Public Campaign Action Fund

"Winning elections is more expensive than ever. Ironically, that makes it harder to ‘buy’..."

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:07:30 -0400

““Winning elections is more expensive than ever. Ironically, that makes it harder to ‘buy’ elections, in the conventional sense, because both sides in marquee elections raise so much cash that each marginal dollar becomes less consequential (principles of inflation apply). But it also means that candidates are required to spend an egregious and unprecedented share of their time getting rich people to donate. Having a Rolodex full of wealthy folks is a prerequisite for winning federal representation. It’s also a recipe for having your priorities shaped, if not determined, by hours spent going over rich-guy problems.””

- Derek Thompson, The Atlantic.

Anomaly Tracker | OpenSecrets

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:56:38 -0400

Anomaly Tracker | OpenSecrets:

Cool new tool from the Center for Responsive Politics to track “anomalies” tied to a lawmaker’s actions and their campaign cash.

Forbes: New App Lets You Boycott Koch Brothers, Monsanto And...

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:45:10 -0400

Forbes: New App Lets You Boycott Koch Brothers, Monsanto And More By Scanning Your Shopping Cart

Ugh: “The all-consuming quest for dollars is part of...

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:42:48 -0400

Ugh:

“The all-consuming quest for dollars is part of Washington’s permanent, intensely waged campaign for party dominance. It cuts deeply into the typical day of lawmakers, robbing them of time they could spend building relationships with colleagues, dealing with constituent problems, and delving into policy issues. It is a major contributor to party gridlock, and keeps lawmakers dependent on the good graces of lobbyists and other special interests seeking favor on Capitol Hill.”

(Boston Globe)

Senators Boycott EPA Vote While Raising Money From Energy Lobbyists

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:27:07 -0400

Senators Boycott EPA Vote While Raising Money From Energy Lobbyists:

Priorities, priorities.

Politico: Wall Street Hired Washington “The financial...

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:18:45 -0400

Politico: Wall Street Hired Washington

“The financial industry has long been a draw for former political operatives seeking a bigger paycheck and New York lifestyle. But with the big banks now under constant assault from reformers, regulators and some members of Congress, the flow of top talent from Washington to Wall Street has become a small flood.”

George Bush raising money in DC

Wed, 08 May 2013 18:01:01 -0400

George P. Bush, that is, the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. He’s running for Texas Land Commissioner:

Some of Washington’s most powerful Republican donors are playing host at a Wednesday evening fundraiser for George P. Bush, a candidate for Texas Land Commissioner and the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush

Attendees are paying $500 for the event taking place at the National Association of Wholesale-Distributors Office, according to a copy of the invitation. Among those expected to attend are Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Rep. Aaron Shock, R-Illinois.

"The skill of telemarketing does not translate very often to the skill of governing."

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:57:53 -0400

““The skill of telemarketing does not translate very often to the skill of governing.””

- - U.S. Sen Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on the amount of time candidates for Congress have to spend dialing for dollars instead of talking with everyday people. He also noted his strong support for public financing of elections and said his experience in Congress has turned him “from a proponent of campaign finance reform to a revolutionary.”

A campaign finance revolutionary is exactly what the Senate needs!

(Public Campaign)

Only Carlton can accurately describe how we feel about reaching...

Wed, 08 May 2013 07:05:38 -0400

Only Carlton can accurately describe how we feel about reaching 50,000 followers. Thanks y’all!

What did campaign reform supporters in New York to today when...

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:40:00 -0400

What did campaign reform supporters in New York to today when they were blocked from attending a hearing called by New York Senate Republicans? They found a window.

New York Daily News:

Protestors were literally coming in through the windows at today’s state Senate hearing on the New York City campaign finance system.

Shut out of the cramped hearing room by the Senate’s sergeants at arms, a group of election-reform protestors eventually grew tired of shouting in the hallway and tried to disrupt the session via the room’s first floor windows. A few protestors did manage to stick their heads in and chant “Let People In” before officials closed the window. They also threw dollar bills inside as a symbol of the money in politics.

Washington Post: How Barney Frank foiled the banking lobby to form a new financial watchdog

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:41:53 -0400

Washington Post: How Barney Frank foiled the banking lobby to form a new financial watchdog:

“The most ambitious legislative effort to reform the country’s financial system in nearly 80 years was just a few weeks old, and already the bill was in trouble.

“Members of the House Financial Services Committee, the bill’s first stop in the summer of 2009, were facing a barrage of complaints from hometown bankers and the industry’s army of Washington lobbyists. They wanted to block the creation of an independent regulatory agency aimed at protecting consumers from the risky financial products that had helped bring on the Great Crash of 2008.”

