How many of you are turned off by the corruption usually seen in our political system? I certainly am.
Just last year, congressional candidates spent nearly $5 billion in order to run for office. In the middle of the worst recession since World War II, this money should have been spent elsewhere. In addition, almost 90 percent of winning races were won by the candidate who spent the most money.
Even worse, the Wall Street special interests spent nearly $65 million in lobbying and they received almost $200 billion in bailout funds.
Is it right that our political system is controlled by big money and specifically special interests like large corporations? No, but there’s still hope.
Recently, both houses of Congress created the Fair Elections Now Act, which proposes a clean elections system by publicly funding congressional campaigns. So far, influential politicians from both parties have co-sponsored this bill: Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Russ Feingold, D-WI, Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., Arlen Specter, R-Penn. and President Barack Obama.
Clean elections systems already exist in states such as Connecticut, Arizona and Maine. Candidates in these states can competitively run for office without having to get donations from big corporations and wealthy individuals. They can focus on legislating on behalf of the people instead of funding pet projects for wealthy donors.
Janet Napolitano, former governor of Arizona and current Secretary of Homeland Security, was able to issue an executive order that established low-cost prescription drug subsidies for seniors. She explained that she was able to take this action because she was not dependent on campaigns contributions from special interests such as pharmaceuticals companies. Clean elections have already been successful at the state level. Now it is time to spread this system to the federal government.
As a member of a student group called Democracy Matters, in February I traveled to Albany, N.Y. in order to learn more about spreading awareness regarding political reform. There, I met Elsie Flemings and Matt Lesser, 26- and 25 year-old elected officials in the states of Maine and Connecticut, respectively. Along with 80 percent of their state legislatures, Elsie and Matt did not have to rely on special interests to run their campaign. They now address important issues that young people support, such as education, environment, health care and reform.
Again, with the implementation of the Fair Elections Now Act, average Americans who are not backed by special interests will be able to fun for office. Once in office, elected officials would be able to legislate on behalf of their constituents and not wealthy campaign contributors.
So what can you do to make a difference? Call your congressman or senator and tell them to support the Fair Elections Now Act. Believe it or not, elected officials really do care about their constituents.
You can also get involved with Democracy Matters at UCLA, a nonpartisan national student group that focuses on spreading awareness political reform and actually working to change politics.
All this week, as a part of a coordinated national campaign, we are writing to elected officials to urge support for Fair Elections Now Act. Look for us on Bruin Walk or visit
democracymatters.org for more information.
Let’s work to take democracy back from big money and get it in the hands of students.
Schulhof is the director of the UCLA chapter of Democracy Matters. For more information, e-mail democracymatters.ucla@gmail.com or see the “Democracy Matters at UCLA” Facebook group.