Why Is The Fat Cat" Ed Fritz of The NAB" sheding tears!!!
Low Power FM Broadcasting
LPFM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking FCC Community Broadcast
Service,For Woman,Blacks,and Minoritys!Pass LPFM Approve It.
MM Docket 99-25
Dear Honorable Senators and Congressman:
Dear Honorable Chairman Kennard FCC:
"CLEAN MONEY, CLEAN ELECTIONS ACT" RE-INTRODUCED
IN CONGRESS:
Public Campaign Joined by a Broad, Diverse Group In Support of
the Bills
WASHINGTON Illustrating the breadth of support for far-reaching
campaign
finance reform, leaders from all different political
persuasions and associations
joined with Public Campaign in supporting the "Clean Money,
Clean Elections" bills
introduced today in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of
Representatives. The
Senate bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and
John Kerry
(D-MA). The House bill is sponsored by Rep. John Tierney
(D-MA).
The "Clean Money, Clean Elections" bills would provide
candidates who voluntarily
forego private contributions and agree to strict spending
limits with fixed and equal
financing from a publicly-financed clean elections fund.
Similar legislation has been
enacted through ballot initiatives in Arizona, Maine, and
Massachusetts; Vermont
passed it through the state legislature.
"It is a testament to the urgent need to take big money out of
our politics that such
a diverse group joins us today in supporting the Clean
Elections bills," said Public
Campaign Executive Director Ellen Miller. "Lawmakers here in
Washington, as well
as legislators out in the states, should take notice of what
this group is saying -- the
kind of comprehensive reform embodied in the 'Clean Money,
Clean Elections' bills
is the ultimate goal, and nothing short of it is acceptable."
In addition to Members of Congress, leaders from across the
spectrum voiced their
support for "Clean Money, Clean Elections." Joining Public
Campaign in supporting
the legislation are: Antonia Hernandez, executive director of
the Mexican American
Legal Defense and Education Fund; Carl Pope, president of the
Sierra Club;
conservative political analyst Arianna Huffington; former
Republican Member of
Congress, 1980 presidential candidate, and co-chair of Public
Campaign's National
Advisory Board John Anderson; and Rabbi David Saperstein of the
Religious
Action Center.
"Today's campaign finance system is a threat to America's
democratic values of
fairness and equality. Special-interest money carries too much
weight, at a
tremendous cost to ordinary taxpayers," said John Anderson.
"We need an election process that decreases the role of money
in politics, and
increases public participation and trust in politics," added
Carl Pope. "Only then,
through decreasing politicians' dependence on campaign
contributors and focusing
on publicly-financed elections, can we improve the long-term,
best interests of the
entire nation."
Clean Money holds the greatest promise for making issues and
ideas -- not money
-- the determining factor in who can run and compete for
office. Moreover, Clean
Money has attracted many supporters because it will allow
certain constituencies,
which have traditionally been disenfranchised because of the
money chase, to more
fully participate in America's democratic system.
"Our current system of financing political campaigns excludes
many people,
including Latinos, from fully participating in the political
process because they do
not have vast financial resources," said Antonia Hernandez.
"Clean Money
Campaign Reform will help to change this, and enhance democracy
for all of us."
"From churches and synagogues across the nation, we hear that
campaign finance
reform is not an esoteric technical issue of election
regulations but one that goes to
the essence of the ethical and moral life of our nation," Rabbi
David Saperstein said
in agreement. "'Clean Money, Clean Elections' is a real
solution to the ethical
challenges of today's campaign finance system."
While the chances of Congress passing truly comprehensive
reforms in the near
future are dim, supporters of the Clean Money-style reforms are
buoyed by the
grassroots action in the states. Four states passed Clean Money
reform, and
organizations in another 40-plus states are working towards
passage, either by ballot
initiative or through the legislature.
"The 'Clean Money, Clean Elections' Act is a much-needed
response to the
takeover of our political system by special interests that are
not only driving Mack
trucks through the loopholes in the existing laws, but
determining much of our
national agenda," said Arianna Huffington.
The sponsors of the bills in Congress echoed the sentiments of
the broad group
supporting their efforts.
"Too many Americans believe that a small but wealthy and
powerful elite controls
the levers of government through a political process which
rewards big donors -- a
system in which you have to pay to play," said Sen. Wellstone.
"Why do you think
corporate welfare has barely been nicked, but welfare for the
poor and needy in this
country has been gutted? The not-so-invisible hand of corporate
PACs and
well-heeled lobbyists, and huge corporate soft money
contributions can be seen
most openly here."
"The ability of vested interests to overwhelm the broader
public interest through the
current campaign finance system underscores the compelling need
for
comprehensive reform," added Rep. Tierney. "That's what the
'Clean Money,
Clean Elections' bill offers and I am proud to be its chief
sponsor in the House."
Public Campaign is a non-profit, non-partisan organization
working on behalf of
comprehensive campaign finance reform.
Date: 5/14/99
From: Mr.Joseph D'Alessandro
94 Angola Estates
Lewes,Delaware 19958
302-945-1554challenges of today's campaign finance system."
While the chances of Congress passing truly comprehensive
reforms in the near
future are dim, supporters of the Clean Money-style reforms are
buoyed by the
grassroots action in the states. Four states passed Clean Money
reform, and
organizations in another 40-plus states are working towards
passage, either by ballot
initiative or through the legislature.
"The 'Clean Money, Clean Elections' Act is a much-needed
response to the
takeover of our political system by special interests that are
not only driving Mack
trucks through the loopholes in the existing laws, but
determining much of our
national agenda," said Arianna Huffington.
The sponsors of the bills in Congress echoed the sentiments of
the broad group
supporting their efforts.
"Too many Americans believe that a small but wealthy and
powerful elite controls
the levers of government through a political process which
rewards big donors -- a
system in which you have to pay to play," said Sen. Wellstone.
"Why do you think
corporate welfare has barely been nicked, but welfare for the
poor and needy in this
country has been gutted? The not-so-invisible hand of corporate
PACs and
well-heeled lobbyists, and huge corporate soft money
contributions can be seen
most openly here."
"The ability of vested interests to overwhelm the broader
public interest through the
current campaign finance system underscores the compelling need
for
comprehensive reform," added Rep. Tierney. "That's what the
'Clean Money,
Clean Elections' bill offers and I am proud to be its chief
sponsor in the House."
Public Campaign is a non-profit, non-partisan organization
working on behalf of
comprehensive campaign finance reform.
Date: 5/14/99
From: Mr.Joseph D'Alessandro
94 Angola Estates
Lewes,Delaware 19958
302-945-1554
Subject:Member # 8512 7568 1596 4858 ACLU