Washblog

Photo by Dina Lydia, from the Washington Public Campaigns site (many more available on there.)  From left: John King, WPC Policy Committee Chair; WA Rep. Mark Miloscia; AZ Sen. Ed Ableser, WA Sen.-elect Eric Oemig; WA Rep. Shay Schual-Berke; Keynote Speaker David Sirota; Emcee Ken Alhadeff; WA Sen. Jim Kastama; ME Rep. Linda Valentino.

I attended the Town Hall panel at which Representatives Miloscia and Schual-Berke made the statements quoted above.  As this photo shows, several legislators from Washington, Maine and Arizona spoke -- as well as author David Sirota.  What was most vivid to me about the evening was how Washington legislators directly asked citizens for their help in stemming the tide of special interest money that not only corrupts our system -- but threatens to corrupt each of them.

Pirate TV producer's Ed Mays remarks in his essay below that public financing of campaigns is the most important thing we can do right now to return "real democracy to the USA". In my view, re-establishing election integrity -- so our votes are counted in the way we cast them -- is just as important.  But the two reforms, in conjunction with others that will once again allow the will of the voters to be expressed, must be pursued together because these fatal flaws reinforce each other. There is momentum building here and we may be close to getting public financing of campaigns in Washington state. That would give a major boost to other state efforts across the nation -- and help pave the way for national clean campaigns elections. Strategically, clean elections in Washington would also be a huge advantage for election integrity. Perhaps this is why I saw so many Washington election integrity activists at Town Hall that night.

Washington Public Campaigns is working to establish local chapters in each legislative district.  Tomorrow night my husband and I are hosting a house party for the 47th -- and volunteers in the Bellingham area are hosting one for the 40th and 42nd districts.   Ed Mays' essay captures well the great energy that this movement for clean elections is gathering in Washington. In a time when many of us feel overwhelmed by the flow of special interest money into politics that seems to silence what Senator Kastama referred to as "the wisdom of the voter" -- this movement for clean campaigns gives real hope. We are inside a revolution -- and every person's help will make a difference.  If you are able to organize or become part of a local chapter, contact craig (at) washclean.org, or matthedman (at) washclean.org.

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On the Road to Clean Elections
by Ed Mays of Pirate TV.  See the

Watch the Pirate TV broadcast of the Town Hall event this coming Monday (1/22/07) at 8PM.

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If we are ever to stand a chance of returning real democracy to the USA, the most important thing we can possibly do is eliminate the system of legalized bribery that forces politicians to spend half their time raising big bucks from people with deep pockets.  Then maybe We the People can once again share the privilege of being the ones our elected officials represent.

Two states, Maine and Arizona, have passed public financing into law by Initiative.  Now it's our turn to make history.  Citizens from all over the state have banded together and are organizing to pass public financing into law here in Washington.  They mean business.  They have formed a first-rate organization, named it Washington Public Campaigns washclean.org, and have attracted some high powered activists, political leaders, and esteemed individuals to join the campaign.  The week before last they held a forum and packed the Town Hall.  They flew in some legislators from Maine and Arizona who got elected running with clean money as well as activist/writer David Sirota.  They also invited several of our state Senators and Representatives who also would like the opportunity to run for office without having to beg and feel beholden to big money campaign contributors.  They are going to try to pass this through the legislature first.  If that doesn't succeed, we will pass it by Initiative.  Won't you join us in witnessing this historic, inspiring, and informative event and then carry through by helping us to organize for a democratic revolution?

David Sirota is the author of Hostile Takeover: How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government - and How We Take It Back.  As a former aide to Representative Bernie Sanders who served on the House Appropriations Committee [with Tom Delay and Duke Cunningham] David Sirota had a unique inside viewpoint.  David Sirota also worked for Montana governor Brian Schweitzer, is a senior editor at In These Times, a contributor to The Nation and a regular guest on Al Franken's Air America show.  He is the founder and co chair of the Progressive Legislative Action Network (PLAN), an organization which he set up to push for progressive legislation on a local and state level.

Watch Pirate Television on SCAN Primetime in King County channel 29/77 and online www.scantv.org 8-9 PM PST Pirate Television Challenging the Corporate Media Blockade edmays (at) speakeasy.net