82% of Mainers support this in the Maine Governor's race

When I was around ten years old (that would be 34 years ago) my Mom took a few of my friends and me to McDonald’s in celebration of my birthday. On a single dollar apiece if memory serves we were each able to order a full meal (we won’t get into the nutritional aspects, that’s another topic).


A dollar literally went a long way. I had a good time with my friends and also was fed.

$5 may not sound like much today. But this is what I believe it can get you:

Democracy.

Maine is one of the very few states in the nation with public financing of legislative and Gubernatorial elections, and there are traditional monied interests, under threat from clean elections, that would like nothing better than to see it go away.

Every legislative session there are efforts to get rid of clean elections in Maine, and this last term may have been the biggest onslaught yet.

But Mainers support the Clean Election program (Link to Maine Clean Elections $5 donation page is here) in droves.

According to a major poll by Critical Insights, 82% of Mainers support public "clean elections" financing in Maine Gubernatorial elections.

That is fantastic.

Whether you agree that our campaign offers the best solutions for Maine and/or wish to register your support generally for the Maine Clean Elections program, your $5 contribution for our campaign (Alex Hammer) is very much appreciated (these $5 qualifying donations go directly to the State of Maine rather than to the campaigns)

Also, you are free to provide $5 Clean Election qualifying contributions for as many or as few election candidates as you choose.

Mainers - the people of Maine - own this state. Not because I say so. But because you, all of you, say so. While granting a certain amount of rope, voters imposed term limits when things seemed to be getting out of hand. Mainers are also, as another example, not at all afraid to use the referendum process.

We're Mainers. We want to see things get done. We hope that our elected officials will help to do them, but we're here also to watch over them, as necessary, when they fail to do so.

Special interests are in danger of ruining this country, and, as an extension of this also, can be powerful also right here in Maine.

Some people say that the Maine Clean Election Act is a waste of taxpayer money. Bad Government is, I believe, much much more expensive. And a government that is even potentially more susceptible to corruptive influences is, if you agree, more expensive still.

One or two strokes of the pen in Augusta could be more expensive than 100 Maine Clean Election Acts, in dollars and cents (and sense, if you agree).

I am hoping that each of you will wish to participate. We're off to a flying start, better than expected so thank you very very much.

As Mainers, all of us, it's our country and it's our state.

That's what the $5 signifies to me.