Franken introduces legislation to change campaign finance laws

[Ardent15]

Here's Senator Al Franken's press release.

"Since 1974, federal law has banned foreign companies from giving or spending in American elections. Nothing in our current laws, however, explicitly prohibits foreign companies from creating American subsidiaries or getting control of American companies and using them to flood the airwaves in support of their preferred candidates. Citizens United gives companies unlimited power to do that - and does not distinguish between American companies and companies that are owned or controlled by foreign interests.

"I was pleased to hear the President recognize the need for this bill in his address last night," said Sen. Franken. "I think we can all agree that foreign interests have no place in American elections."

The "American Elections Act of 2010" was developed in coordination with Professor David Schultz of Hamline University School of Business in Minnesota.

"The Supreme Court decision in Citizens United was an attack on democracy and fair elections," said Professor Schultz. "It undid laws seeking to regulate corporations across the country and in Minnesota that go back over 60 years. As a result of it corporate money will flood into Minnesota, threatening the basic integrity of our elections and the power of citizens to control their own government. Senator Franken's bill is an important first step in addressing Citizens United and preventing money from further destroying our elections in Minnesota."


The "American Elections Act of 2010" will keep foreign interests out of our elections by:

· Banning election contributions and spending by corporations that are controlled or highly influenced by foreign nationals (foreign governments, companies, and persons). This includes:

- Corporations that receive most of their financing from foreign nationals.

- Corporations where foreign nationals hold a controlling share of stock (as defined under leading corporate law) or a majority of the Board of Directors.

- Corporations that allow foreign nationals to control or participate in their political activities - including ad spending, donations, and political action committees.

· Requiring all corporations to certify, before giving or spending in elections, that they are in compliance with these requirements.

· Requiring all corporations to disclose in their political advertising how much of their company is controlled by foreign nationals, or if this isn't possible, how much of their financing comes from foreign nationals.

The "American Elections Act of 2010" is supported by Common Cause, People for the American Way, Common Cause Minnesota, and MPIRG."

<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2010/01/franken_wants_t.shtml>

[LLStarks]

Franken continues to lead the way and I'm loving it. nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

65. Good for him, yes, but he's not alone out front: Alan Grayson( D-Fla) introduced

half a dozen bills on this BEFORE the Supreme Court decision was announced and was present in the court when it came out...

link to Grayson's reaction to SCOTUS decision:

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=426017&mesg_id=426017

[beac]

78. Wish we had more Graysons & Frankens.

:patriot:

(Grayson's petition when it first came out and forwarded it far and wide!)

[Dinger]

1. K & R For Al! Gosh, I Like That Guy!

:patriot:

[hisownpetard]

88. He's good enough, he's smart enough, and, doggonit, people like him!

He's gonna be a star.

[fjc]

2. How about requiring them

to do what the Republicans wanted the Unions to do, and get approval/authorization from their employees and/or stockholders before they can contribute to any candidate or cause.

[daleanime]

9. That's nice too...

can we do both?:bounce:

[progressoid]

31. Ha. That's a great idea.

[blondeatlast]

40. Good 'un--and I'm good with both! Brilliant. nt

[MineralMan]

3. You go, Al! That's what we elected you for...

[quiet.american]

4. Applause! Go, Franken. nt

[El Supremo]

5. Not nearly strong enough. But a start. n/m

[blm]

16. Need to re-submit Kerry-Wellstone's Clean Money, Clean Elections public financing bill from 1997.

Only 5 senators supported it then. I think we should be able to get a majority to do so now. I know Biden was for it back in the day.

[dmr]

29. Is this it?

http://www.publicampaign.org/modelbill

[blackbart99]

71. yes resubmit it but don't get on any small planes...nt

[Enthusiast]

57. +1! nt

[Enthusiast]

56. Yes, we have to

enact stricter measures, obviously. But Franken is on it with this great first step.

[county worker]

6. It is a good law. But the right must really be conflicted.

All the anti diversity people who feel we are losing our national heritage and culture to foreign invaders from the south are going to fight against a law that has as it intent to keep foreigners from taking our national heritage of open elections away.

The SCOTUS's decision helps the right get their candidates elected but the middle class and lower class right wingers are going to get hit just as hard and we are by it. But like aways they will fulfill their roll as chumps or marks.

[agent46]

7. It's not enough

Doesn't restrict corporate money in any way - just "foreign" influence.

[gristy]

47. I agree. There's a word for what is being offered here, but it escapes me.

Unlimited foreign corporate contributions to campaigns is a no concern to me at all.

Unlimited corporate contributions to campaigns is my concern and should be every American's concern.

Franken is wrong on this one.

[cyclezealot]

53. As if domestic corporations are not foreign to the body politic..

If corporate money must buy our elections, I say force them to say.. This ad brought to you by say, Phizer Corporation as we require politicians to say, "I am John McCain and I approve this message..."

[Blue Owl]

8. Let's get 400+ Recs for this

and get the Supreme Court OUT of politics like it's supposed to be.

