Fwd: Democracy Awakening Continues (Urgent Action Items)

[Bruce Preville]

Hi All,

Thought you might find the below info interesting.  It provides info on specific money in politics and voting rights activities that are happening right now around the country, including in CA, and that could use help from you, thru your role as an activist and/or member.

Please pass on to others who might find this info useful.

Best,

Bruce
___________________________________________________________________
Bruce Preville
BP Consulting
408 866-3333

What is 21st Century Democracy?

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." -- Wendell Phillips, (1811-1884), abolitionist, orator and columnist for The Liberator

You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. -- Bucky Fuller

We seek to create a movement of ordinary yet concerned Americans, educating and empowering them to recognize that now is the time to stand up to injustice, inequality and the abuse of power, to reclaim our democracy.  

Dream Menders - Reclaiming Our Democracy

Begin forwarded message:

From: Rio Tazewell <rtaz...@pfaw.org>

Subject: Democracy Awakening Continues (Urgent Action Items)

Date: June 30, 2016 at 11:50:30 AM PDT

To: "Democracy...@googlegroups.com" <Democracy...@googlegroups.com>

Dear allies – 

 

The Democracy Awakening mobilization this spring was an incredible collective effort demonstrating the power of our community to pull together on issues critical to us all. The basic commitment to fixing our democracy so that we can fix all of the other serious problems we need to tackle was truly inspiring.  In the spirit of the collaboration that we were able to build, we wanted to get back to folks with some concrete money in politics and voting rights activities that are happening right now around the country and that could use help from your activists and members.  We wanted to briefly share the nature of those on-the-ground fights and provide you with contact information for those who can help provide more details about how you and your activists can plug in.  Please note:  there are many groups working hard on these campaigns; the contacts are listed to streamline your ability to get information quickly about how to engage.

 

For ease of discussion, we’ve grouped these measures into the following categories:  (1) small donor public financing, (2) constitutional amendment to overturn cases like Citizens United, (3) disclosure, (4) comprehensive money in politics platforms, and (5) voting rights actions.  The first two items are time-sensitive. Campaigns in Washington state and Denver, Colorado need your urgent assistance.

 

Small Donor Public Financing

 

Ø  Washington State (July 8^th signature collection deadline):  Signature gathering is happening right now in Washington State to get an initiative on the ballot (I-1464) that would, among other things, empower small donors by allowing state residents to give tax credit contributions  to candidates of their choice, toughen campaign finance enforcement, deter coordination between candidates and SuperPACs, and strengthen disclosure requirements. This needs urgent attention; the deadline for signatures is Friday, July 8^th. For more information, contact Melissa Vincent at Integrity Washington:mel...@integritywashington.org and Peter McCollum at Whistle Lake Public Affairs: pe...@whistlelakepa.com.

 

Ø  Denver, CO (July 15^th signature collection deadline): Signature gathering just kicked off to qualify an initiative for the November ballot. The measure includes bold reforms that would empower small donors in city elections by matching contributions of $50 or less at a 9:1 rate, require greater disclosure of outside spending, lower contribution limits, and ban direct contributions from corporations to candidates for city office. The timeline on this is also urgent – the signature gathering deadline is July 15^th. For information on how to get involved, contact Dan Smith at U.S. PIRG: dsm...@pirg.org and Marilyn Carpinteyro at Common Cause: mcarpi...@commoncause.org.

 

Ø  Miami/Dade County (FL): Signature gathering is happening right now to get an initiative on the ballot in Miami/Dade that would put in place strong reform measures, including:  updating the County’s small donor system with matching funds, strengthening enforcement of current campaign finance laws, banning large contractors from making political donations, and reducing the maximum contribution (from $500 to $250) for mayoral and county commission candidates. The deadline for signatures is the end of July. For more information, contact Betty Ahrens at Every Voice:  Betty Ahrens (Be...@everyvoice.org)

 

Ø  Howard County (MD) ballot initiative:  On the ballot for a vote this fall is a ballot initiative that builds on Fair Elections Maryland’s success in creating a small donor matching program in Montgomery County to enact a similar program in Howard County.  The coalition is asking for help now to mobilize support for the November elections. For more information, contact Dan Smith at U.S. PIRG: dsm...@pirg.org and Joanne Antoine at Democracy Initiative: jant...@democracyinitiative.org.

