How America’s Big-Box Retailers Turn Their Economic Power into Political Influence

Five years after the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision, what are the roles of large donors and average voters in selecting and supporting candidates for Congress?

The dominance of big money in our politics makes it far harder for people of color to exert political power and effectively advocate for their interests as both wealth and power are consolidated by a small, very white, share of the population.

Why we need an executive order requiring government contractors to disclose their political spending.

“For let it be agreed that a government is republican in proportion as every member composing it has an equal voice in the direction of its concerns…”  Thomas Jefferson Letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1816

Public financing of elections, as a state and local democracy reform, can help enhance the political voice and power of working-class people and people of color. It is an effective antidote to the outsized influence corporations and major donors currently have on both politics and policy.

Who is spending big money on elections, and what do they want?

What do people mean by “money in politics” or “campaign finance reform”? Running for office requires money—for staff, travel, TV ads, etc. In many countries, much of the cost of public elections is paid for by public funds, so the voters control the process and candidates are only accountable to

For four decades, the Supreme Court’s flawed approach to money in politics has gutted common-sense protections against the power of special interests and wealthy individuals. This defies our core democratic values.

"With the Supreme Court split four-to-four on so many critical issues, the stakes could not be higher."