[frebrd]

10. K&R!

:applause:

[rhett o rick]

11. We needed a Franken running in Mass. nt

[frebrd]

14. I think we need a Franken in every state! eom

[glinda]

26. Yes. Love Al but wish he would answer my emails.

[WileEcoyote]

43. Maybe if you stopped sending Al flowers and your hotel key

he'd take you more seriously (j/k)

[glinda]

48. I am married and faithful dear

[janet118]

83. Clone Franken!

Franken . . . steins? ;-)

[FailureToCommunicate]

64. We had one! His name was Mike Capuano. Unfortunately, back in the primaries

when Joe and Mary Numbskull voter were not, ah, as "informed" on the issues as they should have been, Martha Coakley had the name recognition and won. Mike Is great and luckily is still in the House. But he was feisty and a real blue collar guy, the kind that drives the kind of truck that is not a luxury vehicle like Scott Brown's and certainly wouldn't boast about as his main virtue. He could've campaigned toe to toe with fake 'populist' repub. Anyway, all water under the Tobin Bridge at this point...

[janet118]

84. I voted for Mike . . .

Martha was the choice of the powers that be and Khazei & Capuano split the leftie vote.

[hisownpetard]

89. Yup. I'm the other person who voted for Capuano.

It's a shame he didn't win.

[spanone]

12. the freshman shames his colleagues

[rhett o rick]

23. Probably not to wise a thing to do. But I love it. nt

[Zomby Woof]

13. Never mind the 80's

The 10's are the REAL Al Franken Decade. (old fans of SNL will get that one)

[Beetwasher]

15. Damn! That Was Quick!!

Go Al!

[SnoopDog]

17. What about American Corporations?????

This whole concept that corporations are 'persons' is ludicrous. PERIOD.

[Billsmile]

34. Corps(e)

The idea put forward that corporations are by design psychopaths deserves some attention. We don't allow psychopaths to participate in society. Why should we allow corporations unlimited influence in our society?

[Enthusiast]

58. Ain't that the truth! nt

[Bitwit1234]

18. Thank God for Franken he makes Minnesota

not like the other senator who sits on her a** collecting corporate money and doesn't do anything about anything. She doesn't even answer an email. That's right. Never ever. Know how we click on to those messages to send. Well even Coleman answered them. He always gave the republican side, but he answered. Kolchubar has yet to even acknowledge she has gotten one.

[defendandprotect]

19. How about we ask them for their birth certificates --- ????

[Enthusiast]

59. I'm all for it! nt

[Land Shark]

20. Reinforcing xenophobia and idea that corps get character or rights from shareholders = bad move. n/t

[mb7588a]

21. Good, but not enough. Full public financing is the only solution. nt.

[blm]

79. Exactly - McCain-Feingold was compromise. 1997 Kerry-Wellstone's Clean Money, Clean Elections bill

was the only bill EVER submitted that deserved passing.

[Ardent15]

22. Gonna give this a kick. nt

[Union Yes]

24. Franken is a patriot! knr

:patriot:

[Mari333]

25. knr

[Vidar]

27. Thank you, Al!

[groundloop]

28. Good first step Al. Now get to work on the constitutional amendmant to revoke corporate personhood.

[Kablooie]

30. And of course the Republicans who "love America" will all vote against this.

[cascadiance]

51. I love the way that Franken lays traps for the party of "no"... First it was the "rape" bill...

... and now this one.

They complain loudly that they are made to look bad when they vote no! Well of course Franken can sit back smugly and say "You have complete control over how you vote! You CAN vote yes on this bill if you want!" smugly while they stress on whether they want to sound inhuman or unAmerican or work against their Repulican overlords who want votes of no all of the time.

[Politicub]

91. He is a gifted politician, that's for sure n/t

[Goldstein1984]

32. Al Franken has intellect, ethics, and courage.

A rare combination in Congress.

[valerief]

33. He's good enough, he's smart enough, and doggone-it, people like him!

:applause:

[JNelson6563]

35. Oh snap!

Motherfuckers.

[deacon]

36. k + r n/t

[winyanstaz]

37. I knew he would be a great senator!!!!!

YOU GO AL!

[crazyjoe]

38. I'm not sure I like this. I would think foreign corporations

would want to see democrats elected, the repubs don't have any support beyond these borders, only the brain dead parts of the country that vote for them, It's the American corporations that supports republicans.
We need to ban all corporations, not just foreign owned.

[onehandle]

39. Coleman would have done the same thing.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

[donheld]

41. Is it time to make Al Franken majority leader?

[SnakeEyes]

42. So how will they try and fight this publicly?

I'm guessing they will cite that FEC regulations already prohibit it and so Franken's law is unnecessary and redundant. Don't think it's going to work, too much outrage over this decision.

[naaman fletcher]

44. Whats f'd up is that foregin companies will challenge this in the WTO or something..

They will say that this will give American companies an unfair advantage. Christ, this is so f'd up.

[invisible]

45. I love Senator Al Franken!

He is clever, does the right thing, and stands up to Republican thugs.

