Senator Franken announces bill to keep foreign interests out of elections

I'm completely for this. Americans need to elect their own leader based on who is best for them, not based on who is more popular around the world. I can remember dozens of stories about how Obama was more popular world wide than Hillary or McCain or George Bush. Well who gives a shit. We need to vote our own national interest, for what is best for us, not what is best for the Mexicans or the Israelis or the Europeans or anyone else. This is our country, mind your own business I say.

well the GOP are gona tear this apart as some commie socialist gay loving bill.

OK everyone, I need to make a correction. It isn't the King of Saudi Arabia but the same prince who owns part of Fox. He is the one who owns a large share of Citigroup and donated millions to elections in 2008 through Citigroup.

public financing of all elections with no third party spending allowed of any type, each canidate recieving exactly the same amount of money that would be democratic

@slar. Now your just looking like an ass. Can you get on with your day if i say OK you win. I would hate for you to kick your dog and send your kids to bed without dinner over something i said

cmdinc, I apologize if I seem mean. I really am not.

I feel terrible about what I said about you, especially since you have such a close relationship with your dad. Your description of him is heroic. And I respect you for placing such honor upon him.

@ My America, the King of Saudi Arabia, who owns Citigroup, donated 24 Million during the 2008 election cycle. You need to do the research yourself, why should I do your work. This is common knowledge. Most corporations traded on the NYSE are owned in part by foreigners via their stock investments or they may even have a controlling interest. Their corporations can donate as much money as they want or bankroll Swift Boat like campaigns.

If it is illegal as you claim, then how did the King of Saudi Arabia manage to donate so much, and boast about it on TV?

Hello you guys, my dad said you need some help with this. We heard about other countries and people giving money to the men who try to be President and we didn't think it was right. So we did some research. In the Federal Election Laws §441 e. it talks about this and we read it that it is not allowed. My dad and i are always trying to figure stuff like this out. There were alot of big words and stuff i didn't understand but dad said you guys are really smart and could figure it out. You all have a good night. And to the person who asked about home school no i go to a school. I read alot and play basketball
this is now dad:
I respect most of your views and opinions, but because i work my ass off i don't live by repsonding to current. So piss off Slarabee. I have asked you before to ignore my comments as i ignore yours (unless you are bound and determined to piss in my wheaties) If you don't like what i have to say, don't read it. This also goes for you Jubal. Your alternative lifestyle is making you a mean person

I think corporations that produce political ads should also be required to reveal their identity in the advertisement.

The Supreme Court may think that they can spend freely on elections, but they should have to say “this message was created by the ____ corporation”.

if the supreme court has already taken a stand against what will stop themfrom finding another way to allow this

Alan Grayson's "H.R.4510 - America is for Americans Act" bans contributions and expenditures by foreign nationals to domestic corporations in which foreign principals have an ownership interest: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h4510/show

Its not settled by law, not exactly. The SCOTUS decision is a precedent that can be cited by corporations who want to bribe...er... contribute unlimited sums of money to the tool of their choice. However, it doesn't stop congress from legislating restraints on the decision.

Too bad this is already settled law. He is a waste of time and a big american joke.

This is already a law....please don't waste my time.

This is a good start. However, many folks draw distinctions between foreign and home based corporations that simply don't exist.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the only thing corporations are loyal to is money, not countries or systems of government. That's why any corporation, US or otherwise, will do business in any country with any government. The only requirement is that they make a profit, not that the country they are doing business with adhere to labor and environmental law or human rights.

Second, corporations hire armies of lobbyists and lawyers to fight laws that are to protect people and systems of government they perceive as an obstacle to profit. The United States witnessed the success of this methodology with the bloodless coup that occurred two weeks ago when the five conservative members of the Supreme Court voted to overturn 60 years of precedent that placed spending caps on corporate campaign contributions. This single decision did more to subvert our democracy than the Soviet Union ever achieved in 50 years of the Cold War. It's difficult to imagine any other motive the court may have had other than tearing down the final obstacle preventing total corporate dominance of US political campaigns. For this reason alone, they should be arrested and tried as traitors to the United States

My point is this. Given the deliberate and calculated assault of large US corporations on our political process, "US" corporations should be viewed as foreign entities operating within the United States. They should be entitled to no special favors, laws, tax breaks, grants or access to US officials than a corporation from another country. They should be subject to intense oversight by the CIA, NSA and FBI and their CEOs and board members should be held directly responsible for any and all actions taken against the US government just like any foreign official would be.

Finally, I respect Al Franken's actions with regard to foreign corporate influence. However, I fear this move, however commendable, is an inadvertent half measure. This can best be explained as follows. Lets imagine I have a computer I want to sell you for $500. I know you'll try to talk me down on price so I ask for $750 and then let you talk me down to the price ($500) I really wanted. You end up feeling like a savvy negotiator but I got the $500 I really wanted. The same holds true for legislating against solely against foreign corporate influence. If US corporations are not included in legislation I fear all we've done is give corporate America exactly what they wanted. Peace.

