Adapted from an article by Frank Kirkwood
The powerful drug and insurance lobbies that oppose single payer national health insurance used their influence inside Washington to keep single payer “off the table” during the health care debate of 2009. Now, the Supreme Court has ruled that corporations may donate even more to campaigns, further increasing their stranglehold over our democracy. Campaign finance reform could curb the unrestrained growth of corporate influence and help restore our democracy.
The Fair Elections Now Act (H.R.1826 and S.752) would establish a system of public funding for congressional candidates. Qualifying candidates would be provided with public funding matching their private contributions, as long as they agree to take no contribution larger than $100. Passage of this bill would provide members of Congress and those seeking to challenge an incumbent with an alternative source of campaign funding. H.R.1826 already has over 125 co-sponsors.
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that corporations are free to donate corporate money in support of or in opposition to candidates for office, it is absolutely necessary that every candidate for Congress have available to them an alternative source of campaign money sufficient to make themselves known to the voters, make their positions known to the voters, and to be able to respond to attacks.
How can Single-Payer supporters support the Fair Elections Now Act?
1. If your member of the House of Representatives is a co-sponsor of H.R. 676 but not yet a co-sponsor of H.R. 1826 (see table below), call them and ask them to co-sponsor HR1826. Reducing corporate control of our Congress will help advance the cause of real health care reform.
2. If your members of Congress are not co-sponsors of H.R. 676 or S. 703, see if they are already co-sponsors of the Fair Elections Now Act here in the House and Senate If not, ask them to co-sponsor legislation in support of single payer and campaign finance reform, for the health of the nation and the health of our democracy. Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121
In the left column are the 88 House members who are co-sponsors of H.R. 676 (listed in alphabetical order.)
The majority of them are also co-sponsors of H.R. 1826, the Fair Elections Now Act.
If your representative has not yet become a co-sponsor of H.R. 1826, please contact them and urge them to do so.
Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 or use a toll-free number.
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Cosponsors of HR676: |
Cosponsors of H.R.1826: |
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Neil Abercrombie [D-HI1] |
Neil Abercrombie [D-HI1] |