January 21 will mark 13 years since the Supreme Court made its ill-fated Citizens United ruling, which allowed special interests to wield more influence than ever before on our political system. From 2010 through 2021, more than $4.4 billion in outside money was spent on federal elections alone (more than $1 billion of that was… Read more
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Defense contractors spent $101 million lobbying this year. What are they hoping to get for Christmas?
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This holiday season, defense contractors have to be feeling pretty good. With Congress adding an extra $45 billion to President Biden’s request for the Pentagon, and the war in Ukraine increasing demand for weapons, the five biggest defense contractors have a lot to celebrate. And those defense contractors are spreading the wealth around to their… Read more
$2 BILLION and Counting: Outside Groups Tried to Buy the 2022 Midterm Elections
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Most Americans are breathing a sigh of relief this week. With election day in the rear-view mirror, they’re thankful that the deluge of political advertising will finally end. Of course, for those places where run-off elections will be held, the deluge will probably intensify (sorry, Georgia). Federal campaign spending this cycle approached $10 billion (with… Read more
What do all these campaign contributions buy?
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OpenSecrets recently released a report that estimates that the midterm elections will cost more than $9.3 billion – and they admit that’s a conservative estimate. Just let that sink in. $9.3 billion, and it’s not even a presidential election year. Even adjusted for inflation, that figure will blow away the previous record. If you’re thinking… Read more
Walking to Fix Our Democracy UPDATE! Rick Hubbard is Going West in September
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Last month, we told you about Rick Hubbard, who is walking across America to help inspire us to fix our broken democracy. Rick’s official walk begins on October 1, but in September he is driving from Vermont to Los Angeles to meet up with activists along the way. Rick has been good enough to share… Read more
Citizen Spotlight: Rick Hubbard is Walking across America to Fix Our Democracy
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This month, we’re spotlighting Rick Hubbard, who is walking across America to help inspire us to fix our broken democracy. Rick is a Vermont native and former national board member of Common Cause who previously walked with Granny D and has long advocated for ending the corrupting influence of big money in politics. Rick’s walk… Read more
Big Money, January 6, and the Future of Democracy
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If you’ve been following the coverage of the January 6 hearings, you might have noticed a troubling connection: big money and brazen efforts to undermine our democratic elections. The Supreme Court’s misguided 1976 ruling in Buckley v. Valeo established that the federal government could not restrict independent political expenditures. By essentially decreeing that “money =… Read more
Democracy, Can You Spare 44 Billion Dimes?
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Since the Supreme Court’s notorious Citizens United ruling, outside groups have spent more than $4.4 billion – including more than $1 billion in untraceable “dark money” – influencing federal elections. That’s 44 billion dimes. Those figures, compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics and outlined in a recent Guardian article, demonstrate the disproportionate and corrupting… Read more
The Ban Corporate PACs Act, Explained
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It’s been over twelve years since the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that corporations are considered people under federal election and campaign finance laws. Hundreds of millions of dollars from corporations and big money interests have since flooded our elections and lined the pockets of politicians, drowning out the voices of American voters en… Read more
Foul Play: Money in Politics and the NFL
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There’s something unique about the culture of sports in America. No matter your politics or your background, you can find a sense of pride and community in supporting your team. This sense of camaraderie is on full display at the Super Bowl. Every February, tens of millions of Americans tune into the most-watched television event… Read more