And this is ten good reasons why...
PAULA BASTA’S ETHICS REFORM PLAN FOR ILLINOIS
Illinois needs to give control of elections and government back to the people. I pledge to support the following ten measures to take power away from the special interests and give power back to the voters of Illinois.
GIVE CONTROL BACK TO VOTERS
1. Allow voters to recall any officeholder that is convicted of a crime or found guilty of ethics violations.
2. When a vacancy occurs, allow voters to fill that vacancy rather than letting party bosses make their own appointment.
3. Place a fundraising cap on the amount of money that political parties or political leadership can contribute to a campaign.
4. I oppose the Supreme Court’s recent ruling and support a fundraising cap on how much corporations can contribute to a campaign.
5. Place a sensible limit on the number of years an officeholder can hold any one office.
CLEAN UP THE CORRUPTION
1. Require anyone leaving state government to wait one year before they become a lobbyist.
2. Demand that lobbyists registered in Illinois publicly disclose all expenditures and billing records.
3. Abolish the General Assembly’s legislative scholarship program, which has been routinely abused by some elected officials to reward their political supporters.
4. Pass pension reform to prohibit lucrative pension deals by elected officials and state employees.
5. Prohibit any elected official or employee that has been convicted of corruption involving their position with government from ever holding elected office.
Don, I was curious regarding your opinion on this.
She accepted an $80,000 contribution from a financial trader a mere 2 days before the new individual caps came into effect. So if she had waited 48 hours, she would have broken the law.
While what she did was legal (on that day), don't you think it violates the fundamental spirit of the law and puts into question her dedication to the issue? How can someone whose campaign is funded almost entirely by a massive contribution from a single donor honestly support campaign finance reform?
Why in her 10 point plan are individual campaign contributions not even addressed? Does she think it's okay for powerful individuals who work for places like financial mega-institutions to buy out politicians with large donations like the one she received?
Peter, first I'd suggest asking her: paula@paulabasta.org and let her tell you and even invite her to post her response here. It's a valid question that she should answer. Now, my opinion? Having run for office and experienced the difficulty of raising any funds against an entrenched incumbent, the only way for a challenger to raise "seed" money is to get "angel financing". And for the voters it's also easier to track any post-election favors. Incumbents spend their entire term raising funds. Challengers have very little time to do so. Finally, I'd be more than glad to talk to you over coffee if you want my lecture on campaign financing. I can give the short version that I give to my students. EveryBlock, however, is not the venue to do so. For now, though, I'd suggest contacting Paula. I'm off to enjoy Lover's Day with my wife...
Go ahead and do it Peter. Don's lecture on campaign financing will be good for a laugh, I guarantee.
Don should have asked Peter about the person who appointed his candidate, our current state rep. Carol Ronen announced her retirement as Illinois Senator at the last minute, with her friend Heather waiting with petitions in hand, to hinder anyone else from getting on the ballot. Then she worked for Blago as a special consultant for EIGHT WEEKS and bumped her pension up nearly $50k a year for life.
Neither of these women did anything illegal, but which one took taxpayer money? Paula took a legal donation from a friend. Ronen partnered with the sleaziest of politicians to feather her own nest in a move that SHOULD be illegal. Then she didn't even have the good grace to retire from public life so I didn't have to think about her hand in my pocket every time I see her. No, she is Ward Committeeman in 48 and appointed her pal from John Cullerton's office...
Peter,
Kelly just accepted 15k dollars in one day, a good chunk from a "commodities" broker. Not mention another 15 from PACs. How is anyone suppose to compete and have a fair shake at it when they run against a system geared to protect those in power? 95% incumbency retention from local govt up to congress? Puhlease. I agree with you in some respect, that it calls into play the people who gave it to Paula esp in a state plagued but pay to play politics...But compared to what Kelly owes to a double dipping pension having committeewomen whose soul weighted vote was enough to make the appointment and person in her family so close to the former governor... Let he who is without sin throw the first stone... This is politics and the sad reality is, it's plagued by raising cash. Worse, its geared to keep challengers out by having a systematic fund raising mechanism of those they have the money and power to stay in control and do so because they have all the money and can divi amongst themselves... It's as if its a cake in the shape of the ward map and each alderman or politico gets a slice. And so, when someone puts their name out there and someone takes a chance at it, the powers that be are so quick to demonize and tear them down. Oh there's no cake for you or the people...1 of 2
2 of 2
I mean for crying out loud...You(though you're not an elected official) went so far as to call Paula a tea partier because you took a quote of hers out of context about charter schools...You're talking about a former board president of EQIL. A person whose soul career has practically been picking up after seniors who soiled themselves and depend on the very things tea party despise. And you have the nerve to call her a tea party? A push poll comes out from Cassidy campaign implying Paula was the suspect in some bogus federal investigation? Sure, Cassidy campaign denied it(and of course if Basta campaign was accused I'm sure they'd deny it) but someone clearly pro cassidy put out a poll and where was the Cassidy campaign to call it out or atleast say we don't condemn this. Chicago politics is an untamed animal so can we please forget this holier than thou crap and talk issues and facts. Fact: Basta put out an ethics plan. Fact: Paula isn't suspect in an investigation. Fact: Basta did take a large donation from a friend and supporter of hers that happens to be a commodities broker. Fact: That same donor gave to EQIL, States Attorney and other progressive minded folks. Fact: Paula has over 200 individual donors as well. Fact: Paula has no connection to a convicted governor Fact: Both candidates have impressive resumes Fact: One candidate is an insider while the other is an outsider. Fact: This same style of campaigning from the machine is very similar to Jim Madigan(no relation Mike) vs Steans. SO again, " 'fax' Just the 'fax' "
err.. Condone* not condemn...