DM SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS…IDEAS OF THE MONTH…MONEY ON MY MIND…CONGRESSIONAL PUBLIC FINANCING BILL……NEW DM PREZI…NY FAIR ELECTIONS…FACTS YOU CAN USE…
SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS
The fantastic 12th Annual National Democracy Matters Student Summit drew DMers from Florida, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Illinois and more. We spent three exciting days strategizing, sharing ideas and learning from experts and each other about how to become even better organizers.
Here are a few highlights from a weekend that was full of them.
- Democracy Matters founder Adonal Foyle, Shane Larson, the Legislative Director of the Communication Workers of America, and Gary Holder-Winfield, a Connecticut legislator who has run and won as a publicly financed candidate, were among our inspiring guest speakers. They emphasized the critical importance of taking back our democracy with publicly financed campaigns, the growing number of groups and individuals, including students, dedicated to reform, and the empowerment of all citizens that is our common goal.
- Staff members from Citizen Action New York, Common Cause, Public Campaign and the International Center for Non-Violent Conflict shared their personal passion for political organizing as well as valuable insights into how to create lasting social change.
- We participated in engaging interactive workshops on using social media, becoming an expert on public campaign financing, creating successful campus projects and campaigns, lobbying elected officials and using art and music for organizing and building strong social movements.
- And DMers created their own songs, skits, raps and posters to share with one another, returning to their campuses with new ideas and even greater determination to educate and mobilize others.
Visit the DM National Summit ’13 Pinterest page to see more photos and read the terrific Storify by Daryn Cambridge.
IDEAS OF THE MONTH
Valentine’s Day
Sending personal letters to elected officials is always an important way to urge them to support getting big money out of politics and people back in. But in February, DM chapters have the chance to get politicians’ attention in an especially creative way. Send them hand-made Valentines with messages supporting publicly financed campaigns. Get creative and make up your own messages!
February is also Black History Month and Democracy Matters chapters will be joining with other campuses commemorating the African-American struggle for justice. Because African-Americans are typically not big campaign donors, their voices are often ignored. Only if we end the dependence of politicians on a small group of wealthy corporate funders will elected officials listen to the voices and priorities of African-Americans and all citizens.
More Action Campaigns.
MONEY ON MY MIND
In the 2012 elections, conservative SuperPacs outspent liberal SuperPacs by millions. In this new era of rich conservatives spending unlimited money to influence elections, Jay Mandle argues that grassroots organizing — creating a progressive movement of energized citizens — is the only way to counter the power of right-wing political money.
Read the full article and explore other issues of MOMM.
CONGRESSIONAL PUBLIC FINANCING BILL INTRODUCED
On January 15th, Democratic Congressmen John Yarmuth (KY), John Sarbanes (MD), and David Price (NC) each introduced public financing legislation into the House of Representatives.
“Special-interest money has corroded the public’s confidence in our government and fueled the perception that Congress is for sale to the highest bidder,” Rep. Yarmuth said. “Until we get big money out of politics, we will never be able to responsibly address the major issues facing American families. The public financing system this legislation establishes is critical to repairing our broken electoral system and rebuilding our trust with the American people.”
Rep. John Larson praised the bills, saying, “Today, members of the Task Force on Election Reform introduced three thoughtful pieces of legislation intended to turn our electoral process back over to the American people. Now, through the framework of our Task Force on Election Reform, those members will work together to take the best parts of each proposal, and mold them into one bill that will help rid our campaigns of big money influence once and for all.”
Write to your Congressional representative today, urging support for the option of publicly financing election campaigns.
Read more about the legislation.
NEW PREZI ON DEMOCRACY MATTERS
Thanks to Kaleb Beatty, DM coordinator at Oklahoma State University, who created this Prezi! Post it to your facebook and spread the word! Make an awesome DM Prezi of your own!!
The Role of Money in Politics.
NEW YORK FAIR ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN
For the second year in a row, Governor Andrew Cuomo called for public financing of campaigns and other campaign finance reform measures in his State of the State Address.
Democracy Matters N.Y. chapters are gearing up to help pass Fair Elections in 2013. Along with hundreds of other organizations, they are creating the grassroots pressure that will “convince” the legislature that the time to clean up Albany is now. Together we can create a democracy that works for all New Yorkers, not just big campaign funders.
Read more.
FACTS YOU CAN USE
The fight to stop the construction of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline continues as President Obama again has to make a decision whether to allow the pipeline to go ahead. Recently Pipeline supporters in the Senate sent a letter to President Obama urging him to approve the construction.
Why would these tar sands pipeline supporters send another letter to the White House? Facts about campaign contributions paint the picture starkly.
- Total lifetime contributions from dirty energy money interests to Senators signing the bill: $27.5 million
- Average lifetime contributions from dirty energy money interests to Senators signing the letter: $551,051
- Average lifetime contributions from dirty energy money interests to Senators NOT signing the letter: $162,720
That’s right: those Senators who signed this letter have received – on average – 340% MORE in campaign contributions from fossil fuel industry interests than those who had the sense to stay away. Nearly three-and-a-half times more dirty money went to the signers of the letter than to those who didn’t sign it.
Read more about the price of oil.