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Indybay Feature

Democracy YES: Corporate Rule NO

Date:
Friday, January 21, 2011
Time:
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Event Type:
Protest
Organizer/Author:
Ruth Valdez
Location Details:
Pacific Garden Mall (O'Neils)

Democracy YES: Corporate Rule NO

Friday, January 21 is the one year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling which increased the ability of corporations (even foreign ones) to influence elections with huge unidentified donors paying enormous sums for television time and mailings to secure votes for corporate-friendly candidates and laws. And this fall, these big national and international corporations did just that. Spending exceeded spending on the previous mid-terms by 33%. And outside groups spent $80 million – five times what they spent in the last midterm elections. [http://advocate.nyc.gov/files/12-06-10CitizensUnitedReport.pdf.]

Learn about this serious threat to democratic government by being on the Pacific Garden Mall (O'Neils) between 2 and 4 on Friday, January 21st to get information, sign petitions and enjoy some street theater. We expect Miss Democracy to make an appearance, in spite of her weakened and feeble condition. Join with the WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom) Rescue Democracy: Curb Corporations committee. Help return our elections to honest expressions of democratic, one person = one vote events.
Added to the calendar on Sat, Jan 15, 2011 3:25PM

Comments (Hide Comments)
by A
If people want to research how much money is spent influencing policies and politicians through lobbying, Pacs etc. by corporations - I suggest http://www.opensecrets.org

They have a ton of compiled data for research. I find it to be one of the better sites for such data which can come in handy when people are writing articles or doing their own research.
The National Donor Profile Database is a great example -
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/index_stfed.php?num=10000&gov=c
Of the $5,836,415,127* that was given to political campaigns during the 2007-2008 election cycle, $3,123,223,300 (53.5%) came from the top state & federal contributors.
"National Donor Profiles
First-ever mash-up of federal and state donations
Thousands of corporations and special interest groups, playing off the old adage "don't put all your eggs in one basket," are spreading their political cash across the nation, from the U.S. Capitol to the smallest states' statehouses. They may do so for a number of reasons, such as building strong relationships with decision-makers, attempting to influence votes or supporting philosophical positions such as lower taxes or expanded health care.

This database provides you with the total contributions for the Top 10,000 national givers in U.S. politics and their contributions to state-level politics during the 2008 election cycle. It's information that exists nowhere else. Use it to follow the money not only in the nation's capital, but also from Alaska to Florida, Maine to California -- and everywhere in between.

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