Sarbanes Pushes Campaign Finance Reform

CWA, along with the NAACP and Greenpeace, praised U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes' (D-Md.) new campaign finance reform bill to empower the average small donor.

"The epidemic is clear. Money has corrupted our political sphere for far too long. Many blame political corruption on our elected officials but never endeavor to change the pay-to-play system that forces our leaders to be beholden to the wealthiest donors," the organizations wrote in a letter today. "The Grassroots Democracy Act implements true change by creating a system where ALL Americans have an equal voice. That's what Democracy looks like."

The act's "Democracy Dollars" voucher program would encourage a genuine grassroots campaign model by offering a 5:1 public financing match for candidates who reject PAC money, and a 10:1 match for those who only accept grassroots donations. And every eligible voter would get a $50 voucher or tax credit to donate to a campaign of his or her choice.