CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT…McCUTCHEON vs FEC…MONEY ON MY MIND…DM IN THE NEWS…DM’s NEW WEBSITE…QUOTES OF THE MONTH…IDEA OF THE MONTH…FACTS YOU CAN USE…
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT: SUNY GENESEO
Kevin Castaneda and DM activists at the Geneseo campus of the State University of New York have been busy raising awareness about the destructive impact of big money in politics. They organized a voter registration campaign, tabled at the ice cream social for freshmen, and published an article in the school paper (see DM in the News below).
Their “Monkey Money” campaign featured DMers tabling with white boards for students to write why they think “our country’s democracy matters.” They took pictures of each student’s response and posted them on Facebook. Great way to get creative, Geneseo!
Read their article in The Lamron.
McCUTCHEON vs FEC
On October 8, the Supreme Court heard testimony in favor of lifting the cap on aggregate contribution limits so that an individual could donate over $3 million to federal candidates. The counter argument by the government was that this would both enhance the appearance of political corruption and effectively bar the majority of citizens from real political engagement.
At anti-McCutcheon rallies outside the Supreme Court, as well as in Iowa, Wisconsin, Connecticut and other states, protesters pointed to the damage done to democracy when a small group of wealthy donors funds election campaigns and thereby effectively silences dissent and debate.
President Obama seemed to agree when he stated: “The latest case would go even further than Citizens United. I mean, essentially, it would say anything goes; there are no rules in terms of how to finance campaigns. There aren’t a lot of functioning democracies around the world that work this way, where you can basically have millionaires and billionaires bankrolling whoever they want, however they want, in some cases undisclosed. And what it means is ordinary Americans are shut out of the process. You know, you have some ideological extremist who has a big bankroll, and they can entirely skew our politics. [This has] contributed to some of the problems we’re having in Washington right now.”
Read more in the Public Campaign Voter Blog.
Read more in The Guardian.
MONEY ON MY MIND
Government shut-down, debt ceiling crisis, political blackmail, Obamacare at risk, sequestration. Jay Mandle explores how the private funding of Tea Party campaigns by wealthy donors has created unprecedented government dysfunction.
Read the full article and explore other issues of MOMM.
DM IN THE NEWS
DM students are publishing hard-hitting articles in their school papers. Below are a few excerpts:
Daniel Bachman, The Harvard Crimson
“We the people – the voters, donors, politicians, lobbyists, CEOs, and citizens – know, or at least cannot help but suspect, that all this money has corrupted our political system. When we hear the facts, the sacred democratic ideal of “one person, one vote” sounds like a sick delusion. When we know that our representatives spend hours each day fundraising as corporations and special interests spend $3.3 billion a year lobbying, our measly marks on a ballot feel like a pittance in the vast economy of influence that runs our political system.
“But as students and future leaders, those charged with making the world a better place, we cannot let this legalized corruption continue. A vibrant and growing movement has emerged to finally take back our democracy.”
Ethan Demers, Syracuse University Daily Orange
“No political issue strikes more at the heart of democracy than campaign finance reform. But now, after years of struggle, finance reform may finally gain traction. The quicker the United States addresses campaign finance reform and makes substantive changes to the political campaigns that are funded, the better off our democracy will be.”
Cailan Rourke, The Lamron (SUNY Geneseo)
“Democracy Matters is a national organization based on college campuses across the country that offers students a chance to get involved in non-partisan politics. Democracy Matters has an ultimate goal of organizing a public financing system for all elections, from nationwide to local. This is primarily to encourage candidates to focus on appealing to the needs of the voters rather than the needs of those who would offer contributions to sponsor said candidates.”
For these and other articles see the DM Newsroom.
DM WEBSITE GETS A FACELIFT
Check out the new Democracy Matters website. As the advertisers say: “Same great content with a new look.” And don’t forget to like us on Facebook where you can find information about both money in politics and the fight to create a real democracy.
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
From the Supreme Court:
Justice Kagan:
“Having written a check for 3.5-or-so million dollars … are you suggesting that that party and the members of that party are not going to owe me anything, that I won’t get any special treatment?”
Justice Scalia:
“$3.5 million isn’t that much money for one individual to spend on an election.”
And from the Press:
Lexington, KY, Herald-Leader Editorial:
“The latest chapter in Democracy Devolves: Selling Government to the Highest Bidders unfolded in arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court this week.”
Detroit Free Press Editorial:
“In today’s America, where fewer and fewer citizens control more and more of the nation’s wealth, the threat posed by unrestrained political spending is even more toxic.”
IDEA OF THE MONTH
Thanksgiving is a good time to be thankful that we have the freedom to discuss, debate and critique ideas. As we gather with friends and loved ones on November 28th, let’s use that freedom. Each of us can describe our passion and our work for a democracy that includes and represents all of us – not just wealthy funders. You may find that others share your concerns and even appreciate your initiating a conversation about more than turkey and pumpkin pie!
FACTS YOU CAN USE: IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY!!
Congressional Fundraising More Than a Year Before the Election…
For more on Congressional fundraising go to: www.opensecrets.org
For state funding data go to: www.followthemoney.org
To honor our 2013 activists, we list ten Democracy Matters chapters in each E-News: Southern Connecticut State University…St. Lawrence University…St. Michael’s College…SUNY Albany…SUNY Brockport…SUNY Geneseo…SUNY New Paltz…SUNY Oneonta…Syracuse University…Union College…
More Campus Chapters.