State Green Party Press Release

Repeal of Clean Elections Law in Massachusetts a "Crime Against Democracy."

Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts
http://www.massgreens.org/

For Immediate Release: May 30, 2003
Contact: Grace Ross (617) 291-5591

REPEAL OF CLEAN ELECTIONS LAW: "CRIME AGAINST DEMOCRACY"

BOSTON - The Green-Rainbow Party condemned yesterday's vote by the Massachusetts Senate to repeal the Clean Elections Law that was passed by voters in 1998. Not only did the senators repeal the law, they did so without taking a roll call vote, meaning they were unwilling to go on record in deciding the fate of the voter-approved law.

"This is truly a crime against democracy," said Green-Rainbow Party co-chair Gary Hicks. "The struggle for civil rights is far from over in this country, and people without ties to wealthy contributors, particularly people of color and those from low-income communities, face a real challenge in an electoral system that's dominated by money. People in Massachusetts understand the way money corrupts the system. That's why they voted for this law. Unfortunately, our lawmakers understand how money affects the system, too - it protects the status quo, and that's why they voted to kill Clean Elections."

Co-chair Grace Ross said that legislators who claim that Clean Elections is unaffordable are being dishonest. "If we can't afford Clean Elections, why are the taxpayers still paying to keep dog tracks in operation? Why is Speaker Finneran demanding that taxpayers spend $100 million to invest in biotechnology? The Emerging Technology Fund is corporate welfare, plain and simple. How come regular people have to pay taxes, but Raytheon and Fidelity Investments don't? People in our communities are facing increasing homelessness, low wages, an educational system that consistently fails our young people, and a shameful lack of access to health care. Could it be that candidates who refuse money from the Associated Industries of Massachusetts or the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council might have different priorities for our precious tax dollars than the ones we're seeing? Wouldn't the Commonwealth benefit from having some candidates who weren't owned by the wealthiest people in the state?"

The Green-Rainbow Party also noted that the senate is dominated by Democrats, whose party platform calls for the funding and implementation of Clean Elections.

"There are thirty-four Democrats in the senate," said Hicks. "They have a super-majority with veto-proof numbers any time they want it. It's the same in the House. And yet it's the Democrats who killed Clean Elections. Is it any wonder that people who care about things like democracy, campaign finance reform, fair taxes, and a just and humane allocation of our common resources are turning to the Green-Rainbow Party?"