Sign the online petition to tell presidential candidate John McCain to fire three lobbyist staff members

Public Campaign Action Fund has begun the "Fire the Lobbyists!" online petition campaign. Two of US Senator and presidential candidate John McCain's (R) staff recently resigned because it was revealed that they were lobbyists for the military junta in Myanmar. Still, there remains three more lobbyists on McCain's presidential campaign staff that worked for foreign governments or interests that offend American values and human rights.

Please sign the petition at http://www.firethelobbyists.com/ now, to tell Sen. McCain to fire these three remaining lobbyists! These people, and the associations they bring, have no place in a presidential campaign. Thank you

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Our nation and states need basic electoral reforms to open up our democracy

Today, I submitted a letter to the editor to my local newspaper here in Abilene, Texas. This is a time-honored method of promoting an issue with the local community. Of course, national newspapers and magazines are also great opportunities to send your letters.

Having 10 years experience in third party politics, I have first-hand knowledge of the difficulties candidates such as Ralph Nader have in getting a foot-hold in our democratic system. I believe that third parties would be a much more serious and effective force in government if various fundamental electoral reforms, such as redistricting, ballot access requirements, public financing of elections and Instant Runoff Voting are instituted in the states and in Washington, DC.

Here is my letter; it may be edited at the newspaper's discretion when and if they publish it.

Dear Editor,

I am appalled that, after Ross Perot's popular run for president in 1992, the Texas legislature still has not eased ballot access requirements for third parties or independents. The ruling Republican and Democratic parties in this state think it is not in their interest to allow more competitors for their offices. But what about the people? Don't they deserve a more open political system that encourages a broad debate on the many issues that we face each election? This year, progressive Ralph Nader is offering solutions to positions not ever considered by today's three major candidates. Let's help Ralph gain ballot access in the coming days by signing his petition and allow him and his running mate advocation of better ballot access laws.

David Weller

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Change Congress aims to bring reform candidates to congressional office

Change Congress is now open for business! Founded by Lawrence Lessig and Joe Trippi, Change Congress aims to find, debate with and win over congressional candidates on several reform issues. Citizens can get involved right away, by pledging their support for this cause, finding candidates in their districts, and asking them to pledge their support for these reforms. Join now!

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A look at clean elections in action

Candidates, and ultimately voters, are already enjoying clean elections in Maine. The first state in the nation to bring this campaign finance reform to state offices, it has been successfully administered since 1996. This local newspaper story is about a current state representative candidate- what qualifies him for the program, and how he is free from big money from special interests as reflected by his campaign issues and work.

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Financial contributions by both Clinton and Obama to Democratic superdelegates have results

The Center for Responsive Politics has published a report entitled "Seeking Superdelegates". It is a powerful analysis of the influence financial contributions to them by Democratic presidential candidates Clinton and Obama is. From Capital Eye, the Center's newsletter:

" Obama, who narrowly leads in the count of pledged, "non-super" delegates, has doled out more than $698,200 to superdelegates from his political action committee, Hope Fund, or campaign committee since 2005. Of the 82 elected officials who had announced as of Feb. 12 that their superdelegate votes would go to the Illinois senator, 35, or 43 percent of this group, have received campaign contributions from him in the 2006 or 2008 election cycles, totaling $232,200. In addition, Obama has been endorsed by 52 superdelegates who haven't held elected office recently and, therefore, didn't receive campaign contributions from him.

Clinton does not appear to have been as openhanded. Her PAC, HILLPAC, and campaign committee appear to have distributed $205,500 to superdelegates. Only 12 percent of her elected superdelegates, or 13 of 109 who have said they will back her, have received campaign contributions, totaling about $95,000 since 2005. An additional 128 unelected superdelegates support Clinton, according to a blog tracking superdelegates and their endorsements, 2008 Democratic Convention Watch. "

A chart of all of the superdelegates who are public officials, both committed and not, and how much if any Obama and Clinton have given them since the 2005 election cycle breaks down the numbers.

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Presidential candidate fundraising in 2007

The Campaign Finance Institute has issued a press release on this election cycle's presidental candidate fundraising, and how it compares with the odd year of previous cycles. The data includes all of 2007, up to the latest from the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

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Ask your local, state and federal candidates where they stand on open government

Sunshine Week, which is March 16-22, has begun compiling an unprecedented Web database that will chronicle the positions of candidates running for president and Congress on issues of government openness, access and secrecy.

