Groups Launching National Campaign for Public Financing of Campaigns

[Terran1212]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0621-01.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 21, 2006
2:22 PM


CONTACT: Common Cause
Mary Boyle [phone]
Rick Bielke [phone]

Reformers Launch National “Voters First” Pledge to Build Support for Public Funding of Congressional Campaigns


WASHINGTON - June 21 - Backed by bipartisan public opinion research showing voters weary of pay-to-play politics, four major national campaign reform organizations on Wednesday launched a campaign to build public and political support for comprehensive public financing of congressional campaigns.

Common Cause, Public Campaign Action Fund, Public Citizen, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG) unveiled their "Voters First" pledge that they will ask all congressional candidates to sign. The pledge includes specific policies to make elections fair for all, restore congressional accountability, and protect voters' right-to-know. Activists will use the pledge in congressional districts across the country to press candidates for federal office to support a comprehensive agenda to clean up Congress.

In addition, pollsters Celinda Lake of Lake Research (D) and Christine Matthews of Bellwether Research (R) unveiled polling showing that many voters are tired of politicians who put the public's interest behind big donors' and lobbyists' agendas. The polling showed that voters are ready to embrace substantive reform that will help put their concerns on the top of the congressional agenda, where they should be. The public opinion experts cautioned candidates to take this issue seriously.