2127 Search Results Containing ":"
Times Union (Op-Ed): New voting machines would be a step backward
Hacked machines. Undercounted elections. Broken touchscreens. Impatient voters. Sound like a nightmare? It could be a reality for millions of New York voters as early as April. For years, the voting machine company ES&S has spent more than $600,000 lobbying New York officials to purchase certain machines, including ExpressVote XL, and soon they might get the green light. The machine provides a touchscreen allowing voters to mark their ballot electronically instead of on the traditional paper ballots. It then tabulates votes.
Found in: Common Cause
Seattle Times (Op-Ed): 2020: The Year America Gets Its Act Together
Voting is, of course, the first step in democracy reform. But getting meaningful positive change requires so much more. Citizen involvement, working together, demanding to be informed, organizing on the issues, getting commitments from candidates, and then holding them accountable, is more demanding. Yet it is the price of democracy.Will we pay that price? We are paying dearly now for things that disserve our country, so maybe nourishing the roots of self-government isn’t such a heavy price to pay after all. This is the year of decision. We have the opportunity now in 2020 to put America on course to what it can and should be. Let’s seize the opportunity — while we still have it.
Found in: Common Cause
Associated Press: Shadow group provides Sanders super PAC support he scorns
“Any entity established by a federal officeholder can only raise and spend money under federal contribution limits for any activities in connection with a federal election,” said Paul S. Ryan, a campaign finance expert and attorney with the good-government group Common Cause. “Our Revolution was undoubtedly established by Sen. Sanders, is subject to these laws — and is seemingly in violation of them.”
Found in: Common Cause
Miami Herald: Governor says Florida cares about census process after all. Nuñez to lead committee.
“The Legislature should have done some funding for this in 2017, 2018, 2019. But there’s no time now,” said Liza McClenaghan, state chair of Common Cause Florida, a voter advocacy group.
Found in: Common Cause
2020: Year of Decision
In 2019, we witnessed one pillar after another being ripped from under the institutions that support our democracy. We saw giant steps backward on communications, media, health, education, environment, voting rights, court appointments, money in politics, equal opportunity, women’s rights, labor rights… the list goes on and on.
Found in: Common Cause
San Diego Union-Tribune: Hunter will likely receive his taxpayer-funded congressional pension despite guilty plea
“He pleaded to a single felony but not one that is specifically included in the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act,” said Beth A. Rotman, an attorney who is the money in politics and ethics program director for the good government group Common Cause. Rotman noted that while the law includes many more crimes than it did 20 years ago, “It’s not everything. In cases like this, the desire to keep the pension could be one of the reasons someone accepts a plea that is only a portion of the charges.”
Found in: Common Cause
USA Today (Op-Ed): The Dayton Daily News is about to shrink. The FCC shouldn't have allowed it: Dayton mayor
Local newspapers provide a public good that far outweighs their financial value. And the FCC is supposed to ensure that public good is maintained. The approval of this merger with its explicit endorsement of profit over the public interest demonstrates that the FCC has lost its way.
Found in: Common Cause
NBC News: Gerrymandering is alive and well. The coming battle will be bigger than ever.
The South is "ground zero for this fight," said Dan Vicuña, a redistricting expert at Common Cause. Vicuña said the Supreme Court's decision has put in place a "new legal playing field" for partisan gerrymandering and lawmakers can be expected to try to take advantage of that when they are drawing the House maps. "You'll see kind of more blatant partisanship," he told NBC News.
Found in: Common Cause
San Jose Mercury News (Op-Ed): California redistricting should serve as national model
In 2008, I led efforts to fundamentally change California’s redistricting process. With an unusual coalition of left, right and center allies, we created the nation’s first independent citizens redistricting commission. The power to draw voting maps was taken from politicians and given to people like you and me. Today our redistricting process is independent and community-led with the goal of keeping communities together in the new maps. No longer behind closed doors, drawing voting lines is conducted openly and transparently.
Found in: Common Cause
News & Observer: Bob Phillips, Tar Heel of the Year finalist, is a voice for open elections and reform
“Bob Phillips is what’s good about politics,” Dennis Wicker told The News & Observer in an interview. Wicker, a Democrat, served as lieutenant governor from 1993 to 2000 and considered Phillips a trusted advisor, then and now. “He understands public service starts with fair elections and open elections,” Wicker said. “He’s a true believer that great public service is born from a strong and fair democracy.”