The Health of Our
Democracy:
Money in Politics
Welcome!
Please Help Yourself To
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THE DIFFICULT TASK
BEFORE US
Getting people excited about Campaign
Finance Reform
Objectives For The Night
• Think about why democracy is so important
to us
• Learn about and Discuss the Issue of Money
in Politics and how it affects our democracy
• Become informed about the ways we can
help ensure the health of our democracy
The Presenters’ Objectives for the Night
• Convince you that this is an organization
that is worth your time and effort.
Convince you that this organization can
truly make a difference.
• Make tonight more exciting than a lecture.
That’s why our next activity is democratic
charades…jk.
Who We Are
Democracy Matters (GAC Chapter) is a non-partisan, student
organization dedicated to the health of American democracy on all
levels of government. The local GAC chapter is part of a much larger
and growing student movement all across the United States. Currently
our primary focus is money in politics, especially, when it comes to the
influence of money in our elections. Because of our concerns we
advocate Fair and Clean Election reforms such as the ones found in
Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina. These reforms make public
funding available for serious candidates to run on thus taking the
influence of private donors out of the picture. Our conviction for this
cause stems both from our belief in a democratic system and also in
our belief that FACE reform makes other important reforms possible.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF
History
• Founded by Professional Basketball player Adonal Foyle. He is a center for the Golden
States Warriors.
• “Real democracy on the other hand has to allow
everyone an equal opportunity to influence
political decisions, regardless of your race, gender
or sexual preference, and regardless of your
wealth.” Adonal Foyle
• Over 60 Chapters around the country.
• Fairly New to Gustavus.
Theme Quote:
“Cleanly financed elections that bring
more citizens into the political process
as candidates, donors, and organizers
are vital to maintaining the health of
American democracy.”
- New York Times Editorial
Opening Questions
What does a healthy democracy
look like?
And why exactly is democracy
important to you?
5 minute brainstorm
Some Famous Definitions
Democracy is two wolves and a
lamb voting on what to have for
lunch. Liberty is a well-armed
lamb contesting the vote!
--Benjamin Franklin
I swear to the Lord, I still can't
see, Why Democracy means,
Everybody but me.
- Langston Hughes
If liberty and equality, as is thought by
some are chiefly to be found in
democracy, they will be best attained
when all persons alike share in the
government to the utmost.
- Aristotle
Democracy is a way of
Life.
- John Dewey
Arguably the Most Famous Definition
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work
which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is
rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us
-- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that
cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we
here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that
this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that
government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth.
- Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (1863)
Does America Truly Reach This
Ideal?
We don’t think so.
But we also think we can help change that.
The Problem
Money In Politics
Symptoms of our Democracy’s
Sickness
• Declining voter rates
• Apathy and Cynicism about affecting political
decisions (this is especially prevalent amongst
young people)
• The number of uncontested and non-competitive
elections have grown.
• Bright and ambitious people less often want to
spend their lives in politics and government
service
Pointing Out the Disease
• Campaign spending is out of control.
• Nearly 530 million dollars were spent in the last
presidential election
• Politicians spend more time talking to
donors than to voters.
• It is reported that most politicians spend nearly 50
percent of their time fundraising.
Sources: opensecrets.org, democracymatters.org
• Because donors are more important to a
politicians success they are prone to be
more accountable to a donor’s interests than
to their constituents
• Good people can’t run for office without
relying on big money contributions or
personal wealth. Campaigns are almost
always determined by who is the wealthiest.
• In every presidential election since 1984, the
Republican and Democratic candidate with the most
money a year before an election has won his party’s
nomination.
Sources: www.democracymatters.org,
www.yaleherald.com/article-p.php?Article=2757
Not Good Enough for Abe
• Our government is not completely made OF the
people because wealth almost always determines
the winner of elections.
• Our government is not completely created BY the
people because special interests influence
elections more than voters in many cases.
• Because our government is not completely OF and
BY the people it does not always work FOR the
people.
• People that give money expect to receive in return
• Wealth determines political power.
Questions, Concerns, Outbursts?
Initial reaction?
Kira and Whitney have prepared a wonderful
hand out that shows how these things affect
you everyday.
The Solution
“The need for collecting large campaign funds would
vanish if Congress provided an appropriation for
the proper and legitimate expenses of each of the
great national parties, an appropriation ample
enough to meet the necessity for thorough
organization and machinery, which requires a
large expenditure of money.”
- President Theodore Roosevelt
What’s Teddy Talking about?
Fair and Clean Elections
What will FACE Reform
Accomplish?
• End the skyrocketing cost of campaigns and
reduce the amount of time candidates spend
fund raising. They will spend their time
talking to voters not donors.
• Reduce the influence of special interest
money and make politicians less
accountable to them
• Level the playing field for good people with
good ideas.
How will it do this and how does
it work?
• FULL PUBLIC FINANCING (like Teddy was
talking about) for any candidate who wants to run
clean. Since the election is provided by the public
the candidate is accountable to the public and not
to the Big Money which finances them now.
• To qualify for Public Funds (I mean we’re not just
giving out free money here) the candidate must go
out and talks to VOTERS and collect small
contributions ($50 or less) from eligible donors to
show grassroots support.
• The full public financing allows spending
caps in a constitutional manner. This helps
to control the cost of campaigns.
• THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA WOULD COST
LESS THAN A PENNY A DAY PER TAX
PAYER.
A Step by Step Description
Abe gives the OK.
• FACE Reform allows people who would not have
otherwise been able to run the chance to run. A
government OF the people.
• Full public financing provides for a government
created BY the people, because the elections were
publicly financed.
• This reform makes Fair and Clean candidates
accountable to voters (aka the people). A
government FOR the people.
The Best Part About This is that We
know it works
Maine and Arizona
Amazing Results
• Arizona: 23% increase in voter turnout since 1998.
• Maine and Arizona: 10% increase in the number of women
candidates.
• Arizona saw the number of candidates of color nearly
triple.
Strong Bi-Partisan Support
• Nearly 60% of Arizona’s Clean Election Officials are
Republicans.
• Nearly 65% of Maine’s Clean Elections Officials are
Democrats.
Source: www.publiccampaign.org
Candidates like it TOO
“It’s a good way of giving government back to the people… It lets
people who are not well-connected run for the legislature.”
- Sen. Ed Youngblood (R – Maine) is a banker and was a first
time candidate in 2000. He defeated a long-time, powerful
incumbent.
“ I got to spend time with voters as opposed to spending time
dialing for dollars or trying to sell tickets to $250 a plate
fundraisers.”
- Governor Janet Napolitano (D – Arizona) ran as a Clean
candidate in 2002. She defeated a privately-financed opponent.
ROLL FILM
We are lucky because Public Campaign put
out this short and excellent film that tells us
all about what’s going on in Arizona and
Maine.
Title: The Road to Clean Elections
Enjoy the show and the groovy music.
Responses to the Film
and Questions in General?
Finally:
What you can do?
The work of Democracy Matters is extremely
important. It reclaims our democracy and
makes many other reforms possible.
As they say:
Change Elections. Change America.
Currently our main focus is education both at
GAC and all around MN.
Goal:
When anyone at Gustavus hears the term
FACE they know what we are talking about.
Our other focus is political.
Writing our congress people. Etc.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
COMING
OUR NEXT MEETING IS NEXT
MONDAY AT 7PM in the COURTYARD