CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT…VOTER REGISTRATION…MONEY ON MY MIND…OCTOBER ACTION IDEA…DM STUDENTS TESTIFY…THIS MONTH’S QUOTE…FACTS YOU CAN USE…
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT: ST. FRANCIS UNIVERSITY
The new DM chapter at Indiana’s University of St. Francis has kicked off the semester with terrific outreach and actions. DM was invited to speak at the school’s celebration of Constitution Day last month. They talked about how large contributions from gun manufacturers to the NRA and to members of Congress influence debate about the 2nd Amendment and the ubiquity of guns in American society.
The chapter has been actively recruiting new members by passing out DM information as part of their voter registration campaign. And they are organizing a “DM Numbers Campaign” – posting GIANT numbers around campus representing fundraising and spending by members of Congress. The campaign will culminate with a film screening and discussion of Pricele$$, the inspiring money in politics documentary. Welcome to the Democracy Matters National Team, St. Francis DM and campus coordinator Joe Molnar.
Visit us on Facebook.
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CAMPUS VOTER REGISTRATION
This Fall, many DM chapters (including St. Francis above) are organizing and/or participating in campus voter registration drives. It’s not too late to get involved in registering students to vote. Then create a GOTV (Get Out The Vote) plan to ensure that students cast their vote on Election Day!
Vassar College DM took voter registration to a whole new level during their college’s First Year Orientation. Adam Eichen, Vassar’s DM leader, explains how:
“Democracy Matters at Vassar partnered with the Dean of Students and Dean of Freshmen to implement the most successful voter registration drive in the school’s recent history. We convinced the administration that voter registration is essential even in an off year, because if someone registers to vote, that person is more likely to actually vote.
We designated one afternoon when each in-coming student was directed by the Dean of Freshmen to tables we had set up with 6 computers, registration forms, and DM materials. It was great! Not only was DM the first political club that every freshman was exposed to, but our estimate is that we registered 2/3 to 3/4 of the entire freshmen class.”
See Important Information at Rock the Vote.
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MONEY ON MY MIND
This month’s column explores America’s “march to economic and political oligarchy.” Mandle argues that with the “political power of wealth unchecked and inequality running riot,” we need to begin now to prepare for the next wave of activism to challenge the vicious circle of big campaign donors, money-dependent politicians, and pro-oligarchy legislation.
Read the full article and explore other issues of MOMM.
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ACTION IDEA OF THE MONTH: IT’S SCARY!
Halloween week is a great time for campus outreach! DMers table (in costume of course) with materials for students to make hand-made Halloween cards to send to politicians. Think up creative jingles! Or just suggest something like “BIG money in politics is SCARY. Support publicly financed elections and give democracy back to the people!”
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TESTIFYING for FAIR ELECTIONS and against FRACKING
The “Fair Elections” fight in New York State is again heating up. Last year, Democracy Matters students played a critical role in the campaign that came within 2 votes of getting the NY legislature to pass public campaign financing. And now we’re back! When New York’s “Moreland Commission on Public Corruption” held public hearings, Democracy Matters students were there to rally and speak out for Fair Elections.
And Cora Koehler, the DM leader at Elmhurst College, recently testified before the Illinois Pollution Board where Dynegy, a Texan energy company, was asking for an exemption from Illinois Clean Air standards. Cora told the Board, “Not all of us may have a lot of money like Dynegy, but that does not mean that this corporation has the right to exploit my human rights as well as the planet’s rights.”
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“The growing influence of money in politics enables for-profit colleges to use lobbying muscle and campaign contributions to tip the scales in their favor, while students and veterans suffer and taxpayers foot the bill.”
Ben Cohen (yes, Ben of “Ben and Jerry’s”) and Edward Erikson
Read the full article here.
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FACTS YOU CAN USE: THE “MOST CORRUPT” IN CONGRESS
CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) just released its annual “Most Corrupt Members of Congress” list, that this year includes 4 Democrats and 9 Republicans.
Just a few examples:
- Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), makes his fifth appearance for an ever-expanding rap sheet, including tax evasion and an illegal campaign contribution scheme.
- Rep. Don Young (R-AK) makes his fifth appearance for infractions ranging from earmarking funds to benefit a campaign contributor to using campaign funds for personal expenses.
- Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), in his third appearance, has been under investigation for ties to several non-profit groups and for accepting improper gifts and loans.
- Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), appears on CREW’s list for the second straight year for using campaign funds for personal expenses.
Since 2005, CREW has named 88 members of Congress to the list, 43 of whom are still in office! See if your representative is on the list.
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To honor our 2013 activists, we list ten Democracy Matters chapters in each E-News: James Madison University…Lehigh University…Marshall University…McDaniel College…Millersville University…Northwestern College…Occidental College…Salisbury University…Skidmore College…Sonoma State University…
More Campus Chapters.