Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has announced her support for public financing of federal elections on the same day she broke records for first quarter fundraising the presidential race, taking in $26 million. Although she opted out of public financing for her White House bid, she does believe it’s the ultimate reform to pursue.
Senator and 2008 Presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks at this campaign event about his support for public financing of campaigns as outlined by his fellow Senator from Illinois, Richard Durbin (D) in the Fair Elections Now Act. He emphasizes the importance of rallying grassroots support behind winning public financing — because legislators will need pressure from the public before they will act on it. Video clip of the event after the jump.
Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today congratulated the Bush Administration for publishing an updated version of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) online earmark database.
“This detailed listing of earmarks is a vital tool in the war against wasteful spending,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz. “The Administration should be commended for taking the lead within the government on earmark disclosure.”
For the first time, a government office is offering a comprehensive public database that details earmarks in a searchable and downloadable format. Users can trace earmarks by state or federal agency. Details for individual earmarks include the agency, bureau, and account they originated from, the certifying official, a description, the recipient, the location if available, and a citation of where the earmark can be found in legislation.