Sign our petition to Get Money Out of Politics at www.GetMoneyOut.com

Question: If no person or corporation can spend money on elections, how will elections be funded?

Answer: we do not attempt in this amendment to determine how federal campaigns will be funded post-passage.  Instead, we cut off the Supreme Court’s ability to strike down previous attempts to reign in campaign fundraising abuses by taking away the argument that money is speech as interpreted from the First Amendment by the high Court.  A likely scenario would be that Congress would establish a federal campaign fund to finance elections.  For example, a presidential campaign fund already exists. There are myriad ways to establish and stock such a fund many of which do not cost the taxpayer a single dime.  This could include auctioning the airwaves among other things.  In the end though we aren’t trying to tell Congress what it should do once it “sobers up”. Instead, we are simply attempting to get Congress off of its addiction to money.

Question: Why is this important?

Answer: With Congress at an approval rating of 13%, with a federal deficit of over $14 trillion, and with our country engaged in two wars, the American people are clearly fed up.  Washington DC doesn’t debate policy anymore.  Instead it spends a majority of its time beating each other, tearing each other up, and raising money to do it.  A typical Member of Congress attends a breakfast, lunch, and dinner fundraiser every single calendar day they’re in Washington.  That’s at the expense of meeting with constituents, or legislating on the Floor if each Chamber, or working with a President to move policy that helps the American people.  Most would agree that money in politics isn’t healthy.  And it doesn’t matter what the amount of money is.  An 82 year old grandmother giving a $25 donation to her Senator expects him/her to vote her way.  A 45 year old billionaire giving a $25 million donation to an “independent” political action committee or not-for-profit committee expects his/her money to be used for or against a certain Senator or Congressman or President.  Either amount, there’s an implied quid pro quo that comes with that donation and that is corrupting.  Again, I suspect the the 87% of the American people who think Congress is broken most likely agree that the system needs to be cleaned up.  That’s why this is so important.

Question: Can SuperPACs spend on campaigns?

Answer: Not under this amendment; the amendment specifically disallows outside spending for or against a candidate for federal office.

Question: Does this amendment allow foreign governments to spend money on US elections?

Answer: This amendment specifically prohibits foreign entities of any type from spending or donating money to any candidate for federal office.

Question: I’ve worked on a lot of political campaigns (large & small) & they’ve all required at least some $$.  How does your plan work?

Answer: see question one.