Obey Renews Call For Fundamental Campaign Fianance Reform

Press Release

Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) today renewed his call for Members of Congress to co-sponsor his campaign reform legislation, the Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act.

"This past January, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission; an outrageous decision which will flood our electoral system with corporate cash. I do not believe that the interests of average working people have a prayer of being represented if that decision is allowed to stand. Therefore, in light of this decision, I am renewing a request for Members to co-sponsor the Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act," Obey sai

Obey introduced the Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act on January 6, 2009. Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Steve Israel (D-NY), Pete Stark (D-CA), and Louise Slaughter (D-NY) joined with Obey as original co-sponsors.

"The Act does not attempt to fine-tune the existing congressional campaign finance system or tweak the edges," Obey added. "It makes fundamental, wholesale changes to the way we raise funds for candidates, and regulate outside groups and the role of political parties."

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It prohibits all private money in general elections for the U.S. House of Representatives.
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It establishes a system of voluntary contributions to provide public financing of campaigns for House candidates in general elections.
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It provides the vast majority of challengers with more funds to mount their campaign than the current system.
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It empowers voters with the knowledge that their vote affects the outcome of the current election and also affects the amount distributed to nominees in future elections.
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It bans all independent expenditures so that only the candidate is responsible for his/her message.
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It provides for expedited consideration of a constitutional amendment allowing these changes if the Supreme Court rejects the plan.
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It provides a process by which third party candidates can also participate in the system.

"Political campaigns aren't going to be financed through Immaculate Conception," Obey concluded. "If the public doesn't want special interests to dominate political campaign contributions then the only logical alternative is for them to take politics back from the special interests by supporting this kind of voluntary public financing. There is no free lunch."

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