Members of JACPAC are encouraged to make contributions to candidates — to be delivered by JACPAC members. The maximum contribution an individual can make to each candidate is $2000 in a primary and $2000 in a general.
We recommend contributions in the amount of $100 or more. The costs incrurred by campaigns to process and report each donation mean that fewer donations in larger amounts are preferable to more donations in smaller amounts. The choice, of course, is yours to make — and your participation is appreciated!
Your contributions to candidates, combined with others through JACPAC, make you an integral part of a donor network dedicated to electing a Congress which reflects the values and addresses the concerns of the Jewish community.
The Conduit System: Putting Individual Donations to Work
JACPAC identifies candidates who will benefit by members' donations and who will make excellent members of Congress, acting in JACPAC members' behalf.
After joining or renewing, members are encouraged to make donations to candidates of their choice and ALWAYS send them to JACPAC for delivery to the candidates. This in no way interferes with the donor's personal relationship with the candidate. In fact, it enhances it.
Members' contributions are combined to make a greater impact than any single donation could make on its own. JACPAC members — not just a select few leaders — personally deliver the collected contributions. Through this personal contact, candidates understand that the donations come from a national network of Jewish contributors who care about Israel, reproductive freedom for women, separation of religion and state, and opposition to right wing ideology.
Criteria for Candidate Selection
JACPAC considers the following criteria when selecting candidates: voting record on foreign aid or related middle east issues (or strength of position paper on Israel if candidate has never held elective office); leadership positions in Senate or House; committee assignments; votes on reproductive choice, school prayer or government sanction/funding of pervasively sectarian activity, and other separation of religion/state issues; state or district demographics; case-by-case analysis of opposition; electability; financial need. Although each race is judged on its particular merits, JACPAC sticks with incumbent friends over challengers; stays out of primaries (unless the primary IS the race); stays out of races in which candidates on both sides equally meet JACPAC's criteria.
Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year. According to law, JACPAC cannot accept corporate contributions. Membership, gifts, or other payments to JACPAC are not deductible as charitable conributions for federal income tax purposes.
all content copyright 2008,
Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs email: info@jacpac.org photos by Robert A. Cumins
