Senator Bennet's reply to my letter.

Here is the reply I received from Senator Bennet regarding campaign finance reform.  I am amazed at how he didn't even have the decency to acknowledge lobbyist reform.

from Michael Bennet, US Senator for Colorado to ravenlaughing@gmail.com date Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 8:12 AM subject A message from Senator Michael Bennet mailed-by bennet.senate.gov

hide details Jan 27 (9 days ago)

Dear Jeremy:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Fair Elections Now Act of 2009 (S. 752). I
appreciate hearing from you.

Let me begin by saying that I am open to re-evaluating our current campaign finance
laws. I believe any changes to existing laws must strive to promote fairness,
transparency, and integrity in our federal election process. 

As you may know, S. 752 was introduced by Senator Durbin and would amend the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to allow House and Senate candidates
the choice to run for office through publically funded campaigns. Through a mixture of
base subsidies, matching funds, and broadcast vouchers, the only limit to funding would
be the number of individual $100 contributions that the public funding would match with
$400 dollars, donated per election within the district or state. 

Critics of current campaign finance laws believe that the ever growing costs of running a
campaign and the resulting reliance on wealthy donors, groups and committees to
finance campaigns have undermined the integrity and transparency of the electoral
system. Those wishing to reform campaign finance laws with efforts such as S. 752 claim
the candidates would be freed from constant fundraising and be able to better focus on
the needs of the people they seek to represent. Supporters maintain that by replacing
private funds with public money, the corrupting influence of large private contributions
could be lessened somewhat. 

Opponents of public financing question whether real or apparent corruption from private
fundraising is as serious a problem as critics claim. They argue that public financing would
be an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars and would allocate taxpayer dollars to
candidates they do not support. 

Currently, S. 752, the Fair Elections Now Act, has been referred to the Senate Committee
on Rules and Administration. Although I am not a member of this Committee, should this
legislation reach the full Senate I will keep your thoughts in mind. 

I value the input of fellow Coloradans in considering the wide variety of important issues
and legislative initiatives that come before the Senate. I hope you will continue to inform
me of your thoughts and concerns.

For more information about my priorities as a U.S. Senator, I invite you to visit my
website at http://bennet.senate.gov/. Again, thank you for contacting me.


Sincerely,

Michael Bennet
United States Senator

An Open Letter To Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO)

Senator Bennet,  


I am writing to ask you to speak out for and sponsor legislation to reform campaign finance. Now is the time to speak up for public funding of elections. Now is the time to remove the corruption of lobbyist money from Washington.


Sir, I must ask why we have laws to regulate the buying and selling of influence in Congress. Shouldn't influence peddling be banned? Now is the time!  


I am disheartened by the fact that on your contact form under message topic, you do not have a choice for campaign finance and election reform. I am also disappointed when I look you up on www.opensecrets.org.  


Senator, the only way we can remove the stranglehold of the corporations and war fascists is to completely remove the influence of money from elections and Congress. It's the least Congress can do since you can't seem to get things done for the people. We are still waiting for comprehensive health care reform, wall street regulation, and the closing of Gitmo. We still haven't been able to seek justice for those who our country has wronged with torture and illegal detention.  


Sir, I strongly urge you to take a strong public stand against this new form of corporate feudalism. I signed your petition to take a stand. If we fail in this then we may have to go to the streets.  


Thank You,  
Rev. Jeremy Cook 

http://world-freedom-advocate.blogspot.com/


This letter was sent directly to Senator Bennet from USA.Gov on 22 January 2010


Senator Bennet's petition: www.BennetForColorado.com/democracy.

For Sale: The American People!

Wow, the Supreme Court just stuck it to the American People today when they ruled that corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money in election campaigns.  The 5-4 decision effectively gave corporations the power to buy Congress.  The court ruled that corporations have the same free speech rights as citizens.  We should all be concerned by this.  The people have been sold to the corporations.  Welcome back feudalism.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Massachusetts

Below is an email I received from Mitch Stewart at Organizing for America.  It is a donation request, but I couldn't help myself and my reply follows.




On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 7:09 PM, Mitch Stewart, BarackObama.com  wrote:

Jeremy --

Yesterday's disappointing election results show deep discontent with the pace of change. I know the OFA community and the President share that frustration.

We also saw what we knew to be true all along: Any change worth making is hard and will be fought at every turn. While it doesn't take away the sting of this loss, there is no road to real change without setbacks along the way.

We could have simply sought to do things that were easy, that wouldn't stir up controversy. But changes that aren't controversial rarely solve the problem.

Our country continues to face the same fundamental challenges it faced yesterday. Our health care system still needs reform. Wall Street still needs to be held accountable. We still need to create good jobs. And we still need to continue building a clean energy economy.

The President isn't walking away from these challenges. In fact, his determination and resolve are only stronger. We must match that commitment with our own.