Sunshine Week Campaign database planned

From David Westphal, and Pat Yack, co-chairs of ASNE's Freedom of Information Committee:

Sunshine Week has begun compiling an unprecedented Web database that will chronicle the positions of candidates running for president and Congress on issues of government openness, access and secrecy. We're calling this the Sunshine Campaign.

Our aim is a one-of-a-kind repository that will inform voters on where candidates stand, and will serve as a touchstone for measuring the winning candidates' performance in office.

We need your help in asking candidates their views on Freedom of Information issues. Many of you will have the chance, over the next 14 months, to grill candidates in editorial board meetings, debates, town-hall meetings and on-the-road reporting. We'd like to suggest that these are golden opportunities to ask what we think are among the most important questions of the campaign.

We've put together a list of questions we hope will get to as many candidates as possible, but we encourage you to formulate your own as well. We also hope you'll take this model and apply it to candidates at the state and local level.

We know there's never enough time to ask all the questions that need to be asked, but access to government information lies at the heart of our democracy. At a time when world events have prompted strong pleas from some to expand secrecy in government, it is fundamental to the public interest to know where the candidates stand — just as we need to know their views on war and peace, jobs and the economy.

Getting candidates to address openness issues is the big challenge. But we ask your help as well in getting their answers to Sunshine Week Coordinator Debra Gersh Hernandez, who will compile this searchable database. Simply e-mail transcripts or clips — from your reporting or from others' that you spot — to Deb at dghernandez@asne.org.

Visit Sunshineweek.org for more of the story.

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A video about Project Vote Smart-- a leader in candidate information

Project Vote Smart has been a leading supplier of information on state and federal candidates for years. They offer many primary resources to help you make an honest decision at the polling place. To give you more info about this marvel of political volunteerism, this nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in the Montana rockies has made a video; it is over 9 minutes long.

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Ask your candidates to take the Political Courage Test at Project Vote Smart

Project Vote Smart releases a "Political Courage Test" every election season for all state and congressional candidates. There has been a decline in usage, as many candidates are afraid that it will restrict their campaign message and open themselves up for opposition research. This test covers a wide variety of issues for the voter to study and compare candidates with; it has been created, designed, and drafted by more than 200 of the nation’s most prominent journalists, political scientists, and leaders of the major and third political parties.

Project Vote Smart released the 2008 Illinois and Maryland Political Courage Test results today showing that only seven percent of the Illinois’ primary candidates for State Legislature and fifteen percent of the state’s primary candidates for Congress were willing to answer questions on the issues that are of top concern to Illinois voters, such as questions regarding hate crime legislation, the employment of undocumented immigrants, the possible constitutional convention, the death penalty, access to health care and the licensing of gun possession. Maryland candidates were slightly more willing to give voters information about their positions on issues that are critical to voters. Twenty-six percent of candidates for Congress were willing to give voters this information.

Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart’s President, said that national response rates for federal and state candidates have fallen dramatically over the last three elections.

The Political Courage Test asks all candidates one central question: “Are you willing to tell citizens your positions on the issues you will most likely face on their behalf?” It is conducted nationally over the last 12 months of each election season. Illinois legislative and Congressional candidates were contacted repeatedly over three weeks and asked by prominent leaders of both major parties and by Project staff, if they were willing to provide their issue inclinations in the public interest.

Candidates advancing to the general election will have the opportunity to respond to the test again, when tested later this year.

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Where do the presidential candidates stand on fiscal policy? A quick rundown.

The HeraldTribune.com news site from southwest florida has a report on the basic fiscal policy issues of each of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Although All Things Reform does not endorse any one candidate, it is hoped this quick rundown of each candidate's stands on the federal budget will be of assistance in making your own voting decision.

This large newspaper doesn't include the fiscal platforms of minor and independent presidential candidates, so I must ask you to visit their respective campaign websites for those. Here are just a few third party websites that include candidates running for their nominations:

• Libertarian Party
• Green Party
• Constitution Party
• Independence Party of America

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A sample report from one of this blog's database lists

This is a campaign finance report of U.S. Representative Neugebauer; it is derived from free links in this blog's "Campaign Finance Databases" in the left column (CQ's Moneyline database is fee-based). It is just one thing you can do for your own representatives; you can also search their campaign finances, government finances, ethics violations and other news. Then, cull from your reports information that may be useful in your communications, and, ultimately, in your votes next election day.

