CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT…JUST FOR FUN…MONEY ON MY MIND…VICTORY IN MARYLAND COUNTY…QUOTE OF THE MONTH…IDEA OF THE MONTH…FACTS YOU CAN USE
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT: University of New Hampshire
In October, DM’s UNH chapter was busy planning and publicizing a campus visit by Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders spoke to a crowd of over 250 students and community members at the Democracy Matters organized event. Speaking passionately about the destructive influence of big private money on the political system, he emphasized how important student activism is in the fight to take back our democracy from wealthy campaign donors.
At the event, Senator Sanders became the first U.S. Senator to sign Democracy Matters’ “Democracy Pledge.” The pledge, also signed by 187 audience members, states: “I support restoring Democracy by publicly financing elections and taking big money out of politics.” Congratulations to Griffin, Lisa, Chris and other UNH chapter members, for creating such an exciting and successful event!
Sanders then went on to similar NH events at both Plymouth State and Dartmouth College, co-sponsored by Democracy Matters and other student groups. There too he signed the DM pledge, again encouraging audience members to join him in signing. DM students at all these campuses will be sending (or taking) copies of hundreds of pledges they have collected at these and other campus events to their representatives. They want both state and federal politicians to know that NH students are both demanding and working for a government truly of, by, and for the people.
Check out the link with Bernie’s signature!
JUST FOR FUN!!
Check out this new video, “Dear Mr. 1%,” that turns CORPOCRACY into DEMOCRACY in less than 3 minutes!!
MONEY ON MY MIND
This month Jay Mandle discusses the new Mayday PAC’s strategy for getting big money out of Congressional politics. Mandle questions whether focusing on short-term goals and buying ads, rather than investing in long-term grassroots community organizing, is the best way to take back our democracy from big campaign donors.
Read the full article and explore other issues of MOMM.
PUBLIC FINANCING: Victory in Montgomery County, MD
The million residents of Montgomery County, Maryland are empowered by the passage last month of new campaign financing rules. Their County Council unanimously voted to create a public financing system.
As in New York City and other locales with similar laws, this reform enables regular citizens to run for office by depending on small donors rather than by courting wealthy “big money,” contributors. It increases both political participation and the voices of the people.
As Montgomery County resident and Public Campaign staff member Will Robinson reports: “This will make our elections about big ideas, not big money. It puts democracy squarely in the hands of the people of the county.”
Candidates now have the choice to run a “small donor and publicly funded” campaign. To do so, they must refuse funding from PACs, corporations, and labor unions. In return, they will receive healthy amounts of public matching funds, provided they can demonstrate broad grassroots backing from their own constituents in the form of small donations – $150 or less.
According to the Washington Post, “Fourteen states and a growing number of local governments have adopted similar systems, and there is strong evidence that they result in candidates who enter office less beholden to special interests.”
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: SIERRA CLUB
“To protect our environment, we must protect our democracy. It has been abundantly clear that the people responsible for polluting our air, our water, and our climate with toxic contamination are many of the same ones responsible for polluting our democracy with hundreds of millions of dollars in toxic money.”
Sierra Club is part of the growing coalition of national issue organizations actively supporting serious campaign finance reform.
IDEA OF THE MONTH: Post-Election Discussions
At more than $4 billion and counting, this month’s election will cost more than any previous mid-term race. The big political money just keeps growing!
DM chapters are planning election night watch parties and post-election discussions to explore the damaging role of political money in 2014. Election results will be analyzed, but just as important will be the emphasis on how change is possible. Faculty forums, brown bag lunches, and informal discussion groups will examine students’ role in the current reform efforts (both publicly financed campaigns and Constitutional amendments) aimed at curbing the power of private political money.
FACTS YOU CAN USE: WHY WE NEED REFORM
Only a few days before this critical Congressional election, the big story is money and more money and more money!
- Direct donations to candidates for Congress have reached $1.3 billion!!!
- Total outside spending has reached $457.5 million!
Outside spending by liberal groups: $242 million.
Outside spending by conservative groups: $293 million. - Dark money has reached $120 million (outside spending by groups that refuse to disclose their donors).
- Dark money has paid for more than half of the advertising by outside groups.
Source: The Center for Responsive Politics, October 20, 2014
To honor our 2013 activists, we list ten Democracy Matters chapters in each E-News:
Salisbury State College…Sarah Lawrence College…Simmons College…Skidmore College…St. Lawrence University…St. Norbert College…SUNY Binghamton…SUNY Geneseo…SUNY New Paltz…SUNY Oneonta…