PRICELE$$ is a filmmaker’s personal journey across America to answer a burning question: why are some of our government’s most basic policies, like food and energy, so out-of-date . . . and can anything be done about it? Sharing the suspicion of fellow-citizens, including a class of young civics students, that campaign money is involved, the filmmakers set out on a spellbinding — and at times hilarious — ride from rural America to the halls of Congress to find out more, because democracy is a precious resource. In fact, it’s PRICELE$$. LEARN MORE
Get Involved
Democracy is not a spectator sport!
GETTING INVOLVED in efforts to lessen the influence of special interest money in politics means learning more about existing citizen efforts to make real electoral reform. You can join in their campaigns or start your own!
The Fair Elections Now Act currently bottled up in Congress is a major reform that would allow House and Senate candidates to run a competitive race for office by collecting small contributions from people back home. These candidates could only accept contributions of $100 or less that would then be matched on a 5-to-1 basis. Instead of spending time dialing for dollars or asking for money from the lobbyists hoping to influence their votes, members of Congress could focus on addressing the needs of their constituents and their country. They’d be accountable to the voters, not the people writing them big checks. To learn more visit http://fairelectionsnow.org/about-bill
Transparency: The American people deserve to know the identity of the wealthy donors and special interests funding our elections. Contributions should be filed regularly, electronically, and disclosed immediately. Groups making a major effort to influence elections should disclose the donors whose money is used for such purposes.
Constitutional Amendment: In the long-term, common sense restrictions on campaign spending need to be restored. This can be done one of two ways—through a changed Supreme Court or through a constitutional amendment that would overturn the Court’s Citizens United decision. Learn more about constitutional amendments at Amend2012. Link: www.amend2012.org
Active Citizen Organizations Working to Lessen the Influence of Big Money in Politics:
Public Campaign: a national organization dedicated to passing sweeping campaign reform that will raise the voices of everyday Americans in our political process through small-donor based public financing systems, like the federal Fair Elections Now Act, at every level. Visit: http://action.endthemoneychase.com/2012cosponsor andhttp://publicampaign.org/get-involved/states.
Americans for Campaign Reform (ACR): is a national, not-for-profit organization with a single mission: the enactment of voluntary public funding of all federal elections. Fiercely non-partisan, Americans for Campaign Reform is chaired by former Senators Bill Bradley (R-NJ), Bob Kerrey (D-NE), Warren Rudman (R-NH), and Alan Simpson (R-WY). ACR is based in Concord, NH. To learn more about Americans for Campaign Reform, visit www.ACRreform.org.
Common Cause: Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization with nearly 400,000 members and supporters, and 35 state organizations dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard in the political process.