[Bette Noir]

46. My hero.

[Oldtimeralso]

49. K & R and proud to help the cause n/t

[penndragon69]

50. Franken / Grayson for president!

[krispos42]

52. Al's kicking ass and taking names.

I can't wait for the Republicans to try to challenge this. *cackles evily*

[DirtyDawg]

54. I wish we'd quit fiddle-fartin'...

...around the edges on this and go all the way to a bill that calls for public financing of campaigns and an elimination of campaign contributions altogether. I mean this business of limiting 'foreign nationals', or more specifically corporations controlled by foreign nationals, can't possibly be monitored or accurately controlled. What about all the multi-national corporations that are HQed in the US? Plenty of those have significant interests overseas or that engage in business practices that result in much of their profits being re-routed to off-shore operations...and could be supporting candidates that allow just such practices.

Plus, there are simply way too many US corporations that only are interested in manipulating government in order to line their own pockets - can you say Haliburton? End it all I say, and if the SCOTUS gets in the damn way, impeach their asses.

[Enthusiast]

55. This is why the GOP

fought so hard to keep Franken out. They knew he was going to "cause trouble", lol.

[Hubert Flottz]

60. Al knows that the Republicans are ALL "Big Fat Liars"

Al sees the light about "Bipartisanship" and other such BULLSHIT! Anyone who can't see through the GOPer's ducks in a row style propaganda is too stupid to govern. The GOPers hate the president and they let it show at the SOTU. "Bipartisanship" is extinct in Washington and the blame lies with the "Party of NO" The guys who can dish it out but can't take it.

[Joanne98]

61. God Bless em. Make the GOP vote against that.

[TexasObserver]

62. Recommend. And doggone it, people like him!

[MadHound]

63. Let's not fuck around with half measures,

Instead let's have full on publicly financed election campaigns, from the local dog catcher to president. Take all corporate money out of our election process and reclaim government for the people.

[unblock]

66. this is one hell of a freshman senator

i can't recall the last time i've heard so much, and so much good, from a first year senator. well, i guess he's technically in the second year of his term, not they he was seated for much of the first.

first year senators are, by tradition, made to be quiet and learn the rules of the road before they get to do anything. hillary was *really* made to tone it down in her first year.

franken seems to make news and run committees all the time!

[Puglover]

67. I love my Senator! nt

[wial]

68. hello? corporations themselves are foreign interests!

they represent the feudalism we all came here to escape. and they're winning. do we have to go to Mars next as in Kim Stanley Robinson's series on the subject?

[DisgustedInMN]

69. Senator Franken, so ROCKS!

I'm SO proud to know that Al is my Senator. His letter of intent to address this travesty of justice, which I (and I'm sure many of his other constituents, that wrote him with their outrage about this awful ruling) received prior to his offering the legislation and his quick ACTION, should be an example to every other Democrat in the Senate.

It's somewhat of a nice kicker, that the most "junior," Senator on our side of the aisle, is the first to take a solid stand for We the People.

We need 99 more Senators just like him.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

70. Thank the lord MN elected this man. He's shown that some of our progressive commentators ..

could really shake things up for the better if they had even just a little time on Capitol Hill.

[WillyT]

72. Go Al !!! - K & R !!!

:bounce::woohoo::bounce:

:kick:

[Martin Eden]

73. Sounds like the bill does nothing to stop US corps from dominating elections

Much more is needed.

[veganlush]

74. Go Al!

[DutchLiberal]

75. As if US elections had integrity *before* the SC made this ruling!

As if the people had control over their government before; as if corporations didn't buy elections before!

It's all so hypocritical, this outrage.

[SemperEadem]

76. Beautiful!

and the angle is perfect: highlighting Minnesota elections.

[myrna minx]

77. K&R n/t

[Mithreal]

80. Doesn't go far enough, but sounds good.

[alfredo]

81. The second largest shareholder in NewsCorp is a member of

the Saudi royal family. Is that enough to trigger the law?

[SlingBlade]

82. Well done again, Al Franken

Now THATS Change I can even believe in :)

[Plucketeer]

85. DAMMIT FRANKEN!

AGAIN, with the making sense! Keep this up and you'll erode my faith in DC. Having struggled, SO LONG, to understand it's secret workings - now I'm forced to consider the blinding light of truths and common sense forced upon us by you and Grayson and the handful of other "irrationals".

Psssst.... I really like it!

[pokercat999]

86. Look, look, the horses have all run out of the barn. Quick

close the door.

Screw the SCOTUS, end corporate personhood today.

[jgraz]

87. Pay attention Dems: THIS is what a real Centrist looks like.

Finding common issues that EVERYONE (well, everyone who's sane) agrees on and directly addressing them. If you're not going to be a hard-left progressive, then THIS is the way you need to govern.

[AtLiberty]

90. I tried numerous times to get Franken's attention...

...on the 2004 stolen election. I must have sent 50 e-mails to his Air America program/producer. He stayed away from election fraud/electronic voting machines like the plague. Even when he had guests who approached the topic, he'd quickly move away from it. He'd admit that what happened in Ohio in 2004 was dirty and then drop it.

If he's successful with this bill, I guess I'd forgive him.

[Ardent15]

92. Late afternoon kick nt