To The Editor,

Scandals continue to rock Capitol Hill. Congress's public approval ratings have plummeted to 16 percent More than a billion dollars has been raised for the upcoming elections with half of that from lobbyists. Attack ads and big campaign money don't do much to restore voters' confidence.

Most voters agree they are tired of "business as usual." Recent bipartisan polling found voters are hungry for a more open, clean, and fair system of campaign funding. A significant majority of voters, across party lines, support publicly funded elections similar to programs already in place in seven states and two localities. The survey also found that candidates who sign a pledge supporting reform receive a dramatic boost from voters.

That's why Common Cause, Public Campaign Action Fund, Public Citizen, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group unveiled their "Voters First" pledge for congressional candidates. The pledge includes specific policies to make elections fair for all, restore congressional accountability, and protect voters' right-to-know. Voters support this reform because of the positive changes they overwhelmingly believe will come from it. Around 350 congressional candidates and more than 50 incumbents have signed the pledge. See the signers from Indiana and across the nation are listed here: www.votersfirstpledge.org.