ZERO CONTRIBUTIONS

CAMPAIGN FINANCE AMENDMENT

 The Proposed Zero Contributions Campaign Finance Amendment

to the United States Constitution

is a campaign finance reform effort

to eliminate the influence of financial contributions

on our elected officials.

AMENDMENT

In order to safeguard the fair representation of the people at large,

campaign contributions shall not be accepted by candidates

for public office and/or primaries;

nor shall contributions be accepted by political parties. 

This article shall not apply to any person holding office when this article is

proposed.  Congress shall have the power to enforce this article.

 Please contact your elected officials in support of this amendment:

Senators

http://www.senate.gov/

 House of Representatives

http://www.house.gov/

 SAMPLE  LETTER

Dear Senator:

I am writing to ask for your support on the following proposed Zero Contributions Campaign Finance Amendment to the United States Constitution, posted at www.campaignfinanceamendment.org.  This is a campaign finance reform effort to eliminate the influence of financial contributions on our elected officials.

Amendment:

"In order to safeguard the fair representation of the people at large, campaign contributions shall not be accepted by candidates for public office and/or primaries; nor shall contributions be accepted by political parties. This article shall not apply to any person holding office when this article is proposed. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article."

Please support the Zero Contributions Campaign Finance Amendment, and keep me informed as to how you intend to proceed on this issue.

                                                            Sincerely,
                                                            (Your Name Here)

*Please copy and paste the letter as is or personalize it using your own words, and mail or e-mail it to your representatives.
*Only one out of fifteen thousand people contact their elected representatives. Therefore, when you contact your elected representatives, you represent fifteen thousand people.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question:  How will candidates "get out their message" without contributions?

Answer:  Candidates can get their messages out through publicly sponsored debates. Also, the airwaves are owned by the United States Government, and the media can be obligated to cover the debates and possibly supply air coverage to candidates as part of the air wave usage requirements.

Question:  How will Congressional candidates be funded for travel and expenses if they cannot accept contributions?
Answer:  Our present system of campaign finance provides funds for the campaigns of elected officials who do not accept contributions.    

Question:  Why would congresspersons vote for an amendment that would eliminate their ability to accept contributions?
Answer:  The proposed Campaign Finance Amendment to the United States Constitution has a grandfather clause so that the congresspersons who vote for it will not be affected by it. This will ensure that the next  cohort of elected officials will not be influenced by contributions that create a conflict of interest. In addition, the present cohort of elected officials will not be dependent on contributions since persons running against them will not be able to accept contributions.

Question:  How will political parties be funded if they cannot accept contributions?
Answer:  Political parties do not need contributions to function. They can be funded by membership dues  in a manner consistent to organizations with memberships.

For more information:  contact@campaignfinanceamendment.org

About the Sponser of this Site

Louis Roccanova, Ph.D.

Received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University in 1987, a Master of Arts degree from Hunter College in 1990, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from The Graduate School of the City University of New York in 1999. He was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives for the third Congressional District in New York State in 1992. He has authored seven publications in peer-reviewed, professional journals, and is presently an associate professor in the Natural Sciences Department at Suffolk County Community College.

Liberty Bell image courtesy of FCIT