U.S : IF YOU SIGN, PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS TO RESPOND.

President Obama has the power
to fight secret money in elections.

Join us in telling him
to act immediately.

Dear friend, 

Six years ago, the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United opened the floodgates for secret money in politics. With no ceiling and no transparency in spending on election campaigns, mega corporations like Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Comcast threaten to permanently silence your political voice.

Having big money in politics creates more of an uphill battle for Black voters and impacts the issues that we care about. It’s how the American Legislative Exchange Council, a right-wing policy mill, has the political power to get Stand Your Ground laws passed in 33 states and anti-union “Right to Work” laws in 25 states.^1,2 Money in politics is also how we ended up with Telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon that have the power to buy up political candidates who turn around and give those companies tax breaks that would be better spent funding public education.³ Unlimited corporate electoral spending has even more direct consequences for Black political representation. Elections that are heavily funded by wealthy white donors produce fewer candidates of color.⁴

Join the more than 70,000 voters who have already demanded that President Obama use his authority to take action on secret money in politics. We are working with our partners at Rootstrikers, a nonprofit organization committed to ending the influence of money in politics. If we can help them get to 100,000 signatures, the White House will have to issue a public response.

We're calling on President Obama because he has the power to fight money in politics, but he has to act soon. He can issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to immediately disclose their campaign contributions, an action that would affect more than 70% of the companies on the Fortune 100 list. He can also urge his appointees at the SEC, IRS and FCC to use their administrative authority to require disclosure of campaign spending.

With the Presidential election next year, time is running out. In today's world, the grassroots, small-dollar donation strategy that helped President Obama get elected nearly eight years ago wouldn't be possible. Now a small handful of ultra wealthy donors are financing campaigns, and our communities are the ones that pay the price. In 2016, there will be thousands of candidates across the country angling to represent Black voters and Black communities; because of the amount of money in politics, those candidates will more than likely be backed by corporate interests. The public has a right to know exactly whose agenda they're promoting. Help us urge President Obama to act on secret money in politics before his last State of the Union.

Sign the petition: President Obama, help drive money out of politics.

Thanks and Peace,

Rashad, Arisha, Brandi, Brittaney, Evan, Bernard and the rest of the ColorOfChange team 

  

References:

1. “States with stand-your-ground laws have seen an increase in homicides, reports task force,” ABA Journal, 08-08-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5597?t=6&akid=5142.1942551.TmoPZi

2. “The Slippery Math of Right-To-Work Advocates,” Newsweek, 05-17-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5598?t=8&akid=5142.1942551.TmoPZi

3. “Stacked Deck: How the Dominance of Politics By the Affluent & Business Undermines Economic Mobility in America,” Demos
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5599?t=11&akid=5142.1942551.TmoPZi

4. Foreword, “Stacked Deck: How the Dominance of Politics By the Affluent & Business Undermines Economic Mobility in America,” Demos
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5600?t=13&akid=5142.1942551.TmoPZi

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ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.