Dialing For Dollars

THREE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES LAUNCH NATIONWIDE NO SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY WEBSITE

On July 4, 1776, fifty-six brave Americans signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia declaring their independence from the chains of servitude to the King. In keeping with this "Spirit of '76" three congressional candidates, from two different states and from both major parties, have declared their independence from the chains of special interest money, political action committees, big private donors and lobbyists.

Vying for the opportunity to serve in the 111th Congress, the three candidates have launched a new nationwide website (www.Spirit1776.com) that will revolutionize politics and help grassroots candidates reach out to American voters and raise funds directly from the people.

The three candidates, two republicans and one democrat, are sending a clear message to Washington that candidates serious about making changes and wanting to restore the people's trust in the government need to put the people in their district first by refusing to take money from any special interest groups, political
action committees, big private donors and lobbyists.

Spirit1776.com is a nonpartisan website and its current members are actively seeking other congressional candidates from around the country, from any party, who will also agree not to accept contributions from influential special interest and PAC groups, as well as from power donors.

To be listed on this new national website, congressional candidates must agree to limit the amount of money they will accept from individuals to $76 (in the Spirit of '76). They must also agree to limit the solicitation of contributions to within the geographical boundaries of their respective congressional districts and to the internet.

The three candidates, Morris Guller (D) from NY-20CD, Paul Swiderski (R) from PA-10CD, and John Wallace (R) from NY-20CD, believe that the American people are tired of the influence big money has on federal elected officials and have set out to prove that federal elections can be won based solely on the support of individual American citizens, as was intended by our forefathers.

For more information, please visit www.spirit1776.com.

MEDIA CONTACT IN NEW YORK:

MORRIS GULLER
Email: gullercongress@aol.com
Tel: 845-688-7838

JOHN WALLACE
Email: john@voteforwallace.com
Tel: 518-392-7062

MEDIA CONTACT IN PENNSYLVANIA:

PAUL SWIDERSKI
Email: paul@abetternepa.org
Tel: 570-574-6070

The answer to "Why should taxpayers be forced to underwrite political ambitions" is that if "we the people" don't, wealthy individuals and special interest groups will, which of course is what happens now. In truth it's not a matter of being "forced;" it's about "wanting to" and "getting to" provide this impartial funding so that we as voters can take back control of our political process and ensure that public officials are accountable to us instead of whatever private interest group or wealthy individual paid for their last campaign. Besides, what taxpayers save on all the legislative favors we'll no longer get stuck paying for will fund the public financing system many times over. It should be called the "Taxpayer Relief Act."

This idea of reforming our political system has been going on for decades now and with each ???reform???, we see less and less turnover in our elected officials and more and more cookie cutter candidates from each political party. In a quest to throw the money lenders from the temple of politics these do-gooders have stomped on free speech rights and rendered our political system more dysfunctional than ever.

Third party candidates, unless they are super rich need not apply ??? even then the rules have been carefully stacked to stop these ???interlopers??? from intruding into our political system, except perhaps as mere sideshows. Any real challenge to the status quo will run afoul of the fact that limits on campaign contributions which each of the major parties to their main source of support, the Christian right, unions, trial lawyers etc. They provide the boots on the ground and candidates are truly beholden to their priorities. There are few alternate routes to money and resources. A few rich donors could allow a dark horse candidate to challenge the status quo (like what Reagan did, Eugene McCarthy against Johnson), but this is no longer tolerated.

The Supreme Court ruling that money does not equal free speech is one of those signature fiascos a??? la Dred Scott. Sure you are free to speak in this country, but money that would allow you to be heard is not part of the equation. Money is the medium though which political speech must pass just as much as the air, only it functions over longer distances.

Public financing of our elected officials is another step in the wrong direction. Who shall make the decisions on which candidates are funded? One thing is certain to happen: major political parties will rest even more comfortably with fewer challenges to their position. Anna Quinland???s rhapsody about Lincoln???s traveling the country delivering speeches from railcars and in the streets has as much applicability today as his style of stove pipe hats. What we need is more diversity of candidates ??? not the current crop running for president. There should be reporting requirements so we know who is funding them. This process of starving the beast has only resulting in politicians continuously searching for their next meal.

Our current political system is broken. Our forefathers never envisioned that our elected officials would have to beg for money to finance their election campaigns. The result being that they sell their influence and efforts to the highest bidder. This is not a democratic problem or a republican problem. It is a systemic problem. Our elected officials have one over-riding interest, an interest above all others. That interest is in getting re-elected. To do this they have to have money, lots of money. The money comes from organized groups and lobbyist that have a particular agenda, Their intest is in obtaining the maximum amount of money from me and you. The regular american citizen, people who pay their bills, pay their taxes and wonder "how in the hell did things get so screwed up?" The answer to that question is this: Our present political system requires it. Our senators and congressmen have to dance on the string of their campaign contributors. These organizations consists of trial lawyers, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, oil companies, electric utilities, auto companies. Their interest is in maximizing their corporate profits. To do that they enlist the help of our senators and representatives to makes laws, rules and regulation that benefit these companies and groups, but end up harming the un-organized regular american citizen. Are you happy with your insurance rates? Are you happy with your cost of perscriptions? Are you happy with the cost of gasoline? your electric bill? TYour health care/hospital costs? These exorbitant costs that we have come to accept; are the result of regulations that were instituted by congress to benefit special interest and organizations, and at the expense of the American people. The way to get our elected officials to do the business of the American people, is to have public financing of campaigns, so that they are beholden to us, and not to the monied special interest. Just $6 is a good start. Hopefully the American people will realize that they are not helpless. That there is a way to get out of this mess we are in. Public financing of campaigns is an idea that will catch on, and hopefully make a positive change in our current political system.

Yes, it is harder and harder to maintain any belief in the honesty of a system of elections, where "dialing for dollars" is a major talent required for gaining "electability." Witness declining rates of voting; more and more of us are giving up in frustration and finding better use of our time than participating in this "performance" of democracy.