Hmmm....is he for real? A politician that actually is thinking about the people? What a concept!

Yay for Franken! This should get Bill O really Splotchy!

Great article. Great man and great responses.

lol @ unethicalvegtable.
so i disclose the source and you wouldn't beleive it? The exact reason i am going to say look it up yourself. If you get stuck let me know, my 9 year old will find it for ya.

I hope "cmding" can give us the exact source(s). Otherwise, I'm not buying what she/he had to say.

Of course, I wouldn't buy it, anyway.

"cmding" ... you referenced laws on the books what laws? The ones the conservative court just stuck down? The ruling that gave non human living entities ( corporations ) first amendment rights?

This is a real American man.

Go Al!

Faken is still joking right? Why doesn't he he read the friggen laws on the books and he would find one there already. Ya he sure is one of you

Wow, looks like someone is finally in office with intent to actually make our system better!

We need am amendment that separates corporations from state!!

Definitely agreeing with you Delia. How about we just ban lobbyists and campaign contributions. I want an amendment that removes any Senator or Congressman who receives money from a special interest group at any point. From their campaigning up until they resign from office.

My suggestion may be extreme, but at least we can have some idea that those who are within the legislative branch are not simply mouthpieces for whoever's bankrolling them.

Cool, but I think there should be a bill to keep all "interests" out of campaigns. Honestly I think there should be an established monetary limit that candidates can spend on their campaigns. There would be no mad rush by lobbyists and corporations to fill pockets of politicians who will sell the people out for cash, everyone would have to make due with a modest amount of money. This would give 3rd party candidates more of a chance to compete, limit the influence of interest groups in general and campaigns would have to focus more on their message instead of buying prime media spots and expensive advertisement.

I appreciate his vigor for change, but I don't think "foreign interests" are the primary, or even significant, problem. We are the only "developed" or "industrial" state that: hasn't signed a global commitment to improve women's rights; refused to sign a global ban the manufacturing and use of land mines; uses the hormone r BST to increase milk production in cows knowing it increases the development of cancer cells in humans; doesn't have national health care; has over 2 MILLION of our fellow citizens incarcerated (+50% of the world prison population).... by the way, over 220 privately owned prison by the way, U.S. "domestic interest", in the 80's there were only 5; manufactures Oxy Contin, Agent Orange, napalm, White Phosphorus, etc... meaning U.S. owned and based companies make these lovely items.
Sorry, I think we NEED foreign interest to at least create competition against the current domestic interest that are sorta... well, killing and destroying for their own "American Interest". But what's an opinion in a democracy-treason? lol

GOOGLE GOGGLE! GOOGLE GOGGLE!

ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

Everyday I hear about him, I like him more and more. Franken is one of the few among the corrupted that actually have some common sense for the common man.

It's great that he is standing up on the issue. Despite the muddying of the waters with the internet, isn't it still illegal to take foreign money in a campaign?

That's great. But he still didn't respond to me regarding my letter about Monsanto.

'Mr. Franken;
I am interested in knowing how you feel about Monsanto and their attempt to take over the seed supply in America and around the world. As you may already know, GM corn and soy and now sugarbeets comprise 75-80% of the food we buy in America. However, farmers have been sued by Monsanto for transgenic contamination they did not initiate, and are not allowed to replant seeds but have to buy new seeds yearly along with their RoundUp herbicides. Monsanto has been in the pocket of the FDA and USDA for quite some time, and is now continuing to buy up seed companies and spread GM crops across the globe without giving people any sort of assurance these crops are safe. What would you do as senator to assure that GM foods in our supply are properly labelled on our food to give us the Democratic choice we are entitled to as consumers? Would you also demand adequate independent testing of GM foods to assure consumers of their safety? Also, how will you compensate organic farmers for having their businesses ruined by these multi-national companies like Monsanto that are destroying farming as we know it?
Thank you,'

Monsanto's global reach is definitely to be considered in this bill as well. Just once I want to hear a representative in the Congress stand up with Dennis Kucinich on this.

Amazing! It amazes me that this is a fight that has to be fought. Yet another Orwellian distraction to keep us busy while our country is plundered.

Al Franken has my support if he want to be President because he is one of the painfully few representatives that sees beyond the facade and actually acts against injustice and insanity.

Al should be cloned! America needs more Senators like Al Franken...He is making a very big difference........Bravo Kenny!

And the funny part is it takes a brand new Senator too introduce this bill! I guess the rest of the Senators are corrupted so much they could not think this far ahead?