league of women voters ® democracy in the balance: version 1.1 september 2014 the league of women...

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®

Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014

The League of Women Voters

The League’s mission is to protect and strengthen democracy by urging citizens to be informed voters. The League is non-partisan and doesn’t advocate for or against any politician, candidate for office or political party. The League does develop positions on issues that relate to our core mission, such as transparency in government, voter rights and civic engagement. We work for fair elections by providing objective information to the public.



LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MASSACHUSETTSMoney in Politics

Campaign Finance Reform Task Force



“Bosses of the Senate” 1889

Joseph Keppler Puck 1889



Rebalancing Democracy Responses to Political Influence & Corruption

Response to corruption in the Gilded Age– Tillman Act (1907) – Federal Corrupt Practices Act (1910)

Response to growing unionism after WWII– Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

Response to campaign abuses and Watergate– Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA: 1971)

Response to unrestricted donations/paid advertising – Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002: McCain-

Feingold)



Courtesy of Larry Lessig, Republic Lost Video, Creative Commons



Supreme Court Decisions Overturning Campaign Finance Reforms

•1976: Buckley v Valeo – Limits on candidates’ contributions to own

campaigns overturned– Limits on expenditures overturned

•1978: 1st National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti– Ban on spending to influence ballot referendums

overturned

•2008: Davis v FEC– Public financing to “level playing field” overturned



Citizens United v Federal Election Commission2010



Chart courtesy of OpenSecrets.org: Creative Commons



0.000015% of population 57% =47 People



Courtesy of Larry Lessig, Republic Lost Video, Creative Commons



Modified slide based on Open Secrets: Creative Commons



Based on graphic from OpenSecrets.org and The Center for Responsive Politics



Courtesy of Washington Post and The Center for Responsive Politics: Creative Commons



McCutcheon vFederal Election Commission

April 2, 2014

Money = speech

Voids aggregate limits on contributions



“. . . contrary to what decades of political science research might lead you to believe, ordinary citizens have virtually no influence over what their government does in the United States. And economic elites and interest groups, especially those representing business, have a substantial degree of influence. Government policy-making over the last few decades reflects the preferences of those groups – of economic elites and or organized interests.”

Testing Theories of American Politics:Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens



Courtesy of the Washington Spectator, Public Concern Foundation



Resetting the Balance of Influence

LEGISLATIVE CHANGE

REGULATORY CHANGE

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE



What Government Can DoLegislative Action

Repair and restore The Voting Rights Act

Modernize elections

Pass federal and state corporate charter law standards



Pass The American Anti-Corruption Act

Establish viable public campaign funding system

Require donor disclosure of all contributions and expenditures

Prohibit members of Congress from fundraising from interests they most directly regulate

Eliminate pay to play opportunities

Require longer waiting periods between public service and work as lobbyist



The Empowering Citizens ActHR 270: Representatives Price & Van Hollen

End individual candidate Super PACs Repair presidential public financing

system Create similar financing system for

congressional races Strengthen rules prohibiting

coordination between outside spending groups and candidates



Government By the People ActHR 20: Rep. John Sarbanes

Provides $25 My Voice Tax Credit to empower everyday Americans to participate in campaigns

Establishes Freedom From Influence Matching Fund to match small grassroots donations

Provides candidates with additional resources to maintain level playing field through end of campaign



What Government Can DoRegulatory Action

Expand and enforce FCC disclosure requirements

Redefine 501(c)(4) rules Replace FEC with an independent, non-

partisan agency with enforcement teeth Regulate corporate political campaigning

through the SEC



Graphic courtesy of Larry Lessig. Creative Commons



Follow the Money!

Sunlight Foundation.com

MapLight.org

www.citizen.org



Connect!

Rootstrikers.orgwww.represent.us

LWV.org

CommonCause.org

BrennanCenter.org

Democracy21.org



Act!

To the Editor: “Secret donations undermine democracy.In the interest of fair and open elections, the League of Women Voters has long called for transparent accounting of all campaign money regardless of the source . . . ”



Vote!

Local ElectionsState Elections

Federal Elections

Encourage friends, families and neighbors to be informed and active voters, too!



Rebalancing the System

Other generations have faced democracy moments and acted to

bring about necessary change.

Let’s Work Togetherto Make Democracy Work



LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MASSACHUSETTSMoney in Politics

Campaign Finance Reform Task Force

league of women voters ® democracy in the balance: version 1.1 september 2014 the league of women...

Documents

informed voters

modified slide

responsive politics

field overturned slide

mccain feingold slide

creative commons

voting rights act

campaign abuses