--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Maine, we are fortunate to have a…" description: "\"In Maine, we are fortunate to have a Clean Elections system that allows legislators to turn down corporate special interest money. At the national leve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg" --- # In Maine, we are fortunate to have a Clean Elections… ![“In Maine, we are fortunate to have a Clean Elections system that allows legislators to turn down corporate special interest money. At the national level, Congress should follow Maine's example by empowering the voices of small donors.” quote by Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg) > “In Maine, we are fortunate to have a Clean Elections system that allows legislators to turn down corporate special interest money. At the national level, Congress should follow Maine's example by empowering the voices of small donors.” [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates adopting Maine’s Clean Elections model nationally to reduce corporate influence and empower small donors. **In simple terms:** Promote public financing of elections. Key Takeaway Support clean elections. Themes campaign finance reform democracy small donors Mood optimistic determined hopeful Type policy activism reform When to use this quote - local elections - state legislatures - national policy - voter outreach Key Concepts political equality public funding grassroots empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What obstacles exist for public financing? - How can citizens pressure legislators? A Different Perspective Implementation faces political resistance and funding challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Corporate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporate/) [Donors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donors/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Empowering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowering/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Legislators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislators/) [Maine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maine/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Special interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interest/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [If you create a system that makes the small donors the linchpin of the system in terms of how members of Congress directly raise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sarbanes/if-you-create-a-system-that-makes-the-small-donors-the-linchpin-of/) [John Sarbanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sarbanes/) > [You look at Donald Trump and Ben Carson and you can see the people supporting them are small donors, the people I always call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-look-at-donald-trump-and-ben-carson-and-you-can-see-the-people/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [At a time when special interest money is being showered on legislators in Washington, grassroots donors offer members of Congress a refreshing independence. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sarbanes/at-a-time-when-special-interest-money-is-being-showered-on/) [John Sarbanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sarbanes/) > [Voter confidence depends on the clean elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/voter-confidence-depends-on-the-clean-elections/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [The PRI can afford to push democratization; it can afford to be generous because it has a very good chance of winning in clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-dresser/the-pri-can-afford-to-push-democratization-it-can-afford-to-be/) [Denise Dresser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-dresser/) > [“for small donors to participate, but large donors continue to dominate.) Even before the Supreme Court’s grotesque 2010 decision”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-reich/for-small-donors-to-participate-but-large-donors-continue-to-dominate/) [Robert B. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-reich/) > [In my home state of Maine, we've seen out-of-state groups with anonymous donors spend millions of dollars to campaign against issues that don't fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/in-my-home-state-of-maine-we-ve-seen-out-of-state-groups-with/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [I'm not going to take any special interest money or any PAC money... when I get to Washington I want to be the voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-mcmahon/i-m-not-going-to-take-any-special-interest-money-or-any-pac-money/) [Linda McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-mcmahon/) > [I've owned a business for 26 years. My family isn't in politics and my supporters aren't special interest groups in Madison and Milwaukee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-neumann/i-ve-owned-a-business-for-26-years-my-family-isn-t-in-politics-and-my/) [Mark Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-neumann/) > [If everyone in America can easily see who and what their lawmakers are requesting taxpayer money for, we can keep elected officials honest, end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/if-everyone-in-america-can-easily-see-who-and-what-their-lawmakers/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I think the press has an interest in communicating to its viewers or readers, and their viewers or readers drive profit for those news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/i-think-the-press-has-an-interest-in-communicating-to-its-viewers-or/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I desire an special interest in your prayers that my faith fail not in the day of adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawley/i-desire-an-special-interest-in-your-prayers-that-my-faith-fail-not/) [John Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawley/) > [I'm sorry I'm not gay or Jewish, so I don't have a special interest group of journalists that support me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-gallo/i-m-sorry-i-m-not-gay-or-jewish-so-i-don-t-have-a-special-interest/) [Vincent Gallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-gallo/) > [Campaign finance and ethics reform only works if it curtails all special interest groups equally and does not carve out any exceptions to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kean-jr/campaign-finance-and-ethics-reform-only-works-if-it-curtails-all/) [Thomas Kean, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kean-jr/) > [I've made it clear that I'm not taking special interest PAC money or accepting donations from lobbyists - ever. I want to represent the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-pagliuca/i-ve-made-it-clear-that-i-m-not-taking-special-interest-pac-money-or/) [Stephen Pagliuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-pagliuca/) ## More by Chellie Pingree > [Having started and owned two small businesses, I know what a challenge it is to keep up with the rising costs of your employees'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/having-started-and-owned-two-small-businesses-i-know-what-a-challenge/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [Our businesses can't create jobs when they're losing revenue, and the unemployed can't apply for jobs when they can't pay their phone bill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/our-businesses-can-t-create-jobs-when-they-re-losing-revenue-and-the/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [As more and more people reach the Internet by mobile phone, we should make sure users are getting the open access they believe they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/as-more-and-more-people-reach-the-internet-by-mobile-phone-we-should/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [I