The Better Way: Fair Elections Gains Momentum

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released
today by the Public Campaign Action Fund:

To: Editorial Writers
From: David Donnelly
Date: October 27, 2009
RE: The better way

Note: Below is the first installment of a joint initiative by Common Cause and
Public Campaign, two national organizations promoting comprehensive campaign
finance reform, to provide digestible news analysis for your use in drafting
editorials. We will be sending out regular memos to capture the current news
stories and how they speak to the larger issues before Congress and the
country.

The Arms Race Returns (or It Never Went Away)

Our elections are an arms race to see who can raise the most campaign cash --
and today's political strategy is to promote a high cash intake and downplay
fundraising efforts that fall short of that goal. Candidates promote these
dollar figures as "proof" that their campaign is viable.

Recent Federal Election Commission filings are once again serving as a litmus
test for which candidates for Congress are "real" and which are in trouble for
next year's congressional races.

The most recent numbers are also a reminder that the problem of big money in
politics is getting worse. The FEC reported last month that fundraising for
U.S. House and U.S. Senate candidates had topped $250 million over the first
six months of the year. Despite the economic downturn, we're on track to have
one of the most expensive midterm election cycles ever. That translates into
candidates spending more time than ever before dialing for dollars and rubbing
elbows with the wealthy and powerful rather than listening to regular voters
concerned about jobs and the economy, health care, and the need to address our
nation's energy policy.

Meanwhile, in Congress...

Health care reform. Money continues to pour into the campaign coffers of
members of Congress from the health insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies. This
year alone, the health industries have spent more than $260 million on
lobbying and have given almost $29 million in political contributions,
according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

To what end? A majority of Americans support comprehensive health care reform,
but far too many elected officials in Washington, D.C. seem to side with the
health industry's positions. Campaign cash is used to curry favor and buy
access that Main Street Americans just can't get.

Exempting auto dealers? Last week, the House Financial Services Committee
passed a piece of legislation creating a Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
Among the amendments offered in committee was one authored by Rep. John
Campbell (R-Calif.), a former car dealer, to exempt auto dealerships from the
agency's oversight.

Not only was Rep. Campbell the recipient of $170,550 in campaign donations
from auto dealers, according to the Center for Responsive Politics; he
received between $600,000 and $6 million in rent from auto dealers in 2008. If
that's not a conflict of interest, we don't know what is.

Only in Congress is this business as usual. Rep. Campbell's amendment passed
47-21. The final bill passed by a 39 to 29 vote. According to the Center for
Responsive Politics, those voting against the bill "received an average of 20
percent more in contributions from financial interests over the past
two-and-a-half years than the bill's supporters."

Fair Elections Gains Momentum

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. There is a bill that is making
it's way through Congress that would allow candidates to run for office
without having to rely on big campaign contributions from those with interests
before Congress.

Called the Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752 and H.R. 1826), the bills would
create a voluntary system in which candidates could run for office on a mix of
small donations and public funding. Candidates would qualify for the public
grant by collecting a set number of contributions of $100 or less. Qualified
candidates could also supplement the grant with small donations of $100 or
less from people in their states that would be matched 4-to-1 by a new Fair
Elections fund.

The size of the grant, coupled with the matching fund system, provides
candidates with enough resources to mount competitive campaigns without
relying on special interests or donations from those with business before
Congress. The bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act is sponsored in the Senate by
Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Democratic Caucus
Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) in the House.

The Fair Elections Now Act has 108 sponsors in the House who cover a wide
spectrum of states; newly elected and veteran members; conservative,
moderates, and liberals; and rank-and-file as well as leadership members. A
broad base coalition is advocating for the bill. More information on the
coalition, the Fair Elections Now Act, and an up to date list of co-sponsors
can be found at www.fairelectionsnow.org.

SOURCE Public Campaign Action Fund

Adam Smith of the Public Campaign Action Fund, +1-202-897-8929, or Mary Boyle
of Common Cause, +1-202-736-5770