The Nation: The Reverse Revolving Door: How Corporate Insiders Are Rewarded Upon Leaving Firms For Congress

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:01:33 -0400

The Nation: The Reverse Revolving Door: How Corporate Insiders Are Rewarded Upon Leaving Firms For Congress:

“What does surprise me is that there is no shame in Washington anymore and people don’t think this is a conflict,” said Craig Aaron, president and CEO of Free Press.

Here’s a plan we can get behind: Convinced that the right...

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:02:27 -0400

Here’s a plan we can get behind:

Convinced that the right to vote for all citizens isn’t fully protected under law, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, is planning a long-shot proposal to add a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

“What it would do is grant for the first time in American history a constitutional right to vote,” Cooper said Wednesday after announcing the proposal at a Nashville Bar Association luncheon during a strikingly personal speech that evoked race, discrimination and equality.

(The Tennessean)

From The Nation: “How Wall Street Defanged...

Mon, 06 May 2013 09:06:04 -0400

From The Nation: “How Wall Street Defanged Dodd-Frank”

opensecretsnews: “Shadow” money, “dark” money, “secret” money:...

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:27:19 -0400

opensecretsnews:

“Shadow” money, “dark” money, “secret” money: whatever its name, it’s still a driving force in elections, Congressional votes, and how laws get enforced (or not). Shed some light and find out how powerful nondisclosing groups game the IRS and get away with some shady practices. Follow our “Shadow Money Trail” series here.

"A former New York state senator who earlier this year pleaded guilty in a corruption scandal..."

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:10:23 -0400

““A former New York state senator who earlier this year pleaded guilty in a corruption scandal recorded multiple elected officials at the direction of federal prosecutors last year while she was still serving in the Legislature, according to court papers filed by federal prosecutors on Friday.””

- New York Times

From NPR: “While ideological gridlock continues to...

Fri, 03 May 2013 10:30:15 -0400

From NPR:

“While ideological gridlock continues to immobilize Capitol Hill, another of Washington’s institutions is morphing behind the scenes.

“The lobbying industry is becoming more secretive — reversing a trend that dates back to the 1990s. And campaign money now looms ever larger as a critical element in the persuasion business.”

In just three months, Missouri lobbyists have spent more than $450,000 on gifts to state...

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:23:18 -0400

In just three months, Missouri lobbyists have spent more than $450,000 on gifts to state lawmakers.

St. Louis Public Radio notes a few of the gifts:

March Madness: Legislators received about $7,000 in “entertainment” gifts (most of it for tickets) in March, coinciding with NCAA conference basketball tournaments and the beginning of March Madness. Total entertainment spending this year: $17,000.
Bowling Tournament: In March, the Senate apparently had a bowling tournament sponsored by various lobbyists who foot the bill for the lanes, food, drinks, and even shirts.
Sweet Tooth: So far this year, Senator Brad Lager has received about $450 worth of jelly beans, M&Ms and soda for his office, bought by James R Moody and Associates and (somewhat ironically) Consumer Healthcare Products Association. According to vigorous research by St. Louis Public Radio, you can buy about 50 lbs worth of jelly beans for that amount of money.

That’s a lot of jelly beans!

These four elected officials—U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)...

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:10:47 -0400

These four elected officials—U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rand Paul (R-KY.), Govs. John Kasich (R-Ohio) and Nikki Haley (R-S.C.)—all attended the billionaire Koch brothers’ summit with the country’s “leading conservative donors” in California this weekend, according to the New York Times.

Those discussions unfolded over two days at the Renaissance Esmeralda, a sprawling golf resort that has previously hosted the Kochs’ twice-yearly conferences. The atmosphere was equal parts revival and situation room, participants said: Phones and electronic devices were banned from some panels, as Koch strategists detailed next year’s electoral battlegrounds and donors committed contributions to particular states or projects.

"If the cherished notion of a free and self-governing America is to retain any legitimacy at all, we..."

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:41:00 -0400

“

If the cherished notion of a free and self-governing America is to retain any legitimacy at all, we will have to correct the current grotesque imbalance of power between the wealthy and everybody else.

Fortunately, House Democrats are putting together legislation that would reduce the excessive power of big donors by vastly expanding the ability of ordinary voters to contribute meaningfully to candidates of their choice. It’s a public financing initiative in which voters contributing $5, $25 or $100 would see their contributions enhanced fivefold or more — turning $50 into a $300 or even $550 contribution for the grass-roots candidates of their choice. Poor and middle-class voters who have been effectively silenced by the big-money crowd would begin to have their voices heard. A similar system in New York City has worked well.

”

- Demos fellow and former New York Times columnist Bob Herbert in this great op-ed for Politico. Small donor matching systems can help to raise the voices of everyday people in our political process.