O.K., I've stopped hyperventilating about the SCOTUS decision & am rolling up my sleeves to work on

[clear eye]

limiting its impact.

There are two points we can affect for the better.

=>One is to make sure that our states have provisions expanding on what's in McCain-Feingold at the federal level requiring that all ads about candidates for election contain visible and audible full disclosures of their funding sources. Full disclosure means not only the group or coalition name, (such as "Americans for America") but all the contributors to the creation and running of the ad.

=>The second and most important, is to work at both the federal and state levels to pass voluntary public financing of campaigns, similar to what is available in Presidential campaigns. There is a bill to do that for Congressional races which Sen. Durbin has been introducing for years but which has gotten little interest until now. We must resurrect it. It is called the Fair Elections Now Act or FENA, for short and has a parallel bill in the House. The website of the coalition of over 38 NGOs supporting it is here. They also accept membership by individuals, and provide suggestions for useful activities to support the effort.

Most states have PIRGs which have been trying for years to get programs at the state level. I know that NYS also has a group called Citizen Action of NY that has recently gotten Gov. Patterson's support for the measure there.

Here's the group from Iowa: www.iowacan.org/campaigns/campaign-finance-reform/

It would be great to see replies on this thread w/ info about groups in the other states, and the experience Maine has had w/ its system.

[tekisui]

1. knr!

[Ryano42]

2. MAD! And motivated.

Russ Feingold mentioned workarounds and tweaks to McCain/Feingold...am sure there a some traditional conservatives just as alarmed by the radical Fascist ruling.

All we need is an organized big push..."Justice" Roberts lit a fuse hopefully there is time to blow it out. And eventually impeach the son of a bitch. The author of the Dred Scott decision died disgraced and pennyless...sounds good.

Not just :kick: this time; :patriot: into the breach!

[AlinPA]

3. If something is not done before the next election, it will be too late.

Corporations will put up billions to elect republicans to kill all campaign finance laws. The republicans would filibuster any legislation aimed at correcting the situation, so this is a big job.

[clear eye]

5. It certainly would be best to move quickly. n/t

[anonymous171]

4. "States rights" is going to be the Liberal's Battle cry in the 21st century

[AlinPA]

6. Maybe all the blue states could secede.

[Nite Owl]

7. I've worked with Citizen Action

of NY and they are good at getting things done. Well organized.

Thanks for posting something positive to do.

[hlthe2b]

8. I'm still imagining the scene from the movie Airport....

where they line up to smack some sense into a hysterical passenger. Only, in my version we are all lined up with boxing gloves to smack the totally (f'd up) five on the supreme court. Metaphorically, of course and in my dreams only. (but it does give me a little catharsis)