Special interests – from Big Oil, to the Military-Industrial Complex, to tech giants like Amazon – want what’s best for them, and not for workers, communities, or the planet. And they know how to get it by spending big money to buy influence. As a result, Congress supports hawkish military policies, a business environment that… Read more
Tag: Congress
Big Money Is Trying to Buy Our Democracy Behind the Scenes
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We talk a lot about how Big Money tries to influence our government through campaign contributions, independent expenditures, and unaccountable dark money spending. Usually, we think of how corporate interests spend on legislative and executive elections to benefit their bottom line. But we cannot ignore some of the subtler ways Big Money is undermining our… Read more
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
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
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
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
Daring Gyrocopter Pilot Doug Hughes Tells All
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Doug Hughes isn’t a name familiar to most. A mild-mannered postal worker from Florida, Hughes delivered mail for 13 years without drawing much attention. That changed on April 15, 2015, when Doug Hughes flew a gyrocopter 70 miles and landed on the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn, whereafter Capitol Police shortly arrested him. But he live-streamed… Read more
“Recess Can Wait; Our Democracy Can’t”
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This week, the Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD) coalition and 22 of its member organizations released statements calling on Congress to delay its August recess to pass the For The People Act. “One of the major tenets of a fully functioning democracy is that the public interest, not special interests, guide decision-making,” said DFAD director… Read more
President Biden Urges Democracy Reform in Address to Congress
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President Biden made his first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, the eve of his 100th day in office. His remarks were wide-ranging, from addressing COVID to promoting landmark measures on job growth and equity. But he saved the end of his speech to discuss America’s heart and soul – our… Read more