 

Ø  Washington DC:  A broad coalition of 60 organizations is working to pass a small donor matching program through the DC Council this legislative session, which concludes at the end of the year.  Six of the 13 members of the council are co-sponsors of the legislation; now the coalition is focusing on pressing for a hearing and a vote on the legislation. For more information, contact Zach Weinstein at U.S. PIRG: zwein...@pirg.org, Aquene Freechild at Public Citizen:afree...@citizen.org, and Delvone Michael at Working Families:  dmic...@workingfamilies.org

 

Constitutional Amendment

 

Ø  Washington State:  Initiative 735 calls for a constitutional amendment to overturn cases like Citizens United and has qualified for the November ballot  thanks to a massive statewide effort. The campaign is asking for help now to mobilize support for the November elections.  For more information, contact Aquene Freechild at Public Citizen: afree...@citizen.org

 

Ø  California:  An initiative is on the statewide ballot in California calling on the state’s elected officials to use all of their constitutional authority, including a constitutional amendment, to overturn cases like Citizens United.  The campaign is asking for help now to mobilize support for the November elections. For more information, contact Michele Sutter at Money Out Voters In:  mic...@moneyoutvotersin.org

 

Disclosure 

 

Ø  California:  The California legislature is considering a measure that clarifies TV and print ad disclosures by requiring the prominent listing of the top 3 funders. Supporters of the measure celebrate that it is the first bill of its kind that includes a mechanism for requiring true funders to be displayed on the ads, even if they try to hide behind multiple layers of front groups. The measure (AB 700) cleared the California Assembly on a strong bipartisan vote and was just voted out by the Senate Elections Committee. Next on the agenda is a vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee in August and then to the full Senate. The campaign is lining up volunteers to help with phone banking and other activities in August. They also have a petition for delivering activist messages directly to the Senate.  For more information contact Trent Lange at California Clean Money Campaign:   Trent Lange: TLa...@caclean.org.

 

Ø  SEC Rulemaking on Disclosure:   A bipartisan coalition of prominent corporate law professors filed a rulemaking petition with the SEC that would require corporations to disclose their political spending to shareholders. To date more than 1,200,000 investors and activists have written to the SEC supporting the rulemaking. You can help by adding your members’ and activists’ voices to this call for action. For more information, contact Lisa Gilbert at Public Citizen:lgil...@citizen.org

 

Comprehensive Money In Politics Reform

 

Ø  Fight Big Money Agenda:  The reform community is united behind the solutions the next President and Congress must support in order to fight big money and put people back at the center of our democracy.  Thirteen reform organizations have endorsed the Fight Big Money Agenda. Every Voice and others are pushing the presidential candidates to support the solutions outlined in the platform as well as commit to and campaign on introducing a comprehensive money-in-politics package within the first 100 days and making it a priority throughout their term.  Common Cause and others are sending a questionnaire to nominees for every House and Senate seat up for grabs in 2016, asking them where they stand on the specific reforms detailed in the Fighting Big Money Agenda.  For more information on the presidential campaign contact Rahna Epting at Every Voice: Ra...@everyvoice.org; For more information on the Congressional Campaign, contact Marilyn Carpinteyro at Common Cause: mcarpi...@commoncause.org

 

Voting Rights

 

Ø  Voting Rights Advancement Act:  A large coalition of organizations is working hard to press Congress for action on the Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill that will restore the Voting Rights Act  that was gutted by the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Shelby County v. Holder and ensure that voting discrimination really is a thing of the past.  Unless Congress acts, voters in 2016 will face the first presidential election in 50 years without the full protections of the VRA to combat racial discrimination in voting.  Your members and activists can help pressure members of the House and Senate to take action.  For more information, contact Ellen Buchman at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights: buc...@civilrights.org.

 

Ø  Election Protection: A large coalition of more than 100 local, state and national partners work year-round to advance and defend the right to vote.  Election Protection provides Americans around the country with comprehensive voting information on how to make sure their vote is counted. The resources provided include:  a suite of voter helplines, voter protection field programs, and digital tools. Your members and activists can volunteer to help with these efforts. For more information about volunteer opportunities, contact Marilyn Carpinteyro: mcarpi...@commoncause.org.

 

We hope this information is useful to you. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me or any of the individuals listed above.

 

Best regards,

 

Rio

 

Rio Tazewell

Government by the People Campaign Manager 

People For the American Way

1101 15th Street NW, Suite 600

Washington, D.C. 20005

Phone: 202-467-2371

 

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