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In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposed the chemical companies and government agencies for using poisonous chemicals like DDT. Carson accused the industry of spreading lies to protect their profits, and accused public officials of accepting the industry’s position without question . - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposed the chemical companies and government agencies for
using poisonous chemicals like DDT.
Carson accused the industry of spreading lies to protect their profits, and accused public officials of accepting the
industry’s position without question.
“Carson was violently assailed by threats of lawsuits and derision, including suggestions that this
meticulous scientist was a ‘hysterical woman’ unqualified to write such a
book.
“A huge counterattack was organized and led by Monsanto Company, Velsicol, American
Cyanamid — indeed, the whole chemical industry — duly supported by the Agriculture Department as
well as the more cautious in the media.”
Source: TIME Magazine
50 years later:
In the midst of our Silent Spring moment.
Then, like now, winning means beatingcorporate special interests.
9.1%
0
Silent Spring
Silenced Democracy
Manyvs.
Money
public officials accepting industry’s position without question
Worse than that.
“I apologize.”
“I apologize. I do not want to live in a country where
any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is
legitimately wrong, is subject to some sort of
political pressure that is, again, in my words —
amounts to a shakedown, so I apologize.”
Real “Shakedown”:Nearly $2 million inOil and Coal Money
source: opensecrets.org
“serve the banks”
“Service” fees:$4.7 million in
financial sector moneysource: opensecrets.org
“buyers’ remorse”
20 minutes on the phonewith David Koch
In America, why are we debating how much a politician cost?
Outside Spending, 2010 elections
(1) U.S. Chamber of Commerce
(2) American Action Network
(3) American Crossroads(4) Crossroads GPS(5) SEIU(6) AFSCME(7) American Future Fund(8) Americans for Job Security
(9) National Education Association
(10) Club for Growth
Conservative: $124,446,826Progressive: $37,172,920
Outside Spending post-WI, OH, etc. ...?
(1)U.S. Chamber of Commerce(2)American Action Network(3)American Crossroads(4)Crossroads GPS(5) (6) (7)American Future Fund(8)Americans for Job Security(9) (10) Club for Growth
Conservative: $124,446,826Progressive: ??
2009-10 figures
Oil & Gas:$31.7 million campaign contributions
~$325 million lobbying
Securities & Investments:$102 million campaign contributions
~$200 million lobbying
Commercial Banks:$22.3 million campaign contributions
~$110 million lobbying
Five types:
1) Fair Elections2) Lobbying reform
3) Shareholder approval4) Transparency & disclosure5) Constitutional amendment
Fair Elections
Under Fair Elections, the people back home would be the ones that mattered to elected officials, instead of lobbyists and big donors. Qualified candidates would not take big money from lobbyists or CEOs, and would instead receive limited Fair Elections funding from a fee imposed on the largest corporations receiving government contracts.
Candidates would qualify for a limited amount of public financing by raising a large number of small qualifying contributions.
Candidates continue to raise small contributions and have them matched on a four-to-one basis with additional public funds, up to a limit.
Money would come from a new Fair Elections Fund which would be financed by a small fee on government contractors.
Modeled after Clean Elections-style reform in
MaineArizona
North CarolinaConnecticut
2010
25-state field program200 Democratic donors350 groups endorsed165 cosponsors in HouseWon in committeeVotes to win in House
Now under attack
But passage, of any of it?
So, now what?
Courts
Conservative Ideologues
Corporate Special Interests
Solutions
The Fight
“There are two things that are important in
politics. The first is money, and I can’tremember what the second one is.”
-Mark Hanna
Ummm... Voters?
Participation
Campaigns that carry this message
Super committeeState budget fights
ALEC ExposedOhio people’s veto
Bank actionsAnti-Chamber effortsCorporate campaigns
Presidential race
What can you do?
Add your research capacity to oursLook for ways to include analysis on the “why”
Hold up examples of championsTell us how to be good partners
http://www.publicampaign.orghttp://www.campaignmoney.org