This is how we make politicians start working for us.
This might be the one celebrity video about politics that actually matters. In a new video with Represent.us co-founder Josh Silver, Jennifer Lawrence breaks down why government corruption is the most important issue of our time, regardless if you’re a Democrat, Republican or independent.
The whole video is fascinating but there are two big takeaways if you don’t have time to watch the whole thing:
Whether an issue has 0 percent support or 100 percent support, there’s a 30 percent chance that Congress will take action on it. That’s because lobbying interests dictate policy, not the support of everyday voters.
There are real steps to put a stop to government corruption that would put the power back in the hands of everyday people and it all starts with changing laws at the local level. If laws are changed in enough towns, cities and states, federal officials will have almost no choice but to enact laws that will reduce the influence of money in politics and filter out the single most corrupting influence in our nation’s politics and governance.
You can watch the whole video below:
Lawrence and Represent.us are promoting the “American Anti-Corruption Act,” which they say is supported by nearly 90 percent of people who were asked about the proposal in a poll. If enacted, the anti-corruption legislation would
End gerrymandering
Enable rank-choice voting (enabling third party candidates to be more viable)
Institute automatic voter registration
Overhaul lobbying and ethics laws
Make political spending more transparent
Offer “voter vouchers” of $50 to every voter to replace lobbying dollars
It’s an incredibly ambitious project but it’s not unrealistic. Much like marriage equality, there’s a tipping point both in the culture and government where when there’s enough local support for an issue, the federal government finally gets involved and passes laws to help bring our politics more in alignment with the culture.
As Lawrence explains in the video:
Politicians spend up to 70% of their time raising money while in office. In order to win a seat in the Senate in some 2018 races, you would have had to raise $45,000 every day, 365 days a year for six years to raise enough money to win. Considering that only .05% of Americans give more than $10,000 to candidates, it is no wonder that politicians turn to special interests and billionaires to fund their campaigns – which so often sways how a politician votes for a particular law or proposes them. It is a corrupt system in which we the people have near zero influence over our own government. That is not only sad, it’s also affecting nearly every other issue Americans care about, from the economy to the debt; healthcare to education.
If you want get more involved as a volunteer, to donate, or simply to learn more, check out Represent.us for more information.
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