U.S. Representative Randy Neugebauer (R-TX): campaign finance data links

Details at http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00026043&cycle=2006
opensecrets.org
Candidates
Neugebauer 2005-2006 campaign finance totals

Details at http://www.politicalbase.com/people/randy-neugebauer/9822/money/
Political Base
People: Money
Neugebauer campaign finance totals and data

Details at http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/H4TX19102/
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Candidates
Individual records of Neugebauer: Contributions Made by This Candidate's Committees, Committees Who Gave to This Candidate, Individuals Who Gave to This Candidate

Details at http://www.publicintegrity.org/consultants/list.aspx?act=canDetail&id=H4TX19102
The Center for Public Integrity
Consultants
Amount spent on campaign consultants, 2003-2004: $2,500,303

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Get ready now for Fair Elections Week, November 12-16, 2007

Fair Elections Now! is a website devoted to the upcoming Fair Elections Week of November 12-16, 2007. It is run by the Fair Elections Now Coalition, which includes Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, Democracy Matters, Public Campaign, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

Fair Elections Week is a great opportunity for supporters of public financing of campaigns. Instead of relying only on fundraising drives, candidates can focus their attention on the race at hand, and, most importantly, on the voters.

At Fair Elections Now!, there are several things everyone can do to participate and make the Week a success. I, personally have signed up already to host an event in my town. I have already signed the petition to support Clean Elections. I have read what's posted on the website's bulletin board. There are indeed many ways to get involved for this worthy campaign fianance reform cause, just by going to the website.

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Write your U.S. Representative for co-sponsorship of electoral reform bill HR 3600

U.S. Representative Ron Paul has introduced an electoral reform bill, namely, "To enforce the guarantees of the first, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution of the United States by prohibiting certain devices used to deny the right to participate in certain elections." Simply put, HR 3600 lowers the barriers for candidates from alternative parties and independents to get on the general election day ballot.

The two party system doesn't work. It maintains, through legislation of the two major parties' officeholders, a monopoly on the democratic process. Most states have very difficult ballot access requirements outside the Democratic and Republican parties, leading to unorganized, thwarted third parties and few independent candidates.

Yes, there are more than two political philosophies than Democratic and Republican. Very powerful and unique ideas are offered today by third parties. Write a letter to your Representative, and ask him or her to give more choice to the American voter on election day.

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Uniformity in petitioning laws eases multi-state political campaigns

Ballot Access News reports on the petitioning efforts by the Iowa Green and Libertarian Parties so they can be included in their state's voter registration forms as unqualified parties. This petitioning law is different among many states across the nation.

Each state in the U.S. has it's own set of election laws, and practically every state is unique in that respect. Ballot access rules are different; this makes national petitioning campaigns of minor political parties for several states very difficult over any election cycle.

In these and perhaps other instances, uniformity amongst the states in electoral laws would be preferable to today's variety. Having practically the same petitioning laws across the country, for example, will help the present two-party dominant political system in place today become more competitive. It would also ease the petitioning campaigns of independent presidential candidates seeking ballot access across the country.

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The mandate is there-- no lobbyist campaign contributions!

The Gallup Poll company just concluded a political reform survey about whether presidential candidates should accept campaign contributions from lobbyists. Even though the question was asked in different ways, the vast majority, around 80%, of adults said 'no'. It looks like most respondents, whether Republican, Democrat or Independent, saw the ethical implications of such donations.

If a Congressional candidate accepted financial contributions from a lobbyist, then, if he won, was visited by that same lobbyist about a bill up for a vote, you would see the obvious conflict of interest. Now, take this one step further: if a union paid that lobbyist to work for that bill, the conflict of interest problem would affect the union. So, it is in the interest of the lobbying firm not to not engage in financial campaign contributions if they want to professionally (and ethically) represent their future clients.

Stopping lobbyist "bundling" of financial contributions from others is currently under legislation-- it's awaiting the President's signature for approval. Lobbyist individual contributions, however, continue unabated. Democratic presidential candidates Edwards and Obama have publicly committed to not accepting campaign contributions from lobbyists. Let us hope more candidates see the light and do the same thing soon.

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