END CORPORATE RULE

from Vicki Racine
At the April Conference Call for the End Corporate Rule Issue Team, PDA endorsed the American Anti-corruption Act. I hope you'll go to http://represent.us/cosponsor/9374 and become a co-sponsor of the Act, joining what will be one million citizens by the end of 2013. We already have more than 360,000 signatures.This is the one piece of legislation that can bring our federal government back to the people. If you ask the man (or woman) on the street why Congress can?t get anything done, he (or she) will almost certainly blame it on money?the huge sums that corporations and their lobbyists sluice through Capitol Hill every day. No matter what your favorite cause is?cutting military spending, saving the environment, improving transportation, reforming education, reducing health care costs?you won?t get it done because of money?corruption. And if it?s not campaign money that?s offered, it?s the opportunity of a high-paying job in a lobbying firm. So Congressional corruption is the gateway issue. Until we fix this problem, we?ll make no progress anywhere else. The American Anti-corruption Act will fix it. The Act was crafted by former Federal Election Commission chairman Trevor Potter in consultation with dozens of strategists, democracy reform leaders, and constitutional attorneys from across the political spectrum. It would transform how elections are financed, how lobbyists influence politics, and how political money is disclosed. It?s a sweeping proposal that would reshape the rules of American politics, and restore ordinary Americans as the most important stakeholders instead of the major donors. The Act enjoys support from progressives and conservatives alike. Constitutional attorneys confirm that the provisions are constitutional. The Act is being championed by the Represent.Us campaign. Read the actual 11-page bill here. Questions About the Act? Please Call 855-585-8100. Why Not A Constitutional Amendment? We wish our friends at MoveToAmend well, but we think a constitutional amendment won?t do the job because it won?t cover all the details of lobbying and bundling, and an amendment will require a 2/3 vote in each house of congress and then ratification by 38 states! What Are the Provisions of AACA? 1) Prohibit congresspersons from soliciting contributions from the interests they regulate. 2) Expand the definition of and register ALL lobbyists. 3) Toughen rules regarding coordination between Super PACS and campaigns. 4) Empower voters by creating a $100 tax rebate for contributions to candidates. 5) Require disclosure of names of ?bundlers.? 6) Close the lobby ?revolving door? by instituting a 7 year moratorium on transfers of personnel to lobbies. 7) Limit lobbyist donations to candidates, parties, and committees. 8) Require full and fast disclosure of funding sources for all political ads. 9) Enforce the rules. Strengthen the Federal Elections Commission and the congressional ethics enforcement processes. What?s The Plan? Become a ?sponsor? at http://represent.us/cosponsor/9374