Thanks, Ebbie! The same thing goes here. If they have the bucks to put up the signs, it usually means they own it. I was appalled listening to NPR the other day and talk of the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on campaigning. It is sickening. I'd rather see the candidates in a real pissing contest, in the wind, as is seems that is what happens to the money they spend. There would, of course, be accomodations for women candidates, deepest hole in the dust, largest splash, etc.

There has to be campaign finance reform and apparently, on an encouraging note, young people agree:

"YOUNG PEOPLE CHOOSE CAMPAIGN REFORM AS TOP ISSUE

GenerationNet.org Urges Candidates to Take its Pledge

SAN FRANCISCO - At the height of an election season awash in money,America's young people have chosen campaign finance reform as their top priority issue in a national online vote, selecting it as the focus for a new grassroots campaign.

GenerationNet.org, the new, web-based advocacy group that held the vote, now urges Congressional candidates of all parties to take a serious, two-part pledge:

1. Ban so-called "soft money" -- unlimited contributions to political parties - by July 4th, 2001, the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

2. Hold a roll-call vote by July 4th, 2004 on a comprehensive package of campaign reforms, including:

* Tighter regulation of independent expenditures and issue advertising,

* State-of-the-art electronic disclosure of large contributions,

* Overhaul of the Federal Election Commission to assure timely and strict enforcement of the laws,

* Free or reduced-cost TV advertising for candidates who abide by spending limits,

* And the establishment of a voluntary "Clean Money" public funding option for candidates who wish to be free of the compromising special-interest money chase.

GenerationNet.org members throughout the country will now press their candidates to sign this pledge, showing their commitment both to the issue of campaign finance reform, and to the importance of young people having a voice in shaping the laws that affect their lives.

"It's time to get the big money out of our elections, time to level the playing field and free our lawmakers from the constant money chase. America's young people have spoken, and we're asking the politicians to take our pledge: ban soft money now, and clean up our elections," said Peter Schurman, Executive Director of GenerationNet.org.

GenerationNet.org is a new, national, non-partisan, non-profit campaign using the Internet to give young people a voice in shaping the laws that affect our lives. The group was recently endorsed by Chuck D of Public Enemy in a public service announcement available on the group's website.

GenerationNet.org addresses the problem of young people's alienation from politics, which undermines our democracy. Less than one-third of 18- to 24- year olds voted in the last presidential election. Yet more than two-thirds of young adults surveyed by the National Association of Secretaries of State believe that "our generation has an important voice, but no one seems to hear it." Politicians' attitudes toward young people were illustrated in 1992 when then-Senator Wyche Fowler (D-GA) asked young activists, "Students don't vote... do you expect me to come in here and kiss your ass?" (as quoted in Newsweek).

GenerationNet.org's two-stage campaign combines online organizing and offline activism. In stage one, from August 29th to September 22nd, members voted at the group's website, http://www.GenerationNet.org, democratically choosing campaign finance reform as their top issue. Stage two, which is now underway, is an offline, grassroots campaign, pressing politicians throughout the country to sign the GenerationNet.org campaign finance reform pledge.

"There are 131 million people in generations X and Y, and that's almost half the American population," said Stacey Abrams, the group's President. "More than 40 million of us are active Internet users. Together our voices can have a huge impact."

GenerationNet.org's campaign is based on a 1992 campaign for deficit reduction, in which its founder, Peter Schurman, played a key role. The campaign asked candidates for Congress to pledge cut the US budget deficit in half in four years or leave office. In districts nationwide, young activists urged candidates to sign the pledge, demonstrating the scale of the national debt by pouring out 4,200 pennies, each representing $1 billion, at the candidates' feet, while TV news cameras rolled. Nationwide, 106 candidates signed the pledge in just a few weeks.

GenerationNet.org is a new nonpartisan, nonprofit, web-based advocacy organization for young people. The group sets no age boundaries for membership, but appeals primarily to those born after the baby boom, because prior generations already have a strong history of political participation.

Generations X and Y are defined by demographic historians Strauss and Howe as beginning in 1960."

(Gee, I only missed my kids' generation by 7 years!)