Our Issues
Attacks On Democracy
Powerful elites have always fought against the creation of inclusive and just democracies. Their goal is to protect and enhance their own social, political and economic power. Their efforts to subvert the rule of the majority have taken many forms. But throughout United States history, it has been the mobilization of an engaged citizenry that has resisted anti-democratic elites. And so, again today, fixing our threatened and broken democracy depends on citizens determined to keep democracy from dying.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/opinion/sunday/disenfranchisement-democracy-minority-rule.html
- https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/democracy-could-die-2024/619390/
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/commentisfree/2018/jan/21/this-is-how-democracies-die
- https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/05/opinion/jan-6-jimmy-carter.html
Voting Rights
The right to vote is promised every American citizen. But voter suppression and other obstacles prevent many Americans from voting, making it harder rather than easier to vote. Especially affected are students and other young people, low-income citizens and people of color.
- https://www.demos.org/research/unstacking-deck
- https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/new-voter-suppression
- https://www.carnegie.org/topics/topic-articles/voting-rights/voting-rights-timeline/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAzfuNBhCGARIsAD1nu-8uz9t6qtqocEo1VP2VymoSGT7hhrj6iskQ_NX7Y0G9AgWhhJdJtMwaAkJXEALw_wcB
Big Money & Politics
The flood of big money in politics is devastating our democracy. Billions of dollars from wealthy individuals and corporate special interests elect politicians at the local, state and national level. The democracy movement is fighting to free our elected officials from dependence on big political money by creating public campaign financing systems.
- What You Need To Know About Money In Politics
- If Voters Owned Elections Colgate University Professor Advocates Public Financing Of Political Campaigns Become an Expert
- https://www.demos.org/research/public-funding-electoral-campaigns-how-27-states-counties-and-municipalities-empower-small
- https://www.demos.org/research/stacked-deck-how-racial-bias-our-big-money-political-system-undermines-our-democracy-and
Issue Intersectionality
Democracy Matters connects the dots among important critical issues, demonstrating their deep intersectionality and their links to voting rights and big money in politics. The challenges of social injustice, climate change, gun violence, rising inequality, public health, student rights and so much more can only be overcome in a real democracy – where everyone can vote and big corporate money doesn’t dominate.
Select an issue and see how fair and inclusive voting reform, public campaign financing, and an end to voter suppression are connected to critical issues like the environment, health care, the economy, and more. Information about specific industry and sector big money contributions can be found at www.opensecrets.org/industries/index.php.
- https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/20/voting-rights-climate-change-energy-justice-500288
- https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/why-the-voting-rights-act-matters-for-environmentalists/
- https://www.demos.org/research/stacked-deck-how-racial-bias-our-big-money-political-system-undermines-our-democracy-and
- https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/small-donor-public-financing-could-advance-race-and-gender-equity
DM In The News
- Answering the Critics
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- Students start Democracy Matters chapter at BU
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- Interview with Joan Mandle, Executive Director of Democracy Matters
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- Political Activist Group Stirs Up Campus
- Making your voice count with Democracy Matters