Background:

There is no single factor that undermines our democracy more than the influence of big money. Curbs should be put in place, not because our candidates and officials lack integrity, but because the race for campaign cash forces priorities and practices within our system of elections that collide with the very essence of democracy.

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that free speech for corporations trumps legitimate constraints on corporate political spending in the interest of democratic governance,  the issue of fair elections and the role of big money has taken center stage.

• Candidates agree that far too much of their time is spent “dialing for dollars” to a select few rather than talking with a wide range of voters about their beliefs, hopes and needs.
• Endless competition for funds from special interests weakens the role of civic dialogue and corrodes effective governance.
• Pennsylvania is one of only five states that have no contribution limits, no public financing of elections and limited disclosure and filing requirements. Some have likened it to the “Wild West” of electioneering, a free-for-all for raising money that has eroded public confidence and left us with a legislative process that often seems impervious to the voices of average citizens.

The time for change is now. Let's make the political process in Pennsylvania truly accessible to citizens of average means who seek either to run for office themselves or make their voices heard in the corridors of power. Let’s begin with a petition to our legislators calling for an end to the pollution of the political process by financial interests.

Click here to sign The Election Reform Network's petition.