Common Cause New Mexico on Friday passed out its Voters First Pledge to every state lawmaker, asking them to promise to support voluntary public financing for statewide races.
The group will begin lobbying lawmakers today to sign the pledge. Common Cause’s planned 2008 ethics reform scorecard will grade lawmakers based in part on whether they sign the pledge.
“The public is losing faith in the political process. Some politicians appear to care more about what lobbyists and powerful interests think than about the pressing problems faced by most New Mexicans,” the pledge states. “Voters are tired of ‘politics as usual.’ We want solutions that improve fairness in campaign fundraising and allow new voices and ideas to be heard. We want an end to the headlines about scandals involving the powerful interests and lobbyists in
“Powerful interests and lobbyists spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to gain access to elected officials and are rewarded with millions of taxpayer dollars in return. Possible leaders for tomorrow who refuse to play this game or do not have access to these dollars cannot get a start in politics today,” the pledge states. “For the sake of our state’s future, vision and voters should matter more than donors and their dollars.”
“In 2008, New Mexican voters are demanding real change that goes beyond empty slogans and partial measures,” the pledge states. “Toward this end, we urge all legislators to sign the Voters First Pledge.”
“By signing below,” the pledge states, “I pledge to put voters first and will work to pass and enforce legislation for full voluntary public campaign financing for statewide offices, extending the legislation already in place for
It will be interesting to see who signs this. It’s further evidence that lawmakers will have a difficult time ignoring ethics reform during the current session.