The SideshowPetition seeks to outfit members of House, Senate with NASCAR-style patches
A petition on WhiteHouse.gov seeks to require members of Congress to wear the logos of their financial supporters on their clothing a la NASCAR drivers.
So far the petition, which launched March 19, has more than 21,000 signatures. All petitions on WhiteHouse.gov require 100,000 signatures within 30 days to get an official response from the Obama administration.
The full petition, written by "J.S." of St. Louis a week ago, reads:
Since most politicians' campaigns are largely funded by wealthy companies and individuals, it would give voters a better sense of who the candidate they are voting for is actually representing if the company's logo, or individual's name, was prominently displayed upon the candidate's clothing at all public appearances and campaign events. Once elected, the candidate would be required to continue to wear those "sponsor's" [sic] names during all official duties and visits to constituents. The size of a logo or name would vary with the size of a donation. For example, a $1 million dollar contribution would warrant a patch of about 4" by 8" on the chest, while a free meal from a lobbyist would be represented by a quarter-sized button. Individual donations under $1000 are exempt.
Much like the petition that sought the creation of an American-controlled Death Star-type military base, the odds of this truth-in-sponsorship idea seeing the light of day are slim. But even if Dianne Feinstein won't dress like Kyle Busch, the idea has clearly captured the attention of many people weary of insider politics.
Plus, it's fun (or maybe the word is "terrifying"?) to imagine Michele Bachmann or Harry Reid in fire-retardant jumpsuits as they inform the American public that "this tax cut was brought to you by the fine folks at Slim Jim."
