CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT…DM SOCIAL MEDIA…GOOD NEWS FOR FAIR ELECTIONS…APRIL WEEK OF ACTION…EARTH DAY…MONEY ON MY MIND…FACTS YOU CAN USE…
Photo courtesy of Courtney Dunn.
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT – SUNY GENESEO
DM at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo has worked hard to support the on-going New York camp
aign for Fair Elections (public campaign financing). Nick Sloper and his zealous members organized a February press conference in the snow!! (see picture), coordinated with other Fair Elections press events around the state.
They also put pressure on their state legislators with Fair Elections petitions signed by students, and with visits to district legislative offices. Later this month, they will be joining others for our DM Lobby Day at the state capitol in Albany.
And on campus they have educated students about how to get big money out of politics and people back in. Bringing speakers to campus and their “Potty Politics” series of flyers placed on bathroom stalls have made both students and faculty aware of and involved in the NY campaign for Fair Elections.
When New York joins Maine, Connecticut and others by creating a more inclusive democracy through Fair Elections, Democracy Matters at Geneseo can be proud to have done its part!
Read Volume 1 of Geneseo Potty Politics.
CLICK ONTO DM SOCIAL MEDIA
So many ways of finding out about Democracy Matters! Look for pictures, stories, videos, facts and more at:
GOOD NEWS FOR FAIR ELECTIONS
Hawaii
Last month Hawaii’s House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill providing for public campaign financing for qualified House and Senate candidates. The Senate is also expected to pass the bill. Congratulations to the grassroots groups that have rallied behind this exciting effort!
New Mexico
The New Mexico legislature has voted to strengthen their public financing law. Candidates both for the Public Regulation Commission (regulating utilities) and for statewide judicial races can qualify for public financing of their campaigns.
New York
Governor Cuomo spoke with over 1,000 advocates for Fair Elections in a “Town Hall Conference Call” last month, reiterating his strong support for Fair Elections. “It’s your government. You own it,” said Cuomo. He urged callers to create the groundswell of grassroots support needed to convince the legislature to “make New York a leader in campaign finance once again.”
Read more about Fair Elections in New York.
DM APRIL WEEK OF ACTION
This year, our Annual Week of Action will be April 11-16. Campus DM chapters are planning everything from forums, lobby visits, and class raps to impov theater skits, petition campaigns, and “money and politics” articles in school newspapers.
EARTH DAY
April 22nd is Earth Day, and Democracy Matters will join other campus groups to organize celebrations and educational events. We’ll show how big political money from the natural resources industry continues to both block environmental protection and also to slow the move to renewable sources of energy.
In the 2012 election cycle alone, the Energy/Natural Resources sector of the economy contributed $137.5 million to federal campaigns and parties, 80% of which went to Republicans and 20% to Democrats. In addition, this sector spent $384 million on lobbying.
MONEY ON MY MIND
This month Jay Mandle addresses the neglect of necessary public investment in both higher education and infrastructure. Examining our rising student debt and our crumbling bridges and roads, he argues that with privately funded political campaigns protecting the interests of wealthy funders, the United States is poorly equipped to face a globally competitive future.
Read the full article and explore other issues of MOMM.
FACTS YOU CAN USE: DRONES, DEFENSE AND BIG DONATIONS
The defense and aerospace industry has been a long-term big contributor to Congressional campaigns. Individuals associated with the industry have given over $187 million to federal campaigns since 1990. The aerospace industry has accounted for $84.5 million of that total.
One member of Congress with very strong ties to drone manufacturing companies is Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority leader and a virulent opponent of campaign finance reform.
- The defense aerospace industry has given a career total of $223,045 to McConnell’s campaign committees and leadership PAC, according to a Public Campaign Action Fund analysis of data from the Center for Responsive Politics.
- Over his career, McConnell has taken $15,000 from General Atomics, the manufacturer of the Predator drones that Paul repeatedly mentioned; $28,250 from Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the Hellfire missiles that Predator drones are equipped with; and $43,150 from Northrop Grumman, another major drone manufacturer.
- At least four of McConnell’s former staff members have gone through the revolving door to lobby for drone interests, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, United Technologies, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, which creates imaging technology for drones, and Alenia North America, a subsidiary of Italian drone manufacturer Finmeccanica S.p.A.