Democracy Wire

Floods and droughts are now devastating large areas of America, providing more evidence of the disastrous impact of climate change. But legislation to attack the buildup of carbon in our atmosphere has stalled as the energy sector has poured money into our elections, spending nearly $100 million just on the 2014 elections. That total doesn't include millions more invested by fossil fuel-backed "dark money" groups that conceal their donors. This is despite the fact that two-thirds of Americans acknowledge climate change is a problem.

While 90 percent of Americans support background checks, and even as the massacres at Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook Elementary School stunned the nation and spurred calls for sensible gun controls, the National Rifle Association spent more than $31.4 million during the 2014 election cycle in a successful drive to stave off reform.

More than 70 percent percent of Americans support an increase in the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. But minimum wage legislation is frozen in Congress. Part of the reason is big political spending by low-paying employers. In the 2014 cycle, Walmart alone spent $14.8 million on political contributions and lobbying. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent over $35 million in independent expenditures.

Next week marks the 5th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic – and historically flawed – decision in Citizens United v. FEC decision that declared special interest groups have a right to spend as much as they wish to influence elections.

Our democracy is in serious trouble -- corporations and wealthy individuals are pumping unprecedented amounts of money into our system through secretive outside groups to buy more political power for themselves. And ALEC, the shadowy corporate lobby group, is doing everything they can to keep it that way.

The FCC is gearing up to vote on net neutrality at its February meeting