The Alliance for Democracy
e-newsletter, April 16, 2007
In this Issue:
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Convention scheduled for Tucson this November--save the dates!
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Capital District (NY) chapter works for Clean Elections
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Another change needed to HR811
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Action Alerts: Iran, Fast Track, Impeachment
Announcing the 2007 Alliance for Democracy national convention
Save the dates--mark your calendar: November 1-4, Tucson, Arizona
Details in a separate email announcement—events include a get-together, workshops on building and strengthening AfD, leadership training, discussion of campaigns and movement building “in alliance” with other groups.
Watch the website and these email newsletters for updates as we build for this great event!
Capital District (NY) chapter works for Clean Elections
by Ethel Silverberg, Capital District AfD
Closing loopholes is easy compared to reforming the campaign system in New York State. But the Alliance for Democracy has joined with Citizen Action New York to do just that.
The Alliance for Democracy Capital District chapter and Citizen Action are encouraging the New York State Assembly to support full public funding of elections, known as Clean Money Clean Elections reform. AfD members across the state are being contacted and asked to write or call their state legislators on this issue.
While New York passes a partial public financing bill every year, that legislation doesn't go far enough to get big money out of politics. While this year’s partial public funding bill has already been introduced, a bill supporting full public funding will be filed later this month, and this is what we’re asking Assembly members to approve.
The New York State legislature has been called the most dysfunctional legislative body in the country. It’s said that money flows into campaigns like water into a sewer. Fundraisers are held in Albany, the capital, hundreds of miles from some legislators' home districts. Constituents don't attend these parties; they're not invited. The guest list is drawn from the list of lobbyists registered with New York State, who come with bags of money, attending as many as three to five events in one night. "Hello, I'm here, nice to see you, goodbye." Admission to these soirees costs hundreds of dollars, and is only one part of what in Albany is called "dialing for dollars."
As the Alliance is committed to getting money out of politics, here's the chance for reform. If you're from New York, call your state legislator--he or she needs to hear from you. And, if you have friends or family in New York, forward this newsletter to them and urge them to make the call, too.
Another change needed to Holt Bill, HR811
HR811, or the Holt Bill, will receive its final House markup when the House reconvenes on Monday, April 16. Prior to Congress’s Spring Break we stopped H.R. 811 from coming to the floor for a vote. Now we must to the same again: Call and fax your congressional member now.
Now another amendment to the Holt Bill is urgently needed to protect the right of voters to sue if they believe their rights have been violated. Here’s a summary of the argument.
Pending Election Reform in Congress Doesn't Give Citizens Right to Sue
Should citizens explicitly be allowed to sue if they can prove their votes have been stolen or miscounted by electronic voting machines? This right, a cornerstone of the federal Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, is missing from HR811, the Holt Amendment to the Help America Vote Act. Instead, the bill says citizens can sue under other laws.
Our elections are run at the county level, with administrators seeking to retain considerable autonomy over the process. They don't want to deal with lawsuits. But voting rights campaigners know that without the right to use, otherwise known as "private cause of action", thousands of what Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr has described as "separate and unequal" jurisdictions will be even less free and fair.
Suits filed in Ohio after the 2004 elections using the Voting Rights Act's private cause of action have had dramatic results. But they would not have been helped by the most recent version of HR811.
The right of individuals to seek legal redress is one more safeguard in an increasingly automated election environment. That's why there should be a new and explicit private cause of action in HR811, especially as many people predict the bill that will come out of the House will not ban electronic voting machines, but instead seek to regulate this divisive new technology.
The full story by Steven Rosenfeld is available at www.alternet.org/story/50492.
Allied Actions
Iran: Back the Webb Amendment: A few days before Good Friday, some US and Russian media reported that US forces are in position to deliver aerial attacks against Iran and its nuclear infrastructure.
Senator Jim Webb of Virginia has introduced an amendment, S.759, to the Iraq supplemental spending bill that would reintroduce language stripped from the bill to bar funds from being used to attach Iran, and require the President to get Congressional authorization before ordering an attack. The bill has no co-sponsors yet.
Please contact your Senator and urge support the Webb amendment. Speak out against the dangers of another preemptive war. Read the talking points by Phyllis Bennis, Transnational Institute and Institute for Policy Studies, on the United for Peace website (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3564).
AfD chapters and national sign on to Fair Trade campaign: The Alliance for Democracy national organization, and chapters in Oregon, Maine, California, and Indiana have joined 713 organizations in signing a letter drafted by Public Citizen urging the Democratic leadership in Congress to not bring forward legislation for renewal of Trade Promotion Authority ( “Fast Track”). You may read the letter at http://www.citizen.org/documents/FastTrackSignOnLetter32907.pdf.
Fast Track gives presidents enormous authority over trade agreements and bans Congress from amending them. It spawned NAFTA, CAFTA and the WTO. Fast Track authority expires June 30, and even though the current Congress leans more toward fair trade than before, we need to organize to make sure we overcome the corporate money and influence that wants this measure renewed. The time to weigh in is now.
National groups push impeachment events: (Remember -- public pressure led to the impeachment of Nixon.) More than 25 groups have endorsed a Spring 2007 Impeach Bush and Cheney drive. Highlights include:
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A corporate shopping boycott. Between now and April 22 (Earth Day) more than 1,000 groups worldwide are asking members to forgo major purchases. Walk pass corporate chain stores and malls, and go to your local markets, restaurants and second hand shops. Visit www.wearenotbuyingit.org for more info -
The Show it Off! Campaign runs from April 23-27. Wear your pro-impeachment T-shirts, hats, buttons, or what-have-you to build public support for impeachment. Info and some apparel available at http://showitoffnow.blogspot.com -
On April 28, a coalition of groups are sponsoring a national day of action for impeachment. Info on joining and supporting local actions at http://www.a28.org -
