Americans Take Action - we'll be featured on TYT

[marym625]

We're doing something that's never been done in the State of California and this is just the first state we'll do it in.

We are getting a proposition on the ballot using "A Small Act of Democracy" Besides getting a proposition on the ballot with unpaid canvassers, powered completely by unpaid volunteers, we're launching the video,

People can print their own petitions at home and mail them in to our State Director, Alison Hartson. Alison is also a brand new DUer (please play nice)

The California FREE Act, Fair Reform for Equality in Elections, makes it legal to have publicly funded elections in the State of California.

If you are in California, please go to[blockquotecaFREEact] and sign our petition. Bring some to your Thanksgiving gathering and get everyone to sign. Volunteer with us on the site Volunteer

If you have friends or family in California, please tell them about this Small Act for Democracy and send them the link above.

We're helping Bernie Sanders get money out of politics at the state level. Please join our campaign, wherever you are by clicking here Wolf-Pac and click on your state.

#caFREEact
#FeelTheBern
#Bernie2016

[arcane1]

1. Can I share this video on Facebook?

[marym625]

2. PLEASE!!! Share everywhere!

[arcane1]

5. Done!

[marym625]

6. You're so awesome!

Thank you!

[arcane1]

7. You're the one rolling into town and giving speeches at city hall!

[marym625]

8. ha!

That's the way we Bernie supporters roll!

[Omaha Steve]

3. K&R!

[marym625]

4. Thank you, Steve!

[Alison Hartson]

9. We're making history - fixing corporate corruption - saving democarcy

Great post, Mary!

Everyone, please do feel free to share, like, comment, be part of making this go viral!

Not only are we going to overturn the ban on democracy (aka the ban on publicly funded elections) in California, we're also changing the way propositions are done by making this 1-part canvassing and 1-part Youtube campaign. We don't need $2 million dollars to get a proposition on the ballot. We just need your signature. Your voice. Help us save democracy by participating in it.

[marym625]

10. Thank you, Alison

Truly do excited to see this spreading across the internet!

[rhett o rick]

11. I've signed the petition in Washington the State. nm

[marym625]

12. Awesome, Rhett!

Thank you!

[rhett o rick]

14. Thanks for the OP.

[marym625]

16. It's so great to see people care!

[WillyT]

13. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[marym625]

15. Thank you, Willy!

#FeelTheBern

[merrily]

17. K & R Thanks, mary

[marym625]

18. Thank you, merrily

[merrily]

19. My pleasure!

[aspirant]

20. Details please

Does this mean you will have publicly funded elections exclusively or alongside with corporate and party funded (DNC,DSCC,DCCC) candidates?

How much money will be given to the public funded candidate/election cycle?

[marym625]

22. Thank you for asking, aspirant.

Right now, in California, due to the fact that in 1988 prop 73 passed, publicly funded elections are illegal. The proposition was put up against prop 68 in the same year. Prop 68 and 73 had very similar wording. This was done intentionally to confuse voters. And it worked.

California voters next faced major campaign finance reform, when two competing measures appeared on the June 1988 ballot. Both measures limited campaign contributions for state candidates, but Proposition 68 also sought to create a voluntary public financing system for state legislative candidates, while Proposition 73 banned public funding of campaigns. Both propositions passed, but since they were in direct conflict, the one with more YES votes, Proposition 73, went into effect, and none of Proposition 68 went into effect.

https://cavotes.org/vote/election/2010/february/16/ballot-measure/political-reform-act-1974-california-fair-elections-ac/more

Prop 73, in part,

Prohibited sending newsletters or other mass mailings at public expense.
Prohibited public officials using and candidates accepting public funds for the purpose of seeking elective office.

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_73,_Limits_on_Campaign_Donations_(June_1988)

Our proposition, the California Fair Reform for Equality in Elections would accomplish.


1.

The Act will add to the purpose of the Fair Political Practices Commission to ensure that it has the power to pass rules and regulations to specifically ensure that (a) elections are free of excessive spending and fair enough that any citizen is able to effectively run for public office, not just the wealthy and their allies, and (b) every citizen shall have the equal freedom to vote

(this is taken from website below list)
2. Change the statute of limitations on criminal acts in campaign finance. As it now stands, the statute of limitations for campaign finance criminal acts starts at the time the criminal act occurred and runs for four years. It is one of only a few statutes of limitations in California that doesn't start the clock when the criminal act is discovered. Since it is so easy to hide campaign finance criminal acts currently, it's imperative that the clock starts when the act is discovered, like nearly every other crime. This Act would do that without changing the total time allowed to prosecute, four years.
3. Increase the fines for criminal acts of campaign finance for inflation. The current fines are the same as they were in the 1970s.

What it does

Act Language

Because of the lovely Citizens United decision, you cannot exclude corporate donations altogether, per se. However, people running for any city, county, state office can, when this passes, decide to only accept public funds. Many are already doing so in some states, e.g. Vermont, Connecticut, Illinois, where similar public financing laws have passed. It has helped candidates that are running against people that don't elect public funds.

Almost every state in the Union has to rewrite laws after Citizens United. That decision screwed up public funding of elections almost everywhere. The laws weren't written with the belief anything as reprehensible as Citizens United would ever be Federal law.

In California, however, publicly funded elections have been illegal since 1988. This MUST change.

As far as the how and who, that comes next. This proposition directs the California legislature to figure that out. But until we get this on the ballot and passed, they can't even do that.

I hope I have answered your questions but, if not, I'm more than happy to try to clarify or answer more.

Thank you for asking!

#FeelTheBern #Bernie2016
#caFREEact

[aspirant]

24. Thanks for the info :)

[wendylaroux]

21. Mary! wow!!

will share

[marym625]

23. Thank you, Wendy!!

This has never been done before. It costs approximately $2 million to get a prop in the ballot. We're working without receiving a dime and, in fact, are kicking in our own money, to get this done. So ALL and ANY help is greatly appreciated.