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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®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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
TOLES © 2012 The Washington Post. Reprinted with permission of UNIVERSAL UCLICK. All rights reserved.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
“Bosses of the Senate” 1889
Joseph Keppler Puck 1889
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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)
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Courtesy of Larry Lessig, Republic Lost Video, Creative Commons
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Citizens United v Federal Election Commission2010
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
WUERKER © 2010 Matt Wuerker. Reprinted with permission of UNIVERSAL UCLICK. All rights reserved.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Chart courtesy of OpenSecrets.org: Creative Commons
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
0.000015% of population 57% =47 People
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Courtesy of Larry Lessig, Republic Lost Video, Creative Commons
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Modified slide based on Open Secrets: Creative Commons
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Based on graphic from OpenSecrets.org and The Center for Responsive Politics
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Courtesy of Washington Post and The Center for Responsive Politics: Creative Commons
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
McCutcheon vFederal Election Commission
April 2, 2014
Money = speech
Voids aggregate limits on contributions
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
“. . . 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
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Courtesy of the Washington Spectator, Public Concern Foundation
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Resetting the Balance of Influence
LEGISLATIVE CHANGE
REGULATORY CHANGE
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
What Government Can DoLegislative Action
Repair and restore The Voting Rights Act
Modernize elections
Pass federal and state corporate charter law standards
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Graphic courtesy of Larry Lessig. Creative Commons
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Follow the Money!
Sunlight Foundation.com
MapLight.org
www.citizen.org
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Connect!
Rootstrikers.orgwww.represent.us
LWV.org
CommonCause.org
BrennanCenter.org
Democracy21.org
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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 . . . ”
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
Vote!
Local ElectionsState Elections
Federal Elections
Encourage friends, families and neighbors to be informed and active voters, too!
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
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®
Democracy in the Balance: Version 1.1 September 2014
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MASSACHUSETTSMoney in Politics
Campaign Finance Reform Task Force