National Civic Summit - Common Cause - Bob Edgar

Fair Elections Now: current opportunities for federal campaign reform Bob Edgar, President & CEO Common Cause

A little about me ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Common Cause ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

2009 ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

And the biggest crisis of 2009

And the biggest crisis of 2009 ,[object Object]

Financial crisis ,[object Object],Organization Lobbying Contributions Total 2007 2008 2007-2008 American Bankers Association $6,171,648 $4,479,157 $2,008,488 $12,659,293 American Financial Services Association $200,000 $100,000 $118,500 $418,500 Bank of America $3,220,000 $2,260,000 $1,677,742 $7,157,742 Citigroup $8,480,000 $3,830,000 $593,501 $12,903,501 Consumer Bankers Association* $2,494,000 $1,238,000 $23,975 $3,755,975 Countrywide Financial Corporation $1,323,000 $706,000 $295,813 $2,324,813 Financial Services Roundtable $6,380,000 $4,360,000 $256,829 $10,996,829 Huntington Bancshares $100,214 $143,483 $112,800 $356,497 Ind. Community Bankers of America $3,428,985 $2,060,000 $694,667 $6,183,652 Mortgage Bankers Association $2,988,387 $2,364,683 $622,175 $5,975,245 Wachovia $1,360,000 $925,000 $662,152 $2,947,152 Total $36,146,234 $22,466,323 $7,066,642 $65,679,199 Source: Center for Responsive Politics

Health care (from “Legislating Under the Influence”) Health industries ’ campaign contributions to Congress, 2000-2008 Year / Industry Health Insurance Health Professionals Health Institutions Pharmaceutical & Health Products Total 2000 $12,904,634 $23,550,535 $6,508,361 $9,636,509 $52,600,039 2002 $12,437,381 $25,972,838 $6,875,944 $9,041,329 $54,327,492 2004 $19,324,441 $39,125,256 $10,723,010 $14,258,163 $83,430,870 2006 $18,709,649 $40,598,829 $11,278,207 $17,857,826 $88,444,511 2008 $20,319,441 $43,367,160 $11,864,268 $18,582,414 $94,133,283 Total $83,695,546 $172,614,618 $47,249,790 $69,376,241 $372,936,195

Climate crisis << Contributions by the energy industries and environmental groups in the 2008 election cycle (in millions)

Why so much money? ,[object Object],[object Object],Because the price of a seat keeps rising Funds raised by winning candidates: House Senate 2006 $1,253,031 $9,635,370 2004 $1,034,224 $7,840,976 2002 $898,184 $5,373,841 2000 $840,300 $7,266,576 1998 $650,428 $5,227,761 1996 $673,739 $4,692,110

Not an easy time to be a member of Congress (or the President) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],+

“ That’s me during ‘call time,’ which is basically what candidates for public office do all day.” - Al Franken, 2007 How to raise it all? (the honest way)

How much call time? ~20 hours a week And that’s not even during “campaign season.”

Our goal: Change the way we finance elections. Get elected officials out of the endless fundraising race so they can do the job we elected them to do.

Public sees it – not just a policy problem, but a trust problem ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

We must change the system ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Citizen funded elections work. ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

“ I got to spend time with voters as opposed to dialing for dollars, or trying to sell tickets to $250-a-plate fundraisers. This was much better.” Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano (D), 2004

Fair Elections Now Act ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Fair Elections Now Act: supporters ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Public support ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Presidential * Model : now parallel to Fair Elections system * White House : likely to be engaged and support (Norm Eisen) Opportunity : work presidential and congressional together Message: similar, plus “if it’s good enough for one, it should be good enough for the other!”

Now what? Make the case ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

What can we do now? ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) (Video)

National Civic Summit - Common Cause - Bob Edgar

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National Civic Summit - Common Cause - Bob Edgar