Weekly update #11 "Money out of Politics"
Weekly update #11 "Money out of Politics"
What we did
On 6/19, we attended Havenpalooza - great food trucks, music, and an amazing cause.
6/20 was packed: with attending the Juneteenth celebration in the morning, after meeting and being invited by local celebrity, Charlene Washington, featured on Iowa’s tallest mural (the silo in town!). I learned a lot about local history and ways the Pleasant Valley neighborhood specifically is still disenfranchised today. That afternoon was our ice cream social, where nearly a dozen neighbors happened to walk by and happily grabbed a scoop.
On 6/24, we attended - Cancer in Iowa: 99 Counties Project – Webster County Presentation - learning more on our current cancer crisis, personal choices that reduce risk, and the more powerful focus we need at the legislative level to pass basic protections and make healthcare more affordable.
On 6/25, the first Webster County Democrat Meeting in the new offices.
On 6/27, we were at PRIDEFEST! From 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, we had a booth, met community members, had great conversations, and helped several people register to vote for the first time.
The Issues – Money Out of Politics
This week, one of the biggest issues I heard, regardless of party, is politicians selling us out. From the national to the state level, among Republicans and Democrats alike, we can often find the reason they sponsored a bill or voted a certain way by checking their top donors.
Statistics show that members of Congress spend 30-70% of their time fundraising, and that 91% of the time, the candidate with the most money wins. With Citizens United, this issue ballooned, where corporations now play a bigger hand in elections. Until we remove the ability to buy elections, we are stuck paying for it.
The problem
Iowa is one of nine states with no limits on contributions to state-level political candidates. While some technicalities exist - like prohibiting direct checks from Walmart, there are no limits from the Walmart PAC, we can see through the nonsense. At the federal level, the oligarchy has to find loopholes like Super PACs. In Iowa, they wear the corruption on their sleeve like a badge of honor.
I see this issue as one of, if not the biggest issue. Private school vouchers? Check the $10,000-per-cycle from the former head of a local private school. Water quality? Follow the agribusiness donations. Data centers? Check who’s being bankrolled by the tech giants.
If we want more affordable policies passed, basic rights protected, and people-centered politics, we need to get money out of politics.
The solution
Publicly funded elections - not only would we accomplish getting big money out of politics, but we could also remove the trap altogether, allowing more everyday people to bring their best ideas to Des Moines.
Given the hurdle of passing that, more immediate solutions exist. Robert Reich wrote an article showing how, at the state level, we could effectively cut corporations off from even interfering in our elections. By passing a bill that strips them of political spending, we can take significant power out of oligarchs' hands, as well as impose basic caps on individual contributions.
You would be shocked to see some of your favorite Iowa politicians - yes, both parties - taking corruptible sums. But not me. That's why you’ll see your new favorite candidate knocking on the doors himself, not giving consultant canned responses to the issues that matter most.
Let’s build a place where people don’t have to babysit their legislators and their campaign finance accounts. As a parent of a toddler, I know when you need to take away the tools or enforce wearing protective gear to keep our loved ones from hurting themselves.
Where we’re going
June 30th, 6 PM, Ames City Hall, to speak against their consideration of a new data center
July 4th Gowerie Parade at 10:30 AM, Otho Parade at 1 PM
July 18th - Badgerfest Parade 10:30 AM (I am convincing everyone we are “Running with the Badgers”), followed by the Webster Democrat Office Party at 11 AM!
Knocking more doors in Fort Dodge - of course
Noteworthy posts
We again are rejecting all Corporate PAC money, so we really rely on, and are extremely grateful for, your support. We’ll spend your donations on ways to expand our reach to as many voters as possible, including:
Postcards and other mailers and postage
Hand‑out cards for doors/events
Text messaging campaigns
Transportation costs for events and door-knocking
Campaign website costs
Radio ads, social media ads, and (hopefully) TV ads
Our campaign manager
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kris-williams-1
Finally, if you have anyone else in mind who would like to be added to our email list or who would be interested in volunteering, let us know at kriswilliamsforiowa@gmail.com!