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Let’s talk … Money in politics
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Let’s talk … Money in politics League of Women Voters Campaign to Make Democracy Work The League of Women Voters has launched a Campaign to Make Democracy Work. Money in politics is creating a problem for our democracy. We believe that all of us need to discuss how to tackle this problem LWVBC.org
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Money Flows Into Our Political System
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Money Flows Into Our Political System Political Action Committees 501(c) groups Super PACs Lobbyists Political Action Committees, 501(c) groups, Super PACs, and Lobbyists all make contributions to candidates and parties. <a href=" art image by Cliparts.co</a> <a href=" Contributions to candidates Contributions to parties LWVBC.org
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A Few Individuals Make Big Donations
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics A Few Individuals Make Big Donations In 2014: 31,976 people made $1.18 Billion of disclosed contributions at the federal level individuals gave more than $1 Million each 3 individuals contributed more than $10 Million each A few, a very few, individuals make some big donations. In the 2014 elections, nearly 32,000 people gave over $1 Billion in disclosed contributions. Of them, 70 individuals gave more than $1 Million each, and 3 individuals gave more than $10 Million each. Get the Details sunlightfoundation.com/2015/04/30/ LWVBC.org
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Corporations Get Good Returns
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Corporations Get Good Returns 200 corporations spent $5.8 Billion on federal lobbying and campaign contributions between 2007 and 2012 They received: $4.4 Trillion in federal business and support Favorable tax treatment and/ or credits Government contracts Tariffs or other penalties on competitors Favorable regulations Corporations also make donations. Over a 5-year period, 200 corporations spent $5.8 Billion on lobbying and campaign contributions. During that time, they received $4.4 Trillion dollars in federal business and support. They got favorable tax treatment; they were awarded government contracts; their competitors received tariffs or other penalties; and they got favorable regulations. Get the Details sunlightfoundation.com/2014/11/17/ LWVBC.org
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In 2016 Campaign, as of 1 November 2016
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics In 2016 Campaign, as of 1 November 2016 Presidential Candidates raised $1.3 Billion Senate Candidates raised $685 Million House Candidates raised $964 Million In the most recent campaign, Presidential candidates raised over $1 Billion, Senate candidates raised nearly $700 Million and House candidates raised almost $965 Million. Get the Details LWVBC.org
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What Does That Money Buy?
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics What Does That Money Buy? What do the campaigns spend that money on? Campaigns must report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) the purpose of all disbursements over $200 and who received the money. Most reported expenditures were for media and fundraising. Get the Details LWVBC.org
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League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics
Spending on TV Ads $2.3 Billion for 3.3 Million Ads In Whole 2016 Election Cycle $750 Million for 1 Million Ads In Presidential Election TV ads make a up a big part of that media spending, and we all see at least some of them. More than $2 Billion bought 3.3 Million ads in the whole 2016 election cycle. $750 Million was spent for 1 Million ads in the Presidential election. Get the Details LWVBC.org
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Dark Money = Undisclosed Donors & Sources
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Dark Money = Undisclosed Donors & Sources Political Spending to Influence Votes Donor and Sources Are Not Disclosed More than $15 Million Spent in 2015 Only About $5 Million Reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) There is other money in politics that is harder to track. We call it “dark money” because the sources of the money are not clearly disclosed. This money comes from political organizations that are not part of the parties or official campaigns. These political organizations spent more than $15 million in 2015, and only reported about $5 million of that to the FEC. Get the Details LWVBC.org
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Politicians Keep Raising $$ on the Job
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Politicians Keep Raising $$ on the Job Terri Sewell, US Representative, Alabama 7th Congressional District "I think that the hardest part was raising money, and now that I'm a member of Congress, the fact that we have to continuously raise money in order to keep our seats, in order to further the goals of the party and caucus, … But electoral campaigns aren’t the only place money comes into play in our political system. Raising money is a key part of running for office. But, our officeholders keep raising money after they’ve been elected. Get the Details LWVBC.org
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Politicians Keep Raising $$ on the Job
