Transcript Slide 1

Democracy Matters works to deepen
democracy by getting private money
out of politics and people back in.
What Democracy Matters is About
• Democracy Matters is a non-partisan
organization.
• Goal: Get Money out of Politics
• Belief – People with money buy influence in our
Government through campaign contributions
and everyone suffers because of it.
History
• Founded by NBA player Adonal Foyle.
• Over 60 chapters at campuses all over the
United States.
• Members are mostly College Students but High
School are becoming involved recently.
The Problem: Money in Politics
• It takes Money to run a Campaign.
– Hire Staff
– Print Materials
– Run Ads on TV and Radio
– Coordinate Volunteers
• 95% of Americans can’t afford to
contribute or don’t care too.
• Rich people and large Corporations
can afford too contribute.
The Truth About the System
• Since the Wealthy contribute they expect
something in return.
• Politicians are forced to address the needs of
their contributors because they need the money
to get re-elected.
• If they do not address their contributors needs
the contributors will give their money to
someone who will.
• The system makes money just as important as
the vote.
As a Result………
• Politicians ignore the
needs of 95% of
Americans because they
don’t contribute.
• Laws are passed that hurt
the majority of Americans
but help the rich get
richer.
• Because the laws they
pass are unfair it leads
Americans to distrust the
government.
“Special interests have a stranglehold
on Sacramento. Here’s how it
works: Money comes in, favors go
out. The people lose.” – Arnold
Schwarzenegger
“I get donations from business and
individuals, absolutely. They’re
powerful interests who control
things.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
“There are two things that are
important in politics. The first is
money and I can’t remember what
the second is.” – Senator Mark
Hanna
“Money is not the root of all
evil in politics. In fact, money
is the lifeblood of politics.” –
House Majority Leader Tom
DeLay
What Contributors Gave & Got
• Rich People:
– Gave: $1.8 Billion from 1999-2002.
– Got: $1.35 Trillion tax cut over 10 years.
• Credit Card Companies:
– Gave: $140.2 Million from 1989-2004
– Got: Legislation that allows them to collect
Child Support from people who can’t pay.
• Defeated legislation that would have restricted
Marketing of credit cards to teens and people with
poor credit.
What Contributors Gave & Got
• Auto Manufacturers:
– Gave: $90 Million since 1989
– Got: Weak fuel economy standards and huge profits
on SUVs due to a loophole that exempts them from
half the fuel efficiency standards.
• Pharmaceutical Industry:
– Gave: $108.4 Million since 1989
– Got: Legislation forcing Americans to pay the highest
prices in the Industrialized world for Prescription
Drugs.
Why it matters to YOU!!
Student Loans
– The 1993 budget deal included a provision that would
have cut interest rates on Student Loans from 8.25%
to 7.1%.
– The Banking and Lending Industry claimed that rate
would not allow them to make a profit. (Even though
people can get mortgage for a house at lower rates)
– So the Banking and Lending Industry gave $5 Million
in campaign contributions to Congress last year and
now the rate can go as high as 9.80%. (In 1995-96
Congress received $15 Million in contributions from
the Banking Industry.)
Why it matters to YOU!!
College Students
• According to the Higher Education Project, In the 1970’s
a Pell grant covered 84% of tuition at a four-year college.
Today it covers less than half of that and declining.
• The Wall Street Journal Online reported that College
costs prohibit 43% of qualified middle-income students
from attending a four-year school.
• Senator Edward Kennedy reported that College Tuition
at public colleges increased by 14% last year. More than
100,000 students are in danger of dropping out of school
due to increased tuition costs.
Why it matters to YOU
College Students
• Printing and Publishing Industry:
– Gave: Over $77 Million since 1990
– Got: Selling over priced text books
• Ability to make minor changes to a book and sell it
at the new book rate
• Influenced University’s to sell new textbooks
instead of old versions.
Why Corruption isn’t a surprise
• The Harvard Institute of Politics did a study that
shows 64% of 18-24 year olds do not trust the
Federal Government to do the right thing.
• Another study done by Harvard shows that 60%
of young people are civically involved but only
16% are involved in political groups.
• The discrepancy is because all young people
know the system is corrupt and that participation
would make very little difference.
– Money in Politics is why we think the government is
corrupt.
The Solution: Clean Elections
• Clean Elections – the idea that a
candidate who is running for office only
receives campaign funding from the
public. Clean Elections is also known as
Clean Money.
• Candidates receive only money from the
public, no other type of contributions are
made to a campaign.
How it Works
• Candidates must gather a certain number of
signatures and $5 contributions from the public
to run for office.
• Once they have met the requirements for
running Clean they must agree to not raise or
spend private money for their campaign.
• The Candidate then receives funds from the
Clean Elections, Clean Money fund to run their
campaign.
• THAT’S IT!!!!!!
Clean Elections
• Will receive funds for both the Primary and
General Election.
• Candidates have the choice to run Clean
or not too.
• If a Clean Election candidate is outspent
by a privately financed opponent they are
entitled to funds that make the spending
equal.
Where does the money come from?
• The money to fund Clean Elections is
already there!!
• Clean Elections can be funded by Tax $$$
that you already pay.
• With the Check-Off system you can divert
where you want your tax dollars to go.
– You are not paying more you are just telling
the government where you want your tax
dollars to go.
Benefits to Clean Elections
• Anyone can run for office. All it takes is a
few signatures and $5 donations.
• Since all the money comes from the public
the Politician can address the needs of the
public because they are the contributors.
• Elected officials will be able to concentrate
on getting helpful legislation passed and
won’t have to worry raising money to reelected.
Clean Elections in Action
• Maine and Arizona have the strongest
laws supporting Clean Elections but laws
are either in legislation or on the agenda in
at least 35 other States.
• In Maine ¾ of their Senate and ½ of their
House are Clean Election candidates.
• In Arizona since Clean Elections has
become law they have seen an 23%
increase in voter turnout since 1998.
Clean Elections in Action
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Hannah Pingree
Maine House of Representatives
Ran when she was 25 years old.
She is in her 2nd Term in office.
At 28 years old she is still the youngest
Politician in the Maine House.
Runs on a Clean Election system and has
had convincing victories in each Election.
How You can Help
• Lobbyist Disclosure Law Petition
• Pennsylvania is on the only State in the
nation without a Lobbyist Disclosure Law.
• Getting the Lobbyist Disclosure Bill passed
is the first step to start to implement a
Clean Election system in Pennsylvania.
Here at Bloomsburg
• Our Chapter is by far the Best Chapter in
Pennsylvania.
• Meetings are held just about every Thursday
at 6pm in 113 Old Science.
• Meeting Times are listed on the Today page to
the right under Events.
•Our Website http://orgs.bloomu.edu/budm
Topics
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Each group will explain to you how their
area is affected by money in politics
Joe – Environment
Erin - Civil Rights
Ashley – Consumers and Workers
Jess – Women’s Rights/Issues
Works Cited
• Is That a Politician in your Pocket? –
Micah Sifry and Nancy Watzman
• www.democracymatters.org
• www.publicampaign.com
• www.opensecrets.org
• www.commoncause.org
• www.followthemoney.org