U.S.PIRG Backs the Fair Elections Now Act: Its time to Clean-up Our Congressional Elections and Wind Down the Power of Wall Street in Washington
President Obama and congressional leaders responded quickly to the latest AIG scandal. But here's the problem: the financial shenanigans of AIG, mortgage bankers and others had already triggered our economic woes.
Part of the reason better regulations were not put in place years ago are that AIG and others in the financial sector contributed $1.3 billion dollars to congressional candidates since 2000. To make sure this can never happen again we need a clean system of campaign financing, one where politicians listen to regular people.
To make this a reality U.S.PIRG is strongly supporting the Fair Elections Now Act, which was introduced today at a news conference in the Senate Pressroom by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Reps. John Larson (D-CT),Walter Jones (R-NC), and Todd Platts (R-PA).
Under this bill, congressional candidates who raise enough small-dollar donations between $5 and $100 would qualify for public funding. If they accept it, they can’t raise big-dollar donations, but all of their additional small donations would be matched several times over.
Lisa Gilbert, U.S.PIRG’s Democracy Advocate states, “U.S. citizens are now keenly aware of the corrupting influence of money, and that the name of the game in politics today is ‘pay-to-play.’ It’s time for a system that elevates the voices of ordinary constituents over the AIGs of the world, and makes sure that politicians listen.”
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Assitant Majority Leader Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introducing the U.S.PIRG-priority campaign finance reform legislation, the Fair Elections Now Act. Behind him (L-R) stand Reps. Walter Jones (R-NC), John Larson (D-CT) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME).
