Campaign Finance Reform

["Rep. Trail" <RepTrail@infotrail.com>]

Campaign Finance Reform

We are in the final week of the fall campaign.   Both major parties will
spend more than $200,000,000 each at the national level.  This year
Oregonians may see their first $1 million
race for the state Senate --That's the State Senate.

This is to alert you that there is a major drive underway to put Campaign
Reform on the ballot in Idaho in 2002.   I'm currently serving on the Idaho
Clean Election Initiative Executive Board.   We have signed up over 150
former and current elected officials supporting the initiative.

Campaign reform and funding initiatives could bring back more competition,
ideas and voters
back to politics.  The rise of money in politics and the rest of the
country, has been breath-taking.
It's no longer strange for a legislative candidate to spend more than
$60,000 -- for a job that
pays a little over $1,000/month.  Political action committees scatter
multiples of that amount across a few contested races, guaranteeing
themselves first access to the people elected with their money.  Less than
4 percent of campaign money comes in contributions of $50 or less.  And
public interest and participation in the election process continue to plummet. 

Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Arizona recently passed campaign finance
reform laws.  So far, they have found them to be positive. The initiative
is on the Missouri and Oregon ballot this year.   I will be happy to
provide details of the proposed Idaho initiative upon request.

Rep. Tom Trail, district 5

 I would like constituents to contact me by e-mail me with their ideas,
comments and recommendations.  

ttrail@moscow.com
            
Legislative newsletters and additional materials and information can be
located on my web
and home page http://www.infotrail.com/idaho