Sample Op-Eds

Sample Op-Ed #1

With elections in the air, I have been thinking a lot lately about how someone gets to run for president, Congress or even the state legislature, because I have a couple of friends who I think would be great at politically representing me and other University of San Diego students. They are smart, work hard and worry about things like global warming, fixing the health care system, lowering the price of gas and reducing the interest rates on student loans. They really understand what we care about.

The only problem is there is no way they can run. Not even when they get to be the required age. This is because they don’t have the money.

Everyone knows the cost of political campaigns is outrageous – and increasing every year. In 2006, it took an average of $9.6 million to win a Senate seat, and $1.2 million to become a member of the House of Representatives. By last month – even with the election still far off – the presidential hopefuls had already raised and spent a total of $500 million. And in most states, even running for a legislative seat can cost thousands of dollars. My friends can’t begin to raise that kind of cash, and neither can most Americans.

So it seems like our democracy has become more about whom wealthy donors and special interests decide to fund and less about who has good ideas. That excludes my friends and most everyone else who cares about cleaning up the environment, lowering the fees on student loans, getting our country to stop depending on oil – you get the picture. In fact, right now the biggest donors to the presidential candidates are from the business sector labeled “finance, insurance and real estate” – the same folks who got us into the present economic mess. Their goal is to preserve their huge profits by blocking the reforms and regulations that would prevent another crisis. They know their money buys political influence!

That seems downright un-American. But what can we do? How do we take back our democracy? How do we make sure that politicians are accountable to the people, not to supporters? How do we fulfill the promise that anyone can run for office?

Fair elections is a voluntary system where candidates can qualify for a public grant instead of raising private money for their campaigns. This law allows candidates to run for office even if they can’t raise the big bucks. Instead of spending hours “dialing for dollars” to rich special interests, they can talk with voters to find out what their constituents want, including college students.

But how exactly would this help my friends? In states that already have fair elections (a public financing option), more young people can afford to run for office. So can other citizens without ties to big business and special interests. In Maine, Connecticut, Arizona, North Carolina and other states with fair elections, voters get to choose among a more diverse group of candidates – not just wealthy politicians. And most importantly, when elected, fair elections candidates are accountable to the people who vote for them, not to big private supporters.

A number of national organizations like the NAACP, Common Cause, Sierra Club, AFL-CIO, Mexican-American Legal Defense, Democracy Matters and Education Fund – as well as many others – spread the word about the promise of fair elections for state, congressional and presidential campaigns. It is a proven system that works!

Join us to take back our democracy, stop the money chase and create responsible, accountable elected officials. It just might mean that my friends – or you – could be the state representative, senator or even president who solves the next big crisis!

[Insert your contact information and the DM website]

Sample Op-Ed #2 (from De Anza College)

Following in the footsteps of schools such as UC Davis and UC Berkeley, De Anza College has organized a chapter from the nonprofit and nonpartisan organization Democracy Matters. With elections just around the corner, the club’s timing is perfect because it addresses issues related to campaigning.

For example, the chapter works on addressing issues such as the influence of private companies’ financial grants on politicians. During the 2004 elections, congressional and presidential candidates spent four billion dollars in total, raising significant concern. Politicians who receive money from executives of big companies may pass legislation in their favor and ignore the concerns of others constituents.

The club focuses on encouraging student activism for democratic reform and educating people about alternative funding like that of the “fair election” system.

With this system, the impact of lobbyists and interest groups may be reduced since it allows for full public funding for a candidate’s primary and general election, making them accountable only to voters.

“We’re here to educate people about the election process and campaign finance reform, as well as trying to have people more involved in the community,” said club official Alena Starostina.

In addition to distributing voter registration forms, the club lectures on political issues and invites speakers to De Anza.

“As of now, we’re working on bringing a speaker from New York to help discuss fair elections,” said Starostina.

It is still election time, so there is no better time than now to check Democracy Matters out and learn more about local and national election processes.

The club was deemed official on May 9. Meetings are held near the front of the library every Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

[Insert your contact information and the DM website]

Sample Op-Ed #3

BASKETBALL, POLITICS, and YOU! [INSERT ADONAL’S PHOTO]

Ten years ago Adonal Foyle, the veteran NBA center who played for thirteen years with such teams as the Golden State Warriors and the Orlando Magic founded a new non-partisan student organization, Democracy Matters. His idea was to give college students a voice in the important issues of the day. Each year Democracy Matters selects 50 universities and this year [ADD THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL HERE] is one of them.

Foyle, who was the 8th pick in the first round of the 1997 draft, earned a reputation throughout his NBA career for being an outspoken advocate for political change. “I started Democracy Matters because I knew that students weren’t apathetic about politics like everyone said. They cared about the environment, about at-risk kids, about rising tuition, about civil rights, about all kinds of things. But they didn’t have a concrete way to work for real change – to really make a difference. Democracy Matters gives them that chance.”

Democracy Matters believes that the dominance of big special interest money is undermining our political system. So DM students will be working to curb the influence of corporate and big money contributions on politicians. Did you know that during last presidential election that over $5 billion was spent? Foyle wants elections to be about ideas and solving our country’s problems — not about who can raise the most money. As he puts it: “We need to get big money out of politics and people back in…and we can do it!”

This is already happening in some states. In Maine, Arizona, Connecticut, North Carolina and elsewhere ordinary citizens can run for office without having to raise money from special interests. In these states candidates have an option to get public financing for their campaigns, so that ordinary Americans – not just the rich – can run for office. Young people too are elected to office. And with a public financing option in place, over 80% of some legislatures are composed of people who haven’t taken a penny from any big contributors or lobbyists. Just think, you too could run for office and get to change the things you are passionate about.

But Adonal and Democracy Matters at [ADD THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL HERE] need your help right now to make this happen. Join us this year and learn what it feels like to make a real difference…and have fun doing it. Contact [ADD your name and contact information] and check out www.democracymatters.org.

Democracy Matters is totally non-partisan. That means it is independent of all political parties and doesn’t support candidates running for office. At [ADD THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL HERE] Democracy Matters is working to make sure that everyone has a say in our democracy.

As Foyle says: “If you are worried about where Congress is taking us today, about rising tuition, about getting a job after college, and about lots of other issues, Democracy Matters is the group for you.” We want your elected representatives to hear YOUR voice. We want to build a government of, by and for the American people — not one dominated by big corporate money. Slam Dunk for Democracy by joining [ADD THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL HERE] Democracy Matters.”

 

See more DM Articles and Op-eds.