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There's all kinds of talk about 2008 being a "big change" election.
The first change we need to fight for: an election process that's fair, open, and free of corruption -- one that produces results the American people can trust. That ought to be a given in a well-established democracy like ours. But with recent elections scarred by electronic voting machine failures, unconscionable plots to deceive and harass voters, and ongoing efforts to throw barriers in the path of voters exercising their right to vote, we can't just assume that the 2008 elections will be conducted fairly and freely.
Common Cause is putting its energy, commitment and expertise into an all-out drive to:
* Insist on voter-verified paper records.
* Pass public financing in at least five more states.
* Expose abuse of power and corruption.
* Fight to keep the Internet free and open.
Only by achieving these objectives can we make 2008 an election year worthy of democracy's promise.
Get It Straight in 2008: Safeguard the Vote
We can't afford to have another election called into question because of electronic voting machines.
In the 2006 elections, Florida's 13th district was marred by controversy as 18,000 votes were lost due to error or tampering with the electronic voting machines. The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (HR 811) would require a voter-verifiable paper record of every ballot cast, and mandatory audits of voting machines. By passing it, Congress can mandate that safeguards be placed on electronic voting machines to ensure their accuracy and guarantee secure elections. It's the only way we can make sure that no vote is ever lost again.
But, this crucially important bill has been held up in the House of Representatives for months. And freeing it up - insisting on an immediate vote - is one of the top priorities of our Get It Straight in 2008 action plan.
Get It Straight in 2008: Change the Way we Finance Campaigns
As we are already seeing in the 2008 elections, political campaigns can often deteriorate into an all-consuming money chase. What's worse, the dominating influence of wealthy special interests in the funding of campaigns erodes public trust in our political system and discourages political participation.
If we want real change, we've got to end a system that gives those who contribute large amounts to campaigns undue access to lawmakers and untoward influence on legislation. The way it works now, on a whole range of issues - from environment to healthcare to taxes - we see corporations and wealthy individuals benefiting at the expense of all Americans.
That's why we're pressing for reforms that will bring government back to the people by reducing the influence of wealthy special interests, expanding public funding of campaigns and encouraging candidates to seek funding from a broader base of small contributors.
We will work to Get It Straight In 2008 by:
• Pushing hard for passage of the Fair Elections Now Act -- powerful reform legislation to stop the money chase by providing public campaign funding for Congressional candidates who agree to strict spending limits and to only accept small contributions from individuals
• Pressing candidates to make a strong commitment to public financing.
• Issuing timely reports alerting the media and the public to special interest efforts to influence the outcome of the 2008 elections
• Working to pass public financing reforms in at least five more states.
We can't tolerate any longer the distorting impact on democracy of our current campaign financing system. And we most certainly can't tolerate law-breaking corruption that too often stems from the demand to constantly raise money for the next re-election campaign.
Get It Straight in 2008: Keep the Internet Free and Open
The Internet is our most democratic medium. It has grown exponentially, fueled innovation and altered how we communicate. It's even changed the way we participate in politics. Citizens are using the Internet to engage more directly with their elected officials, and to get news and information from a wider variety of sources.
But this digital Renaissance could be cut short if we allow media giants to privatize our Internet. They want to change the way the 'Net operates -- from an open and free-flowing medium into a closed system where only the websites and services that could afford to pay hefty fees would continue to operate as they always had. Everyone else - nonprofits, small businesses, bloggers, artists, political candidates, etc. - might find their websites more difficult to find or use. That would be a disaster for our economy, our culture and our democracy.
We must send a strong messsage to the Federal Communications Commission and our elected leaders to Get It Straight in 2008. That means acting swiftly and decisively to protect "net neutrality" - the longstanding principle that prevents discrimination and preserves freedom of speech on the Internet.
