Which DFL candidate for Governer refuses all PAC and lobbyist money?

[annm4peace]

Don't we wish we could get lobbyist money out of elections?

Yet do we support candidates who reject PAC adn lobbyist money ?



"I am the only candidate for governor who has rejected all PAC and lobbyist money. I have stood up to the insurance companies and pharmaceutical lobby in creating the single-payer Minnesota Health Plan. I will enter the governor's office without being beholden to any special interest group, and will set Minnesota's agenda to serve the public's interest, not the corporation's interests."

"That's why I've led the fight for government ethics and campaign finance reform. In the early 1990s, I passed a major campaign finance reform bill to restrict special interest money in politics. I authored and fought for the law banning lobbyist gifts to politicians. Today, I continue that fight with my legislation to stop the Revolving Door which allows public officials to become lobbyists after leaving office. This critical piece of legislation is on the Minnesota Senate floor now. "

[CubFan7125]

1. Jesse

Jesse Ventura didn't take PAC & lobbyist money. How did that work out? PAC and lobbyist money isn't necessarily bad. You do realize that if that money came out of the elections unions could not give money to the candidates you support. What would happen if some whack job billionaire decided to run and use all his/her own money and nobody could counter him because lobbyists and PAC's could not donate? Caps on donations by PAC's and lobbyists is a much better idea.

[Brickbat]

2. Shaft?

[junkyardbob]

3. Who else?

Mark Dayton.

[dflprincess]

4. John Marty

[Minnesota Raindog]

6. Letter from the Marty campaign

Dear Friend,

People tend to shrug off change in our political process. Money in politics? Corporate lobbyists "fixing" legislation? Some people think it's simply the way our system will always be.

It doesn’t have to be. We can have a different kind of government, a different kind of politics. For two decades, I’ve been working to take money out of politics and restore people’s faith in government. As Governor, I will lead Minnesota in reclaiming democracy for the public interest, not the special Interests.

When Ronald Reagan took office there was a shift in this country, from "government can help us solve our problems," to "government is the problem." Republicans endlessly repeat the rhetoric about the evils of Big Government.

But the real problem today is big corporations. Their money dominates our political process, our news media, and so many other parts of our lives. And now the U.S. Supreme Court has found a problem none of us knew existed -- they think there is not enough corporate money in politics! They ruled corporations can pour unlimited amounts of corporate money directly into our political process. Insurance companies and the pharmaceutical lobby have been spending millions to block health care reform at the federal and state level, and now they have been given the green light to contribute even more.

That's why I've led the fight for government ethics and campaign finance reform. In the early 1990s, I passed a major campaign finance reform bill to restrict special interest money in politics. I authored and fought for the law banning lobbyist gifts to politicians. Today, I continue that fight with my legislation to stop the Revolving Door which allows public officials to become lobbyists after leaving office. This critical piece of legislation is on the Minnesota Senate floor now.

As governor, my Clean Money campaign finance reform plan will be front and center on the state's agenda. We will pass, and I will sign, this legislation, which will be a powerful response to the increasing flow of corporate money to politics as a result of the Supreme Court ruling.

I am the only candidate for governor who has rejected all PAC and lobbyist money. I have stood up to the insurance companies and pharmaceutical lobby in creating the single-payer Minnesota Health Plan. I will enter the governor's office without being beholden to any special interest group, and will set Minnesota's agenda to serve the public's interest, not the corporation's interests.

Corporations are not people. Corporations were originally created to serve the needs of people, not the other way around.

With your help, we can win this race and return our government to the people of Minnesota. Please join me in restoring government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

[ISUGRADIA]

5. But he will

take your individual contribution up to $2000

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. Sure, why not?

But the important thing is that each person gets AT MOST a $2000 "vote."

Back when I lived in Portland, someone got elected to the Metro Council with no contributions over $50. But I bet each of those small contributors voted for him and most likely told their friends to do so, too.

If you want obnoxious and hypocritical, how about the DFL's policy of having annual dinners with all the pols but only people who contribute $2500 get to speak to them personally?

A REALLY Democratic way to do that (since of course, the pols don't have time to talk to everyone) would be to award door prizes. When you checked in for the dinner, you'd put the name of your Congresscritter or the candidate for your district on the ticket stub, and it would go into a box designated for that pol. At the end of the main dinner, they'd draw ten or twenty names for each pol, and then the winners would go off and have coffee and dessert with their Congresscritter or candidate.

[ISUGRADIA]

8. I just found it interesting that he started out his campaign

at $100 limit then changed his tune shortly later.