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
Tag: citizens united
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
Closing a Major Citizens United Loophole
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We’ve established that Citizens United was a disastrous decision for American democracy. But did you know that it also allowed foreign interests to dodge federal laws to influence our elections? According to federal election law, foreign governments and individuals are not allowed to participate in U.S. elections. But after the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens… Read more
Campaign Finance’s Dirty Dozen: Mega-Donors in U.S. Politics
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The concentration of spending by wealthy mega-donors in our elections is even greater than previously thought. A report by Issue One, a nonpartisan campaign finance reform group, released last month showed that for every $13 spent in U.S. elections, $1 was contributed by one of twelve mega-donors and their spouses. That’s over $3.4 billion spent… Read more
VICTORY: House Passes For The People Act
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BREAKING NEWS: Last night, in a vote of 220-210, the House passed the For The People Act (H.R. 1), bringing us one step closer to getting big money OUT of our politics and voters IN! But we’re not done yet. H.R. 1 is now on its way to the Senate for a vote. Call your… Read more
BREAKING: Virginia Becomes 22nd State to Support Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United
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BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday, Virginia became the 22nd state to pass a resolution supporting an amendment overturning Citizens United. Thanks to the efforts of the Virginia Chapter of American Promise, Take Back Our Republic, Public Citizen, People For The American Way, Free Speech For People, Common Cause, and Virginians across the political spectrum, the Virginia legislature… Read more
THE DEMOCRACY REBELLION: Coming to PBS in January
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Americans may be divided over impeachment and the next election but they are united on one thing – strong majorities of Democrats, Independents and Republicans want political reforms that will restore a government that works for average Americans and not wealthy special interests. Polls confirm that, but what many Americans don’t know is that citizen… Read more
Democracy For All Amendment Proposed in the Senate
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The 28th Amendment is taking another step toward approval! Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced outside the Supreme Court yesterday that they are reintroducing the amendment to the Senate. The 28th Amendment, aka the Democracy for All Amendment, takes direct aim at the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, declaring once and for… Read more