It’s Time to Reform Springfield!
Listen to this recent interview with the author of the Put-Back Amendment here that lays out the entire amendment.
Flyers for the amendment that can be used as hand-outs are available here.
If you’re like us, you’ve witnessed the mess in Springfield with utter shock. We were told it was just Rod Blagojevich but now he’s been removed and the mess remains. The only consistent feature of our dysfunctional state government is the legislature. That is why we started this non-partisan reform effort to reform the General Assembly and put the people back in charge.
The “Bambenek Put-Back Amendment” is a comprehensive package of reforms designed to end the backroom dealings of the General Assembly. Did you know that most legislation is written behind closed doors and is never seen by most legislators (much less the public) before they are required to vote on it? Did you know legislative leaders have complete control over what bills get consider and which ones die? We send 177 legislators to Springfield, but the power is only vested in 4 of them. It’s time to end the gridlock, end the backroom dealing, and end the imperial legislature. It’s time YOU are put back in charge!
Learn more about the Bambenek Put-Back Amendment with the links at the right, including how you can help us acquire the 500,000 signatures to get this important amendment on the ballot.
Press Release: Main Street Campaigns Responds to Release of Fair Map Amendment Proposal
“Illinois Needs Comprehensive Reform, Not Tinkering”
CHAMPAIGN, IL (December 3, 2009) — Main Street Campaigns today responded today to the news of another citizen-initiated amendment called “The Fair Map Amendment” to reform gerrymandering proposed by the League of Women Voters and others. Main Street Campaigns is supporting the Putback Amendment (www.PutBackAmendment.com) to be on the November 2010 ballot so voters could enact reforms that will make state government more accountable and responsive.
“The people of Illinois have waited long enough for reform and I am please the League of Women Voters is bringing to light the critical problems with gerrymandering,” said John Bambenek, political director of Main Street Campaigns and principal author of the Putback Amendment.
“However, the Fair Map proposal falls short of the reforms the General Assembly so desperately needs. It does not enact term limits, it still allows for backroom legislation and complete control of the legislature by leaders rendering the rank-and-file legislator as irrelevant. Reforming redistricting is a good step, but it is not the comprehensive reform needed to turn the page on Blagojevich-era corruption.”
One key area of concern Bambenek voiced is that the Fair Map Amendment appears to be unconstitutional and would not be allowed on the ballot even with a sufficient number of signatures. Article XIV Section 3 requires citizen-initiated amendments to be “structural and procedural” and this amendment falls short of that requirement. Legal scholars also agree that this amendment would likely be struck down by the courts before being placed on the ballot.
The Putback Amendment provides comprehensive reform by enacting the following:
Term Limits — Legislative terms would be limited to two years per term, and legislators would serve a maximum of four terms (eight years). The eight year maximum could be consecutive or broken up, but eight years would be the limit.
Seven-Day Public Viewing of All Legislation — This would assure lawmakers would actually read what they’re voting on, because the public would have ample opportunity to read the bills as well. It would end the practice of “shell bills” that often contain taxes and spending the public doesn’t know about until it is too late.
End Gerrymandering — After the census, all data would be made public to ensure a scoring system based on objective criteria. Incumbency is explicitly disallowed, ensuring that people pick their politicians instead of politicians picking their voters. Anyone can sue based on gerrymandering instead of just the Attorney General.
Equal Ballot Access – This would end the discriminatory practice that allows some established political parties an advantage in getting on the ballot. It would remove unfair impediments to Independents and third-parties who want to run for office. Disqualification of signatures could only be based on fraud, deception, or unintelligibility – as opposed to technicalities often used by established parties to get Independent candidates thrown off the ballot.
To get the amendment on the ballot the campaign will need to get 500,000 signatures by May 2nd. More information is available at http://www.PutBackAmendment.com.
Statewide Rally for Reform Locations for November 7th
The following is a list of events around the State of Illinois that will be held on November 7th where interested voters can go to sign the petition to get the Putback Amendment on the ballot. Address and times are shown below.
Work in Progress
Bolingbrook @ Illinois Federation of Young Republicans Conference (TBD)
Bolingbrook Golf Course
Cary (12:30pm-4:30pm) @ AFTF Event:
Cary Public Library
1606 Three Oaks Road
Cary, IL
Chicago (12pm – 2pm) @ Chicago Tea Party:
Wentworth Park
5700 s Narragansett Ave.
Chicago, IL
Champaign (12pm – 2pm):
West Side Park
400 W. University
Champaign, IL
Danville (6pm – 8pm) @ Reforming Illinois 101:
Davis S. Palmer Arena, Room 127
100 W. Main St.
Danville, IL
Elgin (5pm-8pm) @ Gov. Candidate Debate:
TBD
Lincolnshire (12pm – 2pm):
Cubby Bear Lincolnshire
21661 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Lincolnshire, IL
Oquakwa (12pm – 2pm):
DC’s
4th and Schuyler
Oquakwa, IL
Rock Island (TBD)
Springfield (11am – 1pm):
Super Wash Car Wash
3121 Hedley Rd.
Springfield, IL
NEWS CONFERENCE: Adam Andrzejewski, Other Leaders Join Forces With Main Street Campaigns to Reform State Government
What: Put Back Amendment Press Conference
Who:
John Bambenek, Amendment Author
Will O’Brien, Executive Director of Main Street Campaigns
Adam Andrzejewski, 2010 Gubernatorial Candidate
When: 11:00 AM Thursday, October 29, 2009
Where: Union League Club of Chicago
65 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL
Room 710
CHICAGO, IL (October 27, 2009) — Gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski and several other key leaders will be joining Main Street Campaigns in endorsement of the Put Back Amendment (www.PutBackAmendment.com) on Thursday, October 29, 2009.
“The people of Illinois have waited long enough for reform. Voters are tired of legislative loopholes and political practices that lead to unfair policies and corrupt our government,” said Main Street Campaigns Executive Director Will O’Brien, a Democrat.
“The time has come to give Illinoisans the chance to truly change and reform the infamously corrupt system we have had for far too long,” said John Bambenek, author of the amendment and Main Street Campaigns Political Director.
The amendment will feature four needed reforms to clean up state government, including:
- Term Limits
- Seven-Day Public Viewing of All Legislation
- End Gerrymandering
- Equal Ballot Access
Press Release: Statewide reform movement launches amendment intiative
Friday, Main Street Campaigns launched a statewide bipartisan campaign called Rally for Reform, an effort to get an amendment initiative (www.PutBackAmendment.com) on the November 2010 ballot so voters could enact reforms that will make state government more accountable and responsive.
“The people of Illinois have waited long enough for reform. Voters are tired of legislative loopholes and political practices that lead to unfair policies and corrupt our government,” said Main Street Campaigns Executive Director Will O’Brien, a Democrat.