In an exciting first year of work the ReFormers have helped move money in politics to the front of the political debate. One year ago former members of Congress on Issue One’s Advisory Board invited fellow former members to learn more about Issue One’s work, and invited them to join the fight to reduce the power of money in American politics. Twenty-one former
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According to new polling from Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (on behalf of Democracy Corps and Every Voice), majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents support a combination of small-donor solutions, increased transparency and better enforcement of election laws to combat the increasing influence of wealthy donors and special interests in elections. The poll shows that 72 percent of American support these reforms.
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Today, Time published an op-ed by Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair of Issue One’s Advisory Board and active member of our ReFormers Caucus. In this piece, the former GOP senator urges the Republican presidential candidates participating in tonight’s debate to seize the moment and share their solutions for the problem they all decry of money’s outsized dominance in our political system:
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The ReFormers Caucus of more than 100 former members of Congress and governors is bringing greater attention and purpose to money-in-politics reform. That’s why they’re reaching out to debate moderators and pushing them to ask the critical question: what specifically will candidates do to ensure our government is truly of, by and for the people? “The presidential debates are some
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The holidays are approaching which means it’s time to start picking up presents, brainstorming new year’s resolutions and, of course, thinking of ways to talk about the 2016 elections with your family without inciting a shouting match. Here’s a suggestion: Talk about something that everyone agrees is a problem—money in politics. New polling from Pew Research shows that 76 percent
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A sweeping new survey from Pew Research indicates that there’s a very clear trust deficit in Washington, and Americans have increasingly negative views of the federal government. And it’s hard to blame them. The cost of elections has skyrocketed with no sign of abating, undisclosed dark money has candidates competing in an invisible primary and gridlock in Washington is no
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Paul Blumenthal has the whole story in the Huffington Post, but, in a nutshell, billionaire investor Carl Icahn is mad that Congress has stalled on legislation that would give a massive tax break to companies that are currently hiding trillions of dollars in offshore tax havens. So, just like any average guy, he’s decided to drop $150 million of his
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In a June New York Times/CBS News poll, 84% of all respondents, including 90% of self-identified Democrats, answered that money has too much influence on American political campaigns. That same month, when asked about their biggest concern for the 2016 presidential contest, more respondents to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll selected the influence that wealthy individuals and corporations may
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Tim Roemer, former Indiana congressman and ambassador to India, has a simple question: are you feeling the pain? Even if you think you aren’t, the situation on Capitol Hill ensures we’re all feeling duped by our politicians. Because of money in politics and the skyrocketing cost of campaigns, our elected officials are forced to spend almost half their time fundraising
Read MoreAccording to the Newseum’s 2015 “State of the First Amendment” survey, Americans firmly support individual liberties. 75% of respondents believe that the First Amendment does not go too far in guaranteeing broad personal rights. There was one issue where voters called for stronger government limits, though. 73% of the poll’s respondents agreed that restrictions on corporate and union contributions in
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