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Politicians Keep Raising $$ on the Job … I think that one of the things I walk away with is the need for campaign finance reform, because it really does lock out a lot of people from running for Congress and running for political office ... money is such an important factor in getting elected." Terri Sewell, US Representative, Alabama 7th Congressional District Terri Sewell of Alabama is in her third term and was elected in 2010 as the first black woman to represent the district that encompasses Birmingham and parts of Tuscaloosa. Congresswoman Sewell has called for campaign finance reform, saying that lack of money stops people from running for office. Get the Details LWVBC.org
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The Problem of Money in Politics
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics The Problem of Money in Politics Lots of Money Not Many Donors Unknown Sources of Money Benefits for Large Corporate Donors Fundraising by Elected Officials We can say that there is a lot of money in our political system, that some donors give enormous amounts of money, that we don’t have adequate means to track donors, that there are payoffs for large corporate donors, and that our elected officials spend their time raising money for their parties and their next campaigns. LWVBC.org
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Money in Politics: LWV Position
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics Money in Politics: LWV Position Methods of financing political campaigns should: Ensure the public’s right to know Combat corruption and undue influence Enable more equitable competition for public office Allow maximum citizen participation in the political process The League of Women Voters has taken a position on money in politics that specifies that methods of financing political campaigns should ensure the public’s right to know, combat corruption and undue influence, enable more equitable competition for public office, and allow maximum citizen participation in the political process. GET DETAILS lwv.org/issues/reforming-money-politics forum.lwv.org/member-resources/article/lwvus-position-money-politics LWVBC.org
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We Can Increase Transparency
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics We Can Increase Transparency Support reforms of the Federal Election Commission Require complete, timely reporting Change the makeup of the Commission to reduce deadlock Support reforms of the Internal Revenue Service Clarify definition of nonprofits to exclude predominately political organizations The League of Women Voters is calling on all of us to work toward more transparency, disclosure, and enforcement in our electoral system. Specifically, we can increase transparency by supporting reforms to the Federal Election Commission and by clarifying Internal Revenue Service rules. Get the Details lwv.org/issues/reforming-money-politics LWVBC.org
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We Can Increase Disclosure
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics We Can Increase Disclosure Ask Congress to take action to reform money in politics: DISCLOSE Act of 2015 To close loopholes that allow outside groups to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in secret contributions in federal elections Lobbying and Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2015 To curb the ability of lobbyists to bundle contributions for members of Congress and federal candidates We can increase disclosure by asking Congress to pass the DISCLOSE Act and the Lobbying and Campaign Finance Reform Act. Get the Details lwv.org/issues/reforming-money-politics LWVBC.org
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We Can Increase Enforcement
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics We Can Increase Enforcement Ask Congress to take action to reform money in politics: Stop Super PAC–Candidate Coordination Act To stop Super PACs from circumventing candidate contribution limits and strengthen the rules prohibiting coordination between candidates and outside spending groups. We can increase enforcement by asking Congress to pass the Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act. Get the Details lwv.org/issues/reforming-money-politics LWVBC.org
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We Can Support Public Financing
League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics We Can Support Public Financing Ask Congress to take action to publicly finance Congressional and Presidential Elections: EMPOWER Act of 2015 To repair and reinvigorate the public financing system for candidates in presidential elections To establish public financing for Congressional campaigns We can support public financing of electoral campaigns. The EMPOWER Act covers presidential elections, but there is no need to stop there. Cities, counties, and states across the country are passing campaign finance reforms and public financing measures. Get the Details lwv.org/content/league-sends-letter-us-senate-s-1176 LWVBC.org
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League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics
Keep Talking & Vote We can take on the problems of money in politics if we keep talking to each other and if we vote. So, please, learn about money in politics and vote. Get the Details LWVUS: lwv.org LWVCO: lwvcolorado.org LWV of Boulder County CO: lwvbc.org LWVBC.org
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League of Women Voters Let’s Talk Money in Politics
LWVBC.org
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