TPA Sends Letter to Senators, Urging Opposition to S.1

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) sent a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to oppose S.1, the “For the People Act.”

The full letter can be found HERE or in the text below:

June 22, 2021

United States Senate

Washington, D.C.  20510

Dear Senator,

On behalf of the millions of taxpayers and consumers the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) represents, we write to you today to strongly oppose S.1, the so-called “For the People Act.” This legislation would waste millions of taxpayer dollars on political campaigns, create a partisan Federal Elections Commission (FEC), and damage free speech rights in America.

S. 1 creates a 600 percent taxpayer-funded match on political donations to congressional and presidential campaigns. Ostensibly to create a more equitable system, this provision would actually firmly entrench incumbent politicians who have greater name ID, more access to capital, and a significant advantage when it comes to free media. This donation match would be tantamount to a six-fold increase in their fundraising advantage over challengers.

For years, the FEC has been comprised of an even split of Republicans and Democrats. This ensured that – at the very least – the commission could not make any significant decisions that would boost one party or candidate at the expense of the other. S. 1 would reduce the number of FEC commissioners from six to five. According to the bill text, the new partisan breakdown would be two Republicans, two Democrats, and one “independent” or minor political party member.  Any casual political observer will note that not all independents are created equal. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was a one-time frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. The presence of a nominal independent on the FEC panel would do very little to stop it from becoming a vehicle to serve the worst interests of partisan actors.

S. 1, similar to H.R.1 which has become the focal point of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) push during the 117th Congress, would have a profoundly chilling effect on free speech. The Constitution guarantees the right to free speech. However, there is no mandate that such speech be public. Yet, H.R. 1 would mandate that political organizations make their donor lists public. The Supreme Court ruled in 1958 in NAACP v. Alabama that disclosure of membership lists violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause and warrants undue intimidation.

S. 1 also broadens the definition of “lobbyist” in such a way that the activity of most Americans who engage and participate in political speech can be regulated as such. This definition is far too broad and is meant as a tacit discouragement of political speech critical of the status quo. As an organization dedicated to holding government accountable, TPA cannot let this stand unchallenged.

As such, we strongly urge Senators to vocally oppose S. 1 and any concerned citizen should contact their members to make their voices heard as well. Instead, the Senate should focus on level-headed solutions to the systemic problems in our governance and seek to alter the status quo for the better, not exacerbate it.

Sincerely,

David Williams

President