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When thousands of people donate no more than $100 per person per election, we can build a campaign without money from special interests. _______________________ But it's about more than money. We need your energy and your enthusiasm, too. Sign up to volunteer on Jim Hansen's campaign for Congress.
 _______________________ 
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Discussing reform with the Farm Bureau
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Location: Blogs Jim's Blog |
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| Posted by: Jim Hansen |
7/19/2006 |
I had an opportunity to speak to the Farm Bureau this week. I shared with them the same thing I have shared with many other groups: that the way campaigns are financed by big private interests undermines the opportunity for discussion of the issues they care about in every one of the 435 Congressional districts in this country.
I spoke to the Farm Bureau on Wednesday morning at their annual meeting in Twin Falls. I appreciated the opportunity to speak to them and to tell them about where my values came from and to share my passion about reforming America’s electoral system. I spoke to the annual convention of the Idaho State AFL-CIO a month earlier and said basically the same thing.
Every group that has a political action committee (PAC) is a little uncomfortable at first about my approach of refusing PAC money and limiting contributions to just $100 per person, per election. But, frankly, when I talk to individual members of these organizations, many find my approach refreshing. Each year, PACs put tremendous pressure on their members to give more and more money so that the PAC can turn around and give more and more money to candidates. Because incumbents already have power, they get the lion’s share of the PAC money. This results in fewer competitive races which, in turn, means fewer opportunities to discuss the very issues the members care about.
I shared with them my belief that America’s agriculture policies, just like its energy policies, health care policies, public lands policies and education policies would be much better if the same people making the tough choices were not also raising money from big money interests in Washington, D.C.
I had time for questions after my talk. One Farm Bureau member from Teton County, I believe, asked me whether I was concerned about what the Congressional Democratic Leadership might think, since they have no part in financing my campaign. I guess that’s the point in running the way I am, so that it is crystal clear to whom I must be accountable: the voters of Idaho. Special interest money is not about party. It is about power. It deprives voters of having full power over the entire election process.
I pointed out that if there were competitive races in all 435 Congressional districts in our country -- like the framers of our Constitution envisioned when they gave EVERY House Seat a 2-year term -- this year voters would probably choose to replace virtually all incumbents, regardless of party. I told them I believe the people are entitled to express their feelings about the direction of the nation every two years. When incumbents accumulate big money, they deprive the people of that opportunity.
I think most folks in the room were surprised by my frankness. Dennis Tanikuni, the Farm Bureau’s director of public affairs, and his press assistant Jake Putnam were very gracious to me after the talk. They did not have to invite me. I could tell from their agenda they had a lot of people to hear from so it was quite generous of them to give me 15 minutes on the agenda. My observation is that organizations like the Farm Bureau are under tremendous pressure to support the incumbent. So I appreciate their invitation and hoped that at the very least my talk precipitated some good conversations later on.
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