Democracy 21 developed and is fighting to enact a new, alternative way to finance presidential and congressional campaigns, based on matching small contributions with public funds.
- The system would match small individual contributions up to $200 with public funds at a ratio of 6 to 1. Thus, a $200 individual contribution would provide $1,400 to a candidate using the system.
- The new system would empower ordinary Americans and make their contributions far more valuable to federal candidates. The system would free officeholders from the iron-grip of influence-seeking, big money funders.
- The new system is financed not by taxpayers but entirely by corporate lawbreakers and wealthy tax cheats who pay a surcharge to the government on the penalties, fees and settlements they provide o the government for breaking the law.
- There is a growing, nationwide citizen demand for elections free of the taint of influence-buying, special interest money. More and more states and municipalities — from Seattle to New York City to Maryland to Connecticut to Maine — have adopted successful small-donor campaign finance systems.
- The small-donor, public matching funds system (H.R 1) passed the House in 2019 and has 47 sponsors (S. 949) in the Senate.
Senator Elizabeth Warren Proposes Sweeping Campaign Finance Reform Plan
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeFEC Regresses From Dysfunctional To Nonfunctional
|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby DianeIt’s Called Influence-Buying
|Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note |Money In Politicsby DianeDon’t give up on HR 1. The battle lies ahead. – Wertheimer op-ed in The Fulcrum
|Op Eds |Congress Ethics & Accountability Money In Politicsby DianeLoopholes Allow Foreign Adversaries to Legally Interfere in U.S. Elections – Wertheimer op-ed in Just Security
|Op Eds |Money In Politicsby DianeD21 Urges FEC to Oppose Proposed Creation of New Campaign Spending Category Not Authorized by Law and Funded by Massive Contributions
|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby DianeRebuttal of Attacks on Dark Money Disclosure Requirements in H.R. 1
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeThe Case for Ending Individual-Candidate Super PACs – Wertheimer opinion piece
|Op Eds |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeThe Case for a New Small Donor, Public Matching Funds System – Wertheimer piece
|Op Eds |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeDemocracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer Testifies in Support of H.R. 1 at the House Administration Committee
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeMeet a Younger Mitch McConnell as Bold Campaign Finance Reformer
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeSpurious Arguments Being Made Against H.R. 1 to Defend Secret “Dark Money” Contributions Spent to Influence Federal Elections
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeThe Attacks On HR1 Begin
|Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeTo end Washington corruption, officeholders and candidates must have a new way to finance their campaigns – Wertheimer op-ed in The Hill
|Op Eds |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeA Chance To Enact Critical Reforms
|Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby Diane