Springfield's Sham Reforms Show its Time for Citizens to Take Charge

by John Bambenek

These days it seems that every politician is saying they are a reformer and that they're the outsider. Their actions, however, show that in most cases this is a sham. Two recent actions by the General Assembly show "faux reform" that makes the situation in Springfield worse, not better.

The first is the recall amendment, which voters should roundly reject next November. It ONLY can be used against the Governor and then ONLY if 10 state representatives from BOTH parties and 5 state senators from BOTH parties allow the voters to gather signatures to make a recall election happen. They need to collect 15% of the voters signatures in the last election. To put it another way, it takes 10,000 signatures to get into office.  It takes 1,000,000 signatures to get out. And that's BEFORE the people can vote.  It's the appearance of reform, not real reform.

The second is the campaign contribution caps for everyone except party bosses and legislative leaders in general elections. No matter what you think about caps, if we have them they should be applied equally. If they are not, that simply shifts power. In this case, legislative leaders and unaccountable party bosses will control the purse strings of campaign cash. It further centralizes power and makes the situation worse, not better.

That is why citizens need to take charge and bring real reform to Springfield. The Legislature simply will not advance real reform. They only want to pacify voters long enough to survive the 2010 elections. The is why the Putback Amendment was conceived.

The Putback Amendment is a true non-partisan grassroots effort. If 500,000 voters sign the petition, it will be on the ballot in 2010. If 60% of the voters ratify it, it becomes part of the constitution. Politicians cannot change, stop or modify the amendment. Our constitution allows voters to modify the legislative article of the state constitution because the legislature would be "least likely to reform itself". Recent actions only confirm this.

The Putback Amendment strongly decentralizes power and allows independent legislators to move an agenda without having to kiss the ring of a legislative leader. It establishes term limits and a fully open and transparent process for drawing legislative maps. It requires all legislation to be online for 7 days before its final vote. It makes for competitive elections by equalizing ballot access and ending the kicking candidates off the ballot game that only limits voter choice. It returns to three-member districts with bullet voting in a unicameral legisature to empower political minorities and strong independent leaders in the legislature.

The Putback Amendment has been endorsed by Paul Jacobs, FairVote, Free and Equal Elections, Mothers on a Mission to Stop Violence, Main Street Campaigns, Adam Andrzejewski, Illinois Citizens Coalition and the Republican Liberty Caucus of Illinois.

Join me this November 7th at a Rally for Reform in locations across the state of Illinois where you can go to sign the amendment. Together, we can put the citizens back in charge and bring real reform to Springfield.

Comments

[get real]

No on cares, Bambi. We all know this is a sham gimmick you cooked up as a sham to glorify yourself and your puerile ramblings. You're no reformer, you're just jilted that no one has given you a patronage job. Leave governing to the adults, you can go back to writing columns for B list college newspapers.

[Sam Pierce]

Ah the anonymous attack, how bold.

[Dennis C. Ryan]

It looks good to me. I'm printing out a copy for closer inspection.