love to come home and work on one of my other jobs. Just to remember that the floors gotta be mopped, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/i-love-to-come-home-and-work-on-one-of-my-other-jobs-just-to-remember/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [The founding leaders of our country believed in a three-part sharing of governmental power, with each branch jealously watching the actions of the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/the-founding-leaders-of-our-country-believed-in-a-three-part-sharing/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [For too long, the system has been biased in favor of oil and gas developers: sweetheart lease deals, generous subsidies and a regulatory process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/for-too-long-the-system-has-been-biased-in-favor-of-oil-and-gas/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [I think we've found a better solution on North Haven and Vinalhaven: Instead of paying increasing expensive electric bills every month, with the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/i-think-we-ve-found-a-better-solution-on-north-haven-and-vinalhaven/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [During the summer of 2009, the debate on health care reform was emotional and intense. At its best, it represented the free exchange of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/during-the-summer-of-2009-the-debate-on-health-care-reform-was/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [Certainly, my advice is that communicating, lobbying, fundraising and engaging the public in policy and politics is far more exciting and inexpensive via the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/certainly-my-advice-is-that-communicating-lobbying-fundraising-and/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [One of the reasons I wanted to leave my position at Common Cause and return to politics was to regain the freedom to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/one-of-the-reasons-i-wanted-to-leave-my-position-at-common-cause-and/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [A good place to start a more civil dialog would be for my Republican colleagues in the House to change the name of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/a-good-place-to-start-a-more-civil-dialog-would-be-for-my-republican/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [Like many older D.C. organizations, Common Cause has had to come a long way both in its use of the Internet and its understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/like-many-older-d-c-organizations-common-cause-has-had-to-come-a-long/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [I never thought I'd see the day when the U.S. government could listen in on phone conversations or read private mail without first obtaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/i-never-thought-i-d-see-the-day-when-the-u-s-government-could-listen/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [One of the first members of Congress I met when I was first elected in 2008 was Barney Frank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/one-of-the-first-members-of-congress-i-met-when-i-was-first-elected/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has been one of my good friends in the House of Representatives. When she was brutally shot, Gabby was out doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-has-been-one-of-my-good-friends-in/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) [Explore all 43 Chellie Pingree quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) ## More Clean quotes > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/whenever-we-touch-nature-we-get-clean-people-who-have-got-dirty/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/) [Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/) > [There's nothing harder than making a mellow, clean record. It's really scary. I can see why people would never want to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-segall/there-s-nothing-harder-than-making-a-mellow-clean-record-it-s-really/) [Ty Segall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-segall/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [There is one, and only one solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/there-is-one-and-only-one-solution-and-we-have-almost-no-time-to-try/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [The sugar maple is remarkable for its clean ankle. The groves of these trees looked like vast forest sheds, their branches stoppingshort at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sugar-maple-is-remarkable-for-its-clean-ankle-the-groves-of-these/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [At 62, I remain clean and sober and my ponytail remains erect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/at-62-i-remain-clean-and-sober-and-my-ponytail-remains-erect/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [Water is a cure-all. Water is everything. You can't get better without drinking lots of water, and you can't drink water unless it's clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/water-is-a-cure-all-water-is-everything-you-can-t-get-better-without/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [The worthiness of any cause is not measured by its clean record, but by its readiness to see the blots when they are pointed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/the-worthiness-of-any-cause-is-not-measured-by-its-clean-record-but/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [I like to always wash the slate clean, and reinvigorate my spirit to be connected to the characters that I am doing. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-like-to-always-wash-the-slate-clean-and-reinvigorate-my-spirit-to/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [There's a whole journalistic-industrial complex dedicated to keeping newsprint, TV screens and radio waves clean of destabilizing scoops damaging to corporations or the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-s-a-whole-journalistic-industrial-complex-dedicated-to-keeping/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [Night fell clean and cold in Dublin, and wind moaned beyond my room as if a million pipes played the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/night-fell-clean-and-cold-in-dublin-and-wind-moaned-beyond-my-room-as/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) Browse all 2,503 Clean quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Maine, we are fortunate to have a Clean Elections system that allows legislators to turn down corporate special interest money. At the national level, Congress should follow Maine's example by empowering the voices of small donors.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chellie Pingree" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clean-elections-system-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clean" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clean-elections-system-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/chellie-pingree-15233_clean_in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clea_155832.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In Maine, we are fortunate to have a Clean Elections system that allows legislators to turn down corporate…” — Chellie Pingree", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chellie Pingree", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In Maine, we are fortunate to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clean-elections-system-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/in-maine-we-are-fortunate-to-have-a-clean-elections-system-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```