The American Anti-Corruption Act: Join Randi! Sign Up And Spread The Word

[TruthOut10]

United Republic | Founder - Co-sponsor


Read The American Anti-Corruption Act Here

1. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
PROVISION 1: PROHIBIT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM RAISING FUNDS FROM THE INTERESTS THEY REGULATE AND FROM TAKING ACTIONS TO BENEFIT INTERESTS THAT SPEND HEAVILY TO INFLUENCE THEIR ELECTIONS
1. Prohibit Members of Congress from fundraising from the interests they most directly regulate
 Members of Congress may not solicit contributions, directly or indirectly, in connection with an election for Federal office, including funds for any Federal election activity, from a lobbyist, lobbyist client, a parent or subsidiary of a lobbyist client, or any individual who engages in or directly supervises one or more individuals who engage in lobbying activities on behalf of such lobbyist, lobbyist client, or parent or subsidiary of a lobbyist client, that the Member knows has made a lobbying contact, as that term is defined by the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended, 2. U.S.C. § 1602(8),1 with the Member or his or her congressional office; with another Member or their congressional office with whom the Member serves on a Committee or Subcommittee or any other of division of the House or Senate if such lobbying contact concerns matters pending before such Committee, Subcommittee, or division of the House or Senate; or with any official or employee of any such congressional

https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.unitedrepublic.org/docs/AACA_Full_Provisions.pdf

 

[TruthOut10]

How The American Anti-Corruption Act Will Work


ABOUT THE ACT
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. Mr. Potter was one of the chief architects of the McCain-Feingold law.

The Act would transform how elections are financed, how lobbyists influence politics, and how political money is disclosed. It is a bold, sweeping proposal that would reshape the rules of American politics, and restore ordinary Americans as the most important stakeholders instead of major donors. The Anti-Corruption Act’s provisions enjoy support from progressives and conservatives alike.

Constitutional attorneys confirm that the provisions are constitutional. The Act is being championed by the Represent.Us campaign. Click here to support this campaign.

The American Anti-Corruption Act

 

[g5000]

I am not sure how I feel about this. As a general rule, I am opposed to campaign finance reform. All campaign finance reform of the past 40 years has had zero effect on the re-election rate of incumbents who run for re-election, and have served only to impinge on free speech and create monstrosities in the form of 527s.

Rather than attempt to limit or forbid campaign donations, I prefer to take away the incentives for special interests to provide large quantities of cash to incumbents.

For example, if you removed all tax expenditures from the tax code, and banned all future tax expenditures, then there is no incentive for a special interest to donate to a Congressman to put a loophole in the tax code for them since he is no longer allowed to put loopholes in the tax code.


Besides being a great move for the economy, banning tax expenditures would have the additional benefit of removing vast amounts of campaign cash from the table.


The only incentives for donations remaining after that would be in the area of industry regulations. A special interest would donate money to a candidate who believes in regulating their industry as little as possible.

I'm working on that one.


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