But it won't be easy. Real change never is. For that reason, I am grateful you're part of this fight with us.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart

Director

Organizing for America

_________________________________________________________________________



Mitch,

I appreciate the letter and the fight the President is facing.  I am disappointed at the state of politics in this nation.  As my family and I do our yearly review and set our goals and resolutions, we find that we are really no better off than we were a year ago.  I have had to take my dog to the vet twice in the last week.  I have had to get new glasses and have significant dental work in the last couple of months.  I have more dental work coming.  I have insurance, but it is a high deductible plan.  I am still broke.

I am late on my mortgage for the first time in nine months.  We dug out on our own, because Bank of Amerika won't work with us to lower our interest rate.  I haven't had a pay raise in four years.  With rising benefit costs, I am taking home less pay than 4 years ago.  We have been wavering on whether to walk away from our mortgage and let Bank of Amerika suck it up.

I am becoming disillusioned with the whole corrupt political process in this country.  Our government has become so divided that we can't get anything done except help the people of Haiti.  When the fuck do we help those out at home.  Don't get me wrong my family has made donations to help Haiti, but there is a big problem with homeless here in Colorado Springs.  The local news portrays the homeless as criminals who are beneath human dignity.  When I drive by the homeless camps in town, I see families in tents as well as the more traditional stereotype of homelessness.  Many of these folks are veterans who have served this country honorably only to slip through the cracks to be dishonored.  Our local idiot representative Doug Lamborn politicizes the homeless problem in Colorado Springs and uses it to argue against health care and the rest of the President's agenda.  When I asked Mr. Lamborn at a town hall meeting recently how much money he had taken from the insurance and health care sectors, he replied that he wasn't sure, and didn't have exact numbers, but figured it was around $5000.  I am sure he would not be surprised to know that it was nearly $200,000.

I read comments all over online from tea baggers who are just as deluded as the politicians who think they will be able to hold power and influence if they continue to not do the business of the American people.  Every issue that is debated in Washington is influenced by millions of dollars of lobby money and other kickbacks.  We have rules to regulate the buying of influence in Congress and other offices, when we should have laws disallowing such practices.  When do the American people crawl out from under the weight of the greed mongers and corporate robber barons who are polluting, poisoning, killing, and robbing this country.

The criminals in Washington are not just the Republicans, but Democrats as well.  As long as money changes hands to help people get elected and/or get votes in Congress, we the people will still be fucked.  As long as the money continues to change hands from corporations, industries, and other lobbying groups to politicians and other officials, then we will never get meaningful health care reform, climate protection, or economic stability.  I have only a high school education, and I can see that the math doesn't add up.

Mitch, I urge you to urge the President to call for lobby and election reform in Washington.  If the President uses his platform to call for removing the corrupting influence of money from the election process and the lawmaking process, I believe the rest of the elected riff raff will have to fall in line.  I am sure this would be highly unpopular with said riff raff.  I am sure those who have the most to say also have the most to lose.  This needs to happen soon in this country or there will be dire consequences.  As I often say, I am getting my rock collection ready.  Want to see my Palestinian impression?

Look, I am no angel.  I made many mistakes in my life, including a couple of felonies.  I did my time, and live with the stigma of being an ex-con.  This is my cross to bear. I have since put my life together and worked to become a productive member of society.  I am proud to be an American, and I want to have hope for this country, but it ebbs a little each day.  While my family and I struggle each day to survive and do right, the corporations and their elected puppets get away with murder.  It is time for this to end.

Thank you,

--
Jeremy Cook

World Freedom Advocate Blog

Wodhof Urban Farmstead Blog

On Twitter:  @Ravenlaughing

One can reason with ignorance, but it is futile to argue with stupidity.

Decriminalize Common Sense Blog Is Now World Freedom Advocate

I'm excited to announce that I am changing the name of this blog. For several months now I have been searching for a new name for this blog. As I sit and watch the Iranian people stand up against their dictatorship for freedom and the same universal rights we some times take for granted, I was inspired with this new name.  I want people in the United States to speak up to their elected officials, but I firmly believe we should be showing our support to those who want to bring freedom and democracy to their countries.  I believe it is our duty to support the people of Iran as they struggle for freedom.  Only they can bring us a stable Iran that wants to play nice in the world once again.  Remember we believe that the current regime in Iran is on track to making nuclear weapons.  With a free and democratic Iran this scenario is likely to change.  We must support a free and democratic Iran/Persia.  These people want their universal right to expression and to peacefully petition their government.  The in turn are given violence and brutality.  It is time for the theocracy in Iran to fall.

This is the inspiration for the new name.  I look to post links and ways to interact with freedom lovers, freedom fighters, and world governments and other advocacy groups.  Please stay tuned and visit regularly.

Heavy Metal In Bagdhad

This hour and a half documentary about Baghdad's only heavy metal group is a moving piece that gives us American civilians a look at what life is really like in Iraq right now. If you are a fan of heavy metal, this is a must see movie.

Keith Olbermann Special Comment On Health Care Reform

Please take the time to watch this very important piece by Keith Olbermann of MSNBC. I have written an open letter to the President which is in the following post. Please take the time to write your elected officials and express your thoughts about meaningful health care reform and other much needed reform.

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

To see how much money your elected officials take in from special interests, please visit OpenSecrets.org and follow the links to find your elected officials. You might be surprised at what you find.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy