CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT…MONEY ON MY MIND…IDEA OF THE MONTH…SUMMER INTERNSHIPS…QUOTES OF THE MONTH…STAMP MONEY OUT OF POLITICS…
FACTS YOU CAN USE
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT: ELON UNIVERSITY
Welcome to our newest Democracy Matters chapter – Elon University in North Carolina. Elon DMers have joined the huge coalition of North Carolina citizens speaking out against the power of big money in the state.
A “Moral Monday March” in Raleigh last month, led by the NAACP, drew tens of thousands of protesters, including a bus of 40 Elon students. Elon students are inspired to push back against the state’s restrictive voter registration laws, cuts to education and social services, and the gutting of the NC public financing option for judicial elections.
North Carolina is a battleground state in the fight to wrest power from big donors like Art Pope who spent over $2 million in both 2010 and 2012 to dominate state elections. Pope, a close ally of the billionaire Koch brothers, has had a huge influence on NC public policy. Democracy Matters at Elon, and our NC Field Director Anita Kinney, are proud to be part of this exciting multi-racial movement for social justice.
Read more about big money in NC politics.
MONEY ON MY MIND
This month, Jay Mandle argues that the millions of dollars to be spent on advertisements in support of 2014 pro-environmental candidates could be more effectively used to promote sustained grassroots environmental organizing and citizen political activism.
Read the full article and explore other issues of MOMM.
IDEA OF THE MONTH – WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
In March, Democracy Matters celebrates Women’s History Month. With forums, discussions, and poster campaigns, chapters highlight the under-representation of women in politics and the opportunities for women in states with public campaign financing.
A. Women make up only 18% of the US Congress and 24% of state legislatures, while women of color are only 5% of Congress.
B. Men vastly outnumber women as political donors, especially at the highest levels.
C. But with a public campaign financing option, raising big donations is no longer a major obstacle to women running for public office. In states and cities with optional public campaign financing, more women than men use the option, are able to run competitive races, and are more likely to win office.
Join with your campus Women’s Studies programs and Women’s Centers to spread this important information about women, money and politics.
Read more: Center for American Women and Politics
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS
Our partner, Public Campaign, is offering paid DC internships. 8-10 weeks; Start date approximately June 9th; Scheduling flexible; 40 hrs/week; $350/week. Deadline to apply: March 21.
Send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample (1-2 pages) to Monica Rober, mrober@publicampaign.org. Specify the position you are applying for in the subject line of the email. No phone calls.
I. Research and Communications: Join Public Campaign’s communications team and get hands-on experience on how to drive the message behind important legislation at the state and federal level. Apply your writing, research, and project management skills to our work with various media.
II. Federal Campaign, Accountability, and Field: Work with our exciting campaigns teams in support of Fair Elections public financing at the state level and in Washington. Learn practical organizing skills in raising the profile of the role that private money plays in policy-making.
Be sure to mention your experience with Democracy Matters!
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
“Whether it’s jobs, education, health care or the environment, the unlimited spending of special interests and dark money groups erodes the public’s trust in government. Now more than ever we must empower ordinary Americans to have the loudest voices in Washington.” US Representative John Sarbanes, lead sponsor of “Government by the People Act” (HR 20)
“Americans would be shocked if they knew how much time members of Congress and candidates seeking office must spend dialing for dollars and attending fundraisers. Without a fundamental reform of the way we finance campaigns, we cannot bring real reform to Capitol Hill.” US Senator Dick Durbin, lead sponsor of the “Fair Elections Now Act” (S 2023)
Read more about the Government by the People Act.
STAMP MONEY OUT OF POLITICS
Ben Cohen, co-founder and former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s, is making an impact with stamps, not scoops. His target: the inordinate influence that money and those who possess large amounts of it have over politics.
His idea is to take advantage of how dollar bills move by stamping them with a message. Cohen reports that he has sold thousands of stamps. As stamped dollars pass from hand to hand, so will the message. The four stamp messages available are:
- “Not to Be Used for Bribing Politicians”
- “Stamp Money Out of Politics”
- “Corporations are Not People”
- “Not To Be Used for Buying Elections”
To purchase a stamp (and start stamping) go to the stamp store.
Read more about Ben Cohen’s efforts.
FACTS YOU CAN USE: Justice at Risk: Big Money in Judicial Races
The role of big money in judicial elections is growing exponentially, compromising the independence and impartiality of our judges and our judicial system.
- 1990-1999 contributions totaled $83.3 million to state Supreme Court candidates.
- 2000-2009 contributions totaled $206.9 million to state Supreme Court candidates.
A report by an Emory University Law Professor examined the surge in campaign donations – especially from big business. She concludes:
- Powerful interest groups contribute an ever-increasing percentage of donations in judicial races.
- This spending allows interest groups the opportunity to shape the judiciary.
- Business groups are unique in their ability to do so.
- A statistically significant, positive relationship exists between business groups’ campaign contributions and justices’ voting in favor of business interests.
- The larger the campaign contributions from business interests, the more likely justices are to vote for business litigants.
- There is no sign that the politicization of state supreme courts elections is lessening.
To honor our 2013 activists, we list ten Democracy Matters chapters in each E-News: Occidental College…Russell Sage College…Salisbury University…Skidmore College…Springfield College…St. Lawrence University…SUNY Geneseo…SUNY New Paltz…SUNY Oneonta…Syracuse University…
More Campus Chapters.