If campaign finance reform were easy, it wouldn't make a huge difference in Pennlsylvania's politics.   And, of course, if it were that easy, we'd probably have it already.  So it's no surprise that as things start looking promising for serious reform, there are thickets of obstacles to overcome.  To make sure that this opportunity doesn't slip away, we need your help.
 
The good news is that Senate Republicans have just introduced SB 1269, sponsored by Sen. Jane Earll, a solid bill that is stronger than at least two of the three bills in the PA House. This is now truly a bipartisan effort to clean up our elections.  Let's keep up the momentum.
 
With three Democratic bills in the House (Rep. David Levdansky's, State Government Committee Chair Babette Josephs's and Rep. Josh Shapiro's), it's time to reconcile them and move one out of committee.  There's not much time left if the issue is to escape the mire of the upcoming 2011 state budget process.  In other words, it's time to light that proverbial fire under the seat of your representative and get campaign finance reform passed in the House.  And if your representative happens to be on the State Government Committee, which includes Rep. Larry Curry and Josephs, your voice is even more important. Click here  to find and contact your legislator by inserting your zip code in the upper right-hand corner.  It'll just take a moment.
 
Let's limit the dialing for dollars routine so candidates have more time to go out and listen to the concerns of real voters - not just those with lots of loose cash.  And let's run elections so folks without connections to big money can organize credible campaigns based on who they are, what they know and what they stand for  -  without all the forehead-scraping to monied interests.  Some call it dewy-eyed idealism.  A few, who somehow equate unlimited campaign donations to free speech, call it an encroachment on constitutional rights.  The rest of us call it basic democracy, and we need a lot more of it.
 
Send an email or call your representative in the House.  Urge them to support campaign finance reform and to push for a strong  bill to reach the floor for a vote.  Click here, then insert your zip code in the upper right corner to contact your legislator.  Take a minute and do it today.  And please let us know how it went.  Oh, one more thing - pass this email message on to three friends or family members.  Thanks.   
 
Elections are for voters, not bank accounts.