Following the Press ..... for better or worse

This Story begins with good reporting.

What was truly refreshing this spring was that Barbara Walters spoke out on 20/20 television! and even the staunch, do-right Wall Street Journal went out on a limb
to say,
"every tomato should be thrown their way."

This was in reference to 5-term Incumbent Scott McInnis
who broke his term limit promise -- TWICE.
"He said he had discovered that seniority matters
in Washington. Duh."

Potomac Watch
by Paul A. Gigot

Sniffing Out Rotten Tomatoes

Ninety-seven to 99 percent of all incumbent Congressmen are re-elected. One hundred percent of multi-term incumbents
(regardless of broken term limit promises)
are re-elected.
So says Washington, DC's Cook Reports.

Big Money and insiders have come to so dominate politics that the "Peoples' House" is now a joke. It's grotesque that 99.8% of all Americans give less than $200 to political campaigns. That means 0.2 % of the people
call the shots in this country. Two-thirds of the three billion campaign finance dollars comes from corporate special interests.

This is not government by, for and of the people;
it's government by, for and of Big Money.

Oct. 1, 2000
Dear Editor:

The greedheads are at the gate. Ninety-seven to 99 percent of all incumbent Congressmen are re-elected. One hundred percent of multi-term incumbents (regardless of broken term limit promises) are re-elected. So says Washington, DC's, Cook Reports and the general consensus of the punditocracy.

They also say only 14 of 435 seats are competitive. Why is this? One hundred of the members of Congress are millionaires. Is this representative democracy? Big money and insiders have come to so dominate politics that the "Peoples' House" is now a joke. For a result that benefits the common public good, we need public funding of all elections. Is $3.50 per taxpayer too much to get our democracy back?

It is particularly grotesque this year when 99.8 percent of all Americans give less than $200 to political campaigns. That means 0.2 percent of the people call the shots in this country. Not you and me. Two thirds of the eight billion campaign finance dollars comes from
corporate special interests, the rich and the powerful. This is not government by, for and of the people; it's government by, for and of Big Money.

The incumbent in Colorado Congressional District 3 is hip deep in corporate special interest money. As the Democratic nominee, I could be the recipient of corporate special interest supporters. However, six years ago I drew a line and said corporate special interests have no
place in dictating the terms of a democracy. I ran on small donations then, and I'm running on them now. John McCain almost took this issue to the White House. I'm going to take it to Congress. Fund-raising muscle should not be the measure of a candidate. Ideas, character, track record
and leadership skills ought to be the measures of our leaders.

Scott McInnis and Ken Chlouber will tell you I'm the outlaw in this campaign. If we need a Robin Hood to help take our government back from the well entrenched, bought and bossed incumbents and give it back to the people, so be it. If anyone wants the truth about my campaign they
should visit the website, call me or better yet visit me at Little Menokin Ranch. The coffee is on. Let's percolate.

By the way, Imrie started this citizen protest about democracy being bombed in 1994 when he ran
against Ken Chlouber for State Representative.
Journalists began reporting his campaign finance reform stand then.

"I can raise hell when big business and the special-interest groups that fund most of my opponent's campaign try to get the restraints and muzzles taken off of open-ended growth."

The Aspen Times 11/5/94
John Colson


a little more history .....
"McInnis, who last week discarded a pledge he took in 1992 and 1994 to abide by term limits and not seek a fourth term, has had only one close race in his political career." Ellen Miller Special to the Denver Post 3/1/98 Ms. Miller also reported on the $1 Million in campaign funds Scooter (scoots around term limits) had poised to possibly challenge Ben Nighthorse Campbell

The incumbent, Mr. $1.2 Million McInnis, is hip deep in corporate special interest money. He likes to say he gets his money (Big Money) in the East and spends it in the West. Does he really think rural Colorado constituents find this amusing? Check out the range of Scooter's
(scoots around term limits)
donors.

He's Bought
Conscientious voters need to follow the money, track the voting record and see how the money is linked to it. For example, Amway gives him $500 and gets a $28 million tax break. Is it any wonder why McInnis hasn't gone after the HMOs or supported health care for all? Look how much the insurance companies have invested in him. What a great deal. No wonder beer and wine are not part of his war on drugs ... they give him 11,500 bucks.
Go to the Federal Elections Commission site:
www.fecinfo.com

Challenger Curtis Imrie challenges our elected Congress members to show their sponsors just like race car drivers and burro racers ... on their sleeves ... so we'll know who's influencing their decisions back in Washington, DC.
Curtis offered his sponsor jacket to Scooter McInnis
during the Action 22 debate in Pueblo recently.
Scooter wouldn't take it.

James Amos
Pueblo Chieftain, 9/17/00

Covering the Action 22 debate in Pueblo, Jim Amos wrote that McInnis said that outside contributions are just another part of democracy in action.

