Friday, February 01, 2013

Rep. Weatherford Deserves our Support. By Geniusofdespair

The Miami Herald reported yesterday that the House speaker wants to close State slush funds:

"The most dramatic proposal of the 47-page bill is its goal of eliminating almost 700 Committees of Continuing Existence, political committees that can collect unlimited campaign checks but may not expressly advocate for candidates. The CCEs have been increasingly used as personal slush funds by candidates who can legally spend the unrestricted money on travel, entertainment and meals as well as steer money to other candidates and causes."

The bill does call for an increase of campaign donations from $500 to $10,000. corporations are contributing that anyway in the CCE's. The CCE's are sometimes collecting $100,000 from one donor. At least we would know who is BUYING our candidates if it is in the campaign report.

This is the best news EVER!! I write about these funds ALL THE TIME. Just last Friday I wrote about these CCE's. How about you call State Rep. Will Weatherford and thank him: 813 558-5115 or email him. Does he have the votes, I sure hope so. Will, don't bother trying to get support from Erik Fresen on this, he is a lost cause.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read that yesterday too. I certainly will call and hope others do too. There were some other good proposals from his office too. He actually seems to be in touch with the people, or at least has good advisers.

Anonymous said...

Pretty amazing -- this would be a wonderful thing!

Geniusofdespair said...

Anyone call him?

Anonymous said...

I believe the same bill increases the individual donation cap, to a campaign account (a.k.a. Hard Money) from $500 to $10,000 (yes ten thousand).

Some people might say WHAT??????? But I guess at least that way you know exactly who gave what, instead of all this shifting from one CCE to another.

M

Geniusofdespair said...

I want to know who gives, more than I care how much they give. But it does suck.

Anonymous said...

Off topic, but I just noticed the Rubio picture! THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A SMILE ON MY FACE AFTER A VERY LONGGGGGGG DAY!

Geniusofdespair said...

thanks I thought it was sort of fun too

Anonymous said...

And once again we watch Sisphus try to remove money from politics. This will work . . . for about three months, until the money flows somewhere else, and then the "reformers" will have another doomed attempt.

Geniusofdespair said...

Increasing contributions to campaign accounts from $500 to $10,000 isn't taking money out of politics. His change would just allow us to trace the money. CCE's make that impossible...where companies give hundreds of thousands of dollars.

CATO said...

I AM PROUD OF OUR LEGISLATURE I WOULD EVEN ARGUE ITS THE BEST ONE YOUR MONEY CAN BUY

Getting rid of CCEs is a step in the right direction I would even argue for getting rid of limits altogether along with ECOs whose names llok like they came from George Orwells 1984.
Leaving only PCs foe ballot initiatives.