Campaign Finance Reform

Starting the U-turn on Corporate Political "Free Speech" Nationally and Moving Ahead with Campaign Finance Reform in Pennsylvania

Submitted by Steve Strahs on February 10, 2010 - 4:43pm

Last week seems to have been "take-off" time for the movement for national campaign finance reform in the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizens United  corporate "free speech" decision.  Here's a quick run-down.

A Populist Moment for Campaign Finance Reform in PA

Submitted by Steve Strahs on January 29, 2010 - 1:26pm
Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne is onto something.  He asserts that "we have reached a true populist moment in American politics." The U.S. Supreme Court majority sniffed last week that the lure of campaign cash has nothing to do with the likelihood of public corruption or undue influence on our institutions and public officials.  It's just that corporations have the right to free speech (even without a mention of them in the constitution).  And if the result is a torrent of corporate dollars contaminating the political process, which doesn't exactly pass the sniff test as it is, we can all pay homage to the glories of the first amendment.
 
Maybe the Supremes missed the health care reform stalemate in Congress.  Health insurers and HMOs spent nationally more than $126 million in the first half of 2009 alone on campaign contributions and lobbying to fight health care reform. That's a clip of nearly $700,000 per day.

And they undoubtedly glanced over Pennsylvania's recent state budget fiasco.  Last year the interests that blocked adequate revenue from reaching the state's coffers were many, but they all had one thing in common: big bucks "invested" politically.  Want to tax the natural gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale?  You say it's a no-brainer from a policy perspective.  Sorry.  Governor Rendell backed away and the legislature ran for cover – maybe next year.  The gas industry recently showered state senate leaders with more than $200,000 in campaign contributions and the governor was rewarded, too (all before the fact) . 

 
Disgusted? Let's get the ball rolling on campaign finance reform in PA.  Click here to sign a citizens' petition to help get this issue some visibility in our state.

End the Mad Dash for Political Cash

Submitted by Steve Strahs on January 25, 2010 - 2:40pm

Sign the Petition for Real Campaign Finance Reform

Want to fix government so it works for everybody?  Short of a magic wand, here’s the closest thing available  – and it cuts across every imaginable issue from health care to education to jobs and a decent budget: limiting the influence of big money on the political process.  To learn more and sign on to a petition calling for essential campaign contribution limits based on an excellent bill now in the hopper in Harrisburg, click here.

Petition Our Pennsylvania State Legislators for Campaign Finance Reform

Background:

There is no single factor that undermines our democracy more than the influence of big money. Curbs should be put in place, not because our candidates and officials lack integrity, but because the race for campaign cash forces priorities and practices within our system of elections that collide with the very essence of democracy.

We Can Stop the Money Chase

Submitted by Steve Strahs on April 23, 2009 - 12:35pm

With the specter of political stalemate on top priority issues like health care intruding on Washington these days, here's a welcome antidote: the Fair Elections Now Act. 

Pressed by our friends at the Public Campaign Action Fund and a growing coalition of national organizations, the Act would change the way congressional campaigns are financed

Election Reform Network Finds Unprecedented Flow of Campaign Money for 2007 Montco Board Race - Despite Dip in Voter Turnout

Submitted by Steve Strahs on November 21, 2007 - 6:50pm

Montgomery County politics was awash in campaign dollars – if not voter interest - this 2007 election season over the Board of Commissioners race to determine who controls the County Courthouse and the $.5 billion county budget that goes with it.