"That ain't democracy to me." Curtis was quoted. "This is government by the corporations, of the corporations and for the corporations."

Curtis ran on
campaign finance reform
as early as 1994 in a run for State Representative, challenging Ken Chlouber.

"You don't forget who cut you the check ... These legislators have been bought and paid for in advance."
"It's corrupt."
Gunnison Country Times
Oct. 28, 1994

LETTER TO THE EDITOR appeared in The Mountain Mail, Salida Oct.17, 2000

Dear Editor:

Integrity. Do we see it in the Presidency or in the presidential race? Do we see it the international
arena? Talk is cheap; no where is that exemplified more than in politics. Nationally, I'm still waiting for a candidate with the courage to act in integrity. Locally, I've found one.
Curtis Imrie.

True integrity demands hopeful affirmation and the capability and will to follow through on promises.
The issues I devote myself to globally and locally are the same; it’s those affecting environmental and humanitarian sustainability: water rights, health care, peace, children, provision and help for those
who’ve broken the laws (and a careful assesment of which laws should be eliminated in regards to the “drug war”), education, preservation of wildlands, human rights.

These issues cut across party lines; these issues directly affect everyone living in the 3rd
Congressional District. These issues demand a Congressman who will speak for the interest of the
people living in this district.

Imrie said something in his last debate with McInnis which struck me as the heart of what’s at stake in this election, “Politics is just for me on a scale from top to bottom... the concentrated wealth and
power at the top is doing a pretty good job of wiping out the middle class a work-a-day Americans.” To me, McInnis represents and works AGAINST everything I value and everything which in my 15 years living in this district I’ve seen many of the people here value.

As I was determining who to vote for for the 3rd Congress, I investigated both the stances they take on issues and their source of funding. McInnis is a man who has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in PAC money—corporate money—he’s a man who speaks in banalities typical of politicians (but he doesn’t speak for me and I believe he doesn’t speak for most of you).

I still want to believe a grass-roots candidate who truly speaks for the people—the farmers, ranchers, teachers, parents, immigrants, the poor, the working class—can get elected because he stands up for what he believes. Imrie is that man. He doesn’t need (and refuses to accept any PAC/corporate special interest money) to win this election...all he needs is your vote.

I have studied the platforms of both candidates and found Imrie’s to be substantive, compassionate, and workable (read online at www.curtisimrie.com and see for yourself.)

You have the power. If you want a congressman who knows the issues of this district from personal
experience; who knows the people, towns & cities, and day to day life in this district; if you want the best man available for your Congressman—if you want integrity-- vote Imrie.

Christine Smith
Howard, Colorado

Sandra Boyce Rusby
Montrose Morning Sun 2/23/98

"I put spine in everything I do," Imrie said, holding up a spine..."The system is rigged by insiders and big money, but it doesn't have to be that way. Not if we use a little spine and stand up for our beliefs."

Ed Quillen in Colorado Central May 1996 -

"He held up a big spine and said he was taking one to Washington." "He should have offered to transplant it into Gov. Roy Romer, a fellow who lately seems rather, well "backbone-challenged," especially in the presence of Phillip Anschutz.

A Twist on C.P.R.

Imrie's philosophy centers around the basic ideas of conservation, preservation and restoration ... and he'd use this philosophy to guide his votes in Congress.

"It's a simple approach how to prevent waste, how to keep existing resources and how to reclaim what has been lost."

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Shannon Joyce Neal
5/31/00

Imrie can always count on Tom McAvoy (Pueblo Chieftain) for a condescending remark. How does this guy who lives and works in Denver expect to cover 36 counties of the 3rd CD? He says Imrie's supposed to come by his office (kiss his donkey) like Scott does.

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
9/10/00

See Rating the Media on the Democracy page. Once again the candidacies of ballot qualified men are marginalized by the corporatist press. The reporter didn't even know there were two more candidates when she called. If she actually researched and traveled this district she'd know there is deep anger and disgust about Scott McInnis's practices and a profound desire for a choice.
The Denver Post 10/1/00

And Finally to rebutt inaccuracies:

The Mountain Mail 9/19/00 Secretary of State Donetta Davidson rightfully ruled on a hearing that outlined the steps which occurred to place John Ford (a Buena Vista school teacher) as the Democratic challenger against State Senator Ken Chlouber.
The only mal-intent is the Republicans continuing to distort the facts, including their Federal Campaign Committee Chairman Bob Beauprez in this letter.
McInnis (at the Pueblo debate) and Ken Chlouber (in the legislative chamber) will tell you Imrie is the outlaw in this campaign.
If we need a Robin Hood to help take our government back from the well entrenched , bought and bossed incumbents and give it back to the people, so be it.