 2008 election has ground to a screeching halt. And it is largely the fault of Congress. Members of the House and Senate have blocked…
LETTERS: Where's the scholarships? - The Paper of... →
To the Editor, As a high school senior, I’m trying to get as much financial help as possible for college (especially with today’s high tuition). During my scholarship hunt, however, I happened across…
The Supreme Court leaves Washington in the lurch -... →
Independent groups including PACs and non-profits set up under sections 527 and 501(c)4 of the tax code are moving ahead tentatively in the face of the uncertainty. Several have begun formulating…
More Republicans for Reform! Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) signs on to Fair Elections
Illinois Gov. Quinn signs groundbreaking campaign finance bill with contribution limits and open contribution data http://bit.ly/52RNyo
IL bill includes Campaign Finance Reform Task Force to study public financing for statewide, legislative and judicial offices
Governor Quinn Signs Campaign Reform Law State... →
Governor Pat Quinn today signed into law a ground-breaking campaign finance bill that imposes Illinois’ first-ever contribution limits on candidates, political parties and political action…
Great video highlights from Friday’s Fair Elections event at Center for American Progress http://bit.ly/8oHLQB thx @publicampaign
Last Friday, the Center for American Progress hosted a great morning event with Senator Dick Durbin and Representative John Larson, the two lead sponsors of the Fair Elections Now Act. Thanks to our friends at Public Campaign, we have video highlights for your enjoyment: And for those of you who weren’t able to make it, here are full videos of the panel:
Excellent article in WSJ on state impact of Citizens United v. F.E.C. http://tinyurl.com/ye6qjbl #citizensignited via @CommonCauseWI
Kerry “Too many Senators and Congressmen spend too much time raising money, chasing money from too few places” trnscrpt http://bit.ly/8Wz2e9
Want real reform? Transparency’s not enough: http://bit.ly/8OX0mm And Citizens United could be passed down by SCOTUS today #citizensignited
John Kerry on Charlie Rose: “The single biggest fix…is campaign finance reform” (~50 minute mark) http://www.charlierose.com/
RT @CommonCause: no SCOTUS decision on Citizens United today…
Examiner - The Profit of Health →
According to Richard Lauchmann, a public policy professor in the Sociology Department at the University at Albany. “A single player plan would put the private insurance companies out of business….
Standing room only to hear about Fair Elections from Sen Durbin and Rep Larson http://yfrog.com/3lbi1gj
Livestream video link LIVE http://bit.ly/795kaA #fairelections
“I think the forces that be are convinced that the status quo will prevail and we can use that to our advantage” - Rep Larson
“At the core of this is the state of our democracy” -Rep John Larson
Sen Durbin describes congressional “power hours” of dialing for dollars. Doesn’t sound right.
Here’s Rep Chellie Pingree http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b3pkXr83Do&sns=em
Here’s video of Rep Chellie Pingree contrasting her US House experience vs her daughter’s public financing run in Maine’s http://j.mp/8tuJZ3
Conn. governor wants lawmakers to fix campaign law... →
Besides attempting to close Connecticut’s budget gap, Gov. M. Jodi Rell wants state legislators to return to the Capitol in December to fix a campaign finance reform law that’s poised to help fund…
Under Connecticut Law, Candidates Must Distribute... →
State election law requires all candidates — losers and winners alike — to distribute leftover campaign funds in specific ways. Candidates can’t keep a cent. “The law is clear,” said Nancy Nicolescu,…
Detroit Free Press -- Public financing over term... →
There are better ways, such as fund-raising limits or maybe even — gasp! — public financing of campaigns, to ensure that incumbency doesn’t overwhelm any chance a strong challenger has of getting…
RT @JeffMcLean_: Don’t miss the Center for American Progress discussion on the Fair Elections Now Act tomorrow… http://bit.ly/4B7fOq
All too common headline: #revolvingdoor http://yfrog.com/1dohej
Who's Pulling the Strings? InsurancePuppets.com →
Daily Insurance Puppets listed - Lieberman and McConnell so far, to little surprise
Sen. Mitch McConnell Named First 'Insurance... →
Public Campaign Action Fund, a national campaign finance watchdog group, named Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) its first “Insurance Puppet” in an online advertising campaign targeting…
CityWatch - Los Angeles city candidate endorses... →
Both indicated that special interest money is playing a big part in each other’s campaigns, and would like the rules to change. Essel said she supports changing a law to allow public financing of…
Wisconsin Gov. Doyle to sign Impartial Justice... →
Governor Jim Doyle will sign the Impartial Justice Bill today. The bill, passed in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature, will provide full public financing for qualifying candidates for the…
Column: State moves on fairer courts |... →
During the past several years campaigns for the Wisconsin Supreme Court have been expensive and often downright dirty. That is why it is good news that the Impartial Justice bill has finally passed…
Baltimore Sun: Public financing for judicial... →
But the difference between Washington and Madison is that in America’s Dairyland, they don’t take such an assault on the independence of their judiciary so lightly. Earlier this month, lawmakers…
Orlando Sentinel - Adonal Foyle: WHATEVER HAPPENED... →
The exciting “change” that so many of us hoped for after the November 2008 election has ground to a screeching halt. And it is largely the fault of Congress. Members of the House and Senate have…
Firedoglake: the root of the filibuster →
“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: the present-day abuse of the filibuster is a symptom, not the cause of the problem. The cause is corporate-financed Parties and candidates who are now…
New Haven Independent | Mayor Gets Pass For PAC... →
Town of Chapel Hill : Voter-Owned Elections... →
The Council enacted an ordinance on June 9, 2008, to establish a Voter Owned Elections Program to become effective beginning with the fall 2009 Town of Chapel Hill municipal elections. The pilot…
Rell Calls For Special Legislative Session On... →
At the same time, Rell wants lawmakers to make changes in the campaign finance reform law, the subject of a federal court ruling that is being appealed. Most of the candidates for governor are…
"Public funded elections lead to big government... →
Columnist cites conservative Goldwater Institute study and argues that any politician who eschews special interest money in getting elected will turn around and inflate welfare budgets. “In my…
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Fly the Sleazy Skies - NYTimes.com →
The F.E.C. gutted the reform by totally misinterpreting it to say it does not apply when a senator is traveling on behalf of assorted party committees and not as “a candidate” himself. This is…