Create Ethical Campaign Rules
- by: Rhodesia Ransom
- recipient: United States Congress
Currently US elections are governed partly by The Federal Elections Commission, which enforces the Federal Election Campaign Act. The FEC is concerned primarily with transparency into a candidates fundraising activities, but has no rules or regulations regarding a candidate's ethics in the campaign process. But, shouldn't campaign rules be concerned with the intergrity of a campaign and with guarding the peace and freedom of U.S. Citizens?
Recently the McCain campaign has launched attacks that reach far beyond political issues. These attacks are personal and are laden with racial undertones that promote fear, and prey on, the perceptions of questionable patriotism, and stereotypes of Muslims and African-Americans. This is a threat to America as we know it, and we should not allow McCain or any other candidate to reverse the positive steps that Americans have made toward unity with campaign tactics that create division.
We need to reform campaign regulations so that every candidate has a legal obligation to run a moral, decent campaign. Let's ask our Congress to create legislation that will rid our future campaigns of despicable practices!
Support the Creation of
a national "Honorable Campaign Practices Act"
Recent campaign tactics in the United States has both created a risk for opposing candidates and threatened the peace and freedoms enjoyed by citizens of the United States of America. We are supposed to be "one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for ALL", or are we? Recent rallies hosted by the presidential campaigns have launched attacks against their opponent that reach far beyond political issues. Furthermore, the attacks are not on the opponent's record or stated position on an issue, but instead are personal. The attacks are laden with racial undertones that promote fear and prey on the perceptions of questionable patriotism and stereotypes of Muslims and African-Americans. This goes against everything America stands for at home and abroad. Tactics being used during this election cycle appeal to negative prejudices based on race and the appearance of national origin.
Elections should not be won using divide and conquer techniques, which potentially and literally divide the country by race and/or gender. No candidate running for office should be allowed to incite fear, promote racism, or hatred against another candidate. This behavior undermines the spirit of our nation. Additionally, this behavior could create a grave embarrassment for the United States of America, as we are considered leaders of the "free world." This negativity goes further than political campaigning, as campaign supporters take their negativity to their communities and to unsuspecting, innocent citizens. We cannot allow candidates running for elected office to participate in risky campaign behavior that could ultimately put the other candidate at risk by inciting rage or terror against that candidate. Let us not forget that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated shortly after advocating social equality in the civil rights movement, which was a time of immense tension in the United States. We should not allow any candidate's agenda to reverse the many positive steps that Americans have made toward unity.
Let's work to reform campaign ethics so that every candidate has a legal obligation to run a moral, ethical, and decent campaign. Candidates should not be allowed to hide behind the first amendment while working to divide our great nation.
Please support legislation similar to campaign ethics in some states, and rid national campaigns of divisive and despicable practices. We need a national Honorable Campaign Practice Act, which includes the following criteria:
- All campaigns will limit attacks to an opponents record and stated position on issues
- No candidate will use or permit the use of unfounded statements which may result in character defamation
- No candidate shall appeal to any negative prejudices based on race, sex, religion, or national origin
- No candidate shall distort, exaggerate or falsify facts
- No candidate shall use malicious or unfounded accusations that aim at exploiting doubts as to the patriotism of an opponent
- No candidate shall condone nor permit a campaign based on the above-mentioned
- All candidates shall be subject to penalties for violating the above-mentioned
- No candidate found guilty of the above shall qualify for public campaign financing
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