From a UWSA Mail List post:

Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 20:57:34 EDT
From: JDDeWitt@aol.com
Reply-To: cfr@uwsa.com
To: cfr@uwsa.com
Subject: Re: [cfr] FEC SEEKS COMMENTS ON ïSOFT MONEYÍ PROPOSED RULEMAKING
* Please make copies and distribute to as many people as you can A petition for "How can we get More Honest Elections."

To provide for more open and honest elections campaign reform is necessary: In fact, any honest assessment of political campaigns show that if you raise more money you will win. Long gone are the days where a few good speeches will win you elections. We are a media dependent society and information is vital.. Even volunteers cannot overcome better financing.

In Alameda County one candidate for County office with 300 volunteers lost to a better financed one. There can be no exchange of ideas without the funds to aid in there distribution. Tragically, for innovative ideas to be pursued we must be informed and currently political money goes to only the status quo.

An equal tragedy is that less than 50% of the population votes. We need to have a goal of greater participation. Apathy is probably more dangerous to a republic than corruption. If you use the example of Congressman Bill Baker it illustrates that you win until someone else spends more money. There is full reporting now and it has not changed political races. In fact, Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush was reported to be financed by the insurance companies and he won. The voter has a right to an informed choice.

What campaign finance reform will do:

• 1) Free candidates time to address voters and issues.
• 2) Give the voters access to real choice with the voters being informed about the candidates as opposed to most the time having one well financed candidate and one poorly financed. If a candidate has little finances to communicate to the voter and little to no media exposure that candidate will lose.
• 3) Reduce conflict of interest
• 4) Provide the voter with more information to make choices
• 5) Open races to candidates biased on not what financing the person can raise.
• 6) Reduce fraud and laundering of campaign funds

Reforms

• 1) Registered donations in the amount given by citizens are allowed. The supreme court said donations are legal not where they go (the supreme court is wrong donations are not free speech). The funds are pooled and divided among legally qualified candidates.
• 2) The funds are shared among candidates qualified to run. In financially unbalanced races media time would be allowed to provide a equal playing field.
• 3) Regular access to all the media for instance, in the form of public service messages and regular access to newspaper i.e. the media must print information on the opinions of all candidates and provide equal information. All campaign events must be covered by the media.
• 4) Equal access to mailers and candidate statements.

In conclusion (No good is achieved alone): We need the people who have been politically to say what they have learned. These reforms were created by a person who has learned that things must be improved. In the United States participatory democracy means you (we) must all take part. It takes only a little action on your part. You are asked to help us make things better than what we were given. You can two things, one is write the above address and volunteer to help. The second thing is write a check for any amount to "Campaigns without conflict." Please take action by this weekend. You may contact us for more information.

Petition:
Name :________________________________________________________
Address :__________________________________________________________________
Optional Telephone number :(Email address if possible) _______________
I Support these reforms Signed :___________________________________

This paper was created by, Campaigns without Conflict, of interest by Joel DeWitt,
14373 East 14th Street #203 San Leandro, CA 94578
Message number: (510) 914-4745, E-mail Address: jddewitt@aol.com
People who have been politically to say what they have learned. These reforms were created by a person who has learned that things must be improved. In the United States participatory democracy means you (we) must all take part. It takes only a little action on your part.