50 years later: in the midst of our silent spring moment. then, like now, winning means beating

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