Walking to Fix Our Democracy is proud to endorse and support a citizen initiative to abolish Super PAC spending in state elections in Maine.
Maine Citizens to End Super PACs collected over 76,000 signatures in support of a referendum to limit annual contributions to Super PACs from individuals, businesses, and other PACs to $5,000 in a calendar year.
For years, courts have perpetuated a legal error of logic to declare that contributions to Super PACs may not be limited. That error of logic has now been identified in this Maine initiative. If adopted by voters in November, it is very likely to be immediately challenged in court. That challenge will ultimately be appealed to our U.S. Supreme Court, and it will have an excellent opportunity to correct this error in legal reasoning.
Harvard Constitutional Law Professor Larry Lessig
has created a video to explain the legal argument to end Super PACs,
Watch it via the following link:
The legal defense of this Maine initiative will be expensive, just as it has been expensive to gather the necessary signatures to get this on the ballot in November.
Supporters of Walking to Fix Our Democracy can help. I’ve already donated. I hope many of you will as well.
To do so, go to Maine Citizens to End Super PACs , read more, then click the red DONATE button.
This is likely our best near-term opportunity to reform the way money is perverting representation by those we the people have selected to “promote the general welfare” of us all. Thanks!
WALK UPDATE
Milwaukee Event
Before leaving Wisconsin, I participated in a Milwaukee Public Library
event organized by VOTERS FIRST that showcased their efforts to have the Michigan State Legislature enact a brilliant yet straight-forward solution comprised of two key elements.
A “Top 5” PRIMARY ELECTION in August of election years where the top 5 vote-getters advance to the general election where voters will have the option to rank their favorite candidates in the GENERAL ELECTION in November of election years, initially focused only on congressional seats (US House and US Senate).
If successful, Wisconsin may be the first state to adopt such an approach via their state legislature. To date, such adoption in all other states has been via Citizen Initiatives.
Chicago Event
After Milwaukee I crossed to the east side of Lake Michigan and continued walking through Lansing, MI, finally turning south to Ann Arbor and beyond into Ohio on my way, slowly, toward D.C.
On October 1st, I backtracked with the “Tow Car” to Chicago for an event at The Chicago Center On Democracy.
Two of us participated in a moderated discussion.
Frank Barry is an editorial board member and columnist at Bloomberg and the author of Back Roads and Better Angels: A Journey into the Heart of American Democracy. In his book, Barry recounts his RV trip across the Lincoln Highway during a pivotal time in U.S. history, exploring the deep divides and unifying forces within American democracy.
I focused on “fixes” needed to the structure and financing of our political system to better incentivize our elected representatives to do their job to “promote the general welfare” of us all on each of the biggest issues we all face in our daily lives.
Volunteer Support
A few days after returning from Chicago, I was greatly assisted by Patty OBrien as I passed by Dundee, Michigan.
Patty drove the support vehicle, which allowed me to take regular breaks to hydrate and snack while walking 12.5 miles that day. Such volunteer support is welcome and appreciated! Thank you Patty!
Until Next Time
Thanks for all your love and support! Meanwhile, let’s all VOTE!
Rick
Rick Hubbard