Fair Elections: The Alternative to the Influence Game

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Our Alternative: Fair Elections Now!

CNN reported recently on the fundraisers that big money lobbyists have already started throwing for newly elected members of Congress. (watch the video, right).

A reporter caught up with veteran Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV) outside one such event and noted that it seemed like "the same old business as usual," as special interests gave $2,500 to $20,000 for the chance to cozy up to lawmakers.

Rep. Rahall's reply: "Well, do you have an alternative?"

Yes, we do – and it's called the Fair Elections Now Act.

Common Cause will be meeting with every freshman member of Congress to build support for Fair Elections. We want to show widespread support for a new way of financing campaigns in this country, one that allows members of Congress to be accountable to the people who elect them, not the lobbyists who give the largest donations.

Please sign our petition today to end the influence game in Washington – and we'll deliver it to every newly-elected member of Congress at a face-to-face meeting!

Take Action

Please sign our petition. Feel free to add your own words beneath the petition text.

As Congress gets ready to tackle major issues like the economy, the health care crisis and environmental change, it's critical that the entrenched special interests and big-money lobbyists don't derail much-needed reforms.

That's why I'm calling on you, as a newly-elected member of Congress, to help make the Fair Elections Now Act a major priority for 2009.  

Under a system of Fair Elections, candidates who swear off large corporate campaign contributions can qualify for public funding to run competitive campaigns.   Fair Elections would:

* change the way America pays for elections;
*leverage the power and voices of small donors in campaigns;
* put an end to pay-to-play politics, so that leaders like you can spend more time talking with voters, and less time fundraising from private interests; and
* allow our government to get serious about much-needed reforms without fear of a backlash from campaign donors.

Please make sure the Fair Elections Now Act is one of the first bills considered in 2009.

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