Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Our own Rep. David Obey wrote this one

Have you heard of the "Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act"? It's bill number H.R. 4694 introduced by Wisconsin Rep. David R. Obey. DownSizeDC.org had this to say about this unbelievable bill:

If General Motors set the rules by which Ford could do business, Ford would soon be bankrupt. Sadly, the incumbents in Congress can do to their competitors what General Motors cannot. If H.R. 4694 passes into law . . .

  • You will no longer be able to use your own money to support or oppose any candidate for federal office.

  • All campaign funding will come from the government, with winners getting more money in the next election, and losers less.

  • The only way third parties and independents can get full funding from the government will be to collect petition signatures equal to 20% of the votes cast in the last election. This is a huge barrier. And it is made even worse by the fact that paid signatures will not be accepted.

  • It is a well-established fact that challengers must spend more than incumbents in order to unseat them, but under this law there is no way any challenger could ever outspend an incumbent.

  • Your tax money would be used to fund candidates you oppose.

  • Candidates unwilling to take government funds would be prohbited from raising any money at all.

  • Citizens groups would also be prohibited from spending money to fund communications that discuss electoral campaigns.

Please send a message to Congress opposing H.R. 4694 by clicking here.

Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

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