June, 08 2016, 10:30am EDT
![Public Citizen](https://assets.rbl.ms/32012683/origin.png)
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Angela Bradbery, abradbery@citizen.org, (202) 588-7741
Don Owens, dowens@citizen.org, (202) 588-7767
Groups Tell President Obama: It Is Time to Move on Democracy Issues
With Election Looming, Secret Money in Politics and Attacks on Voting Rights Protections Must Be Addressed
WASHINGTON
As Election Day approaches, time is running out for the Obama administration and Congress to enact democracy reforms, a national coalition of organizations said today.
At a press conference in front of the White House, the groups urged all Americans to voice their support for the administration to take action to curb the influence of money in politics and to insist that Congress act now to ensure equal access to the ballot box for all eligible Americans.
Speakers called for the president to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to disclose political spending. They also urged him to reaffirm his call for Congress to make the legislative changes necessary to repair and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and restore the protections against voting discrimination that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder.
Also today, allies of more than 20 groups will flood the White House with calls urging quick action by the president to issue an executive order requiring disclosure of secret money in politics. The groups are listed at the end of this release.
"Our democracy is in crisis. Big Money is dominating our elections, and voters across the country are systematically being denied the franchise. Americans of all political stripes are united by their outrage and demand for action," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. "With the clock ticking down on President Obama's tenure in the White House, it is vital that he issue a clarion call for far-reaching reform, including legislative action and a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's devastating Shelby County and Citizens United decisions. But he must do more than call for action; he must take the remedial action he can, most importantly by issuing an executive order requiring government contractors to disclose their political spending."
"Today, we continue to fight for change on many fronts, but an array of restrictive voting laws are keeping regular Americans shut out of the political process with the goal of suppressing the voting rights of people of color, seniors, students and low-income Americans," said Hilary Shelton, director, NAACP Washington bureau and senior vice president for policy and advocacy. "As we face the first presidential election in 50 years without the protections of the Voting Rights Act, Congress must act now and pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Voter Empowerment Act. Together these would restore the protections against voting discrimination that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in its Shelby County v. Holder decision, make additional, critical updates to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, modernize voter registration, prevent deceptive practices that keep people from the ballot box and ensure equal access to voting for all."
"Wall Street's deregulated, anti-union, trickle-down, one percent economics are being propped up by out-of-control campaign donations to our elected officials," said Chris Shelton, president of Communications Workers of America. "We're calling on President Obama to sign an executive order that requires government contractors that benefit from taxpayer dollars to disclose their political spending. Americans deserve a democracy that works for all Americans, one in which everyone has an equal voice and elected officials are accountable to the people, not the wealthy."
"Business leaders should not be trying to game the system to give themselves unfair advantages, or as Ayn Rand called it, looting," said Bryan McGannon, director of policy at the American Sustainable Business Council. "Instead, business leaders should focus on competition and entrepreneurship. Small business owners understand this. In a national, scientific poll, the American Sustainable Business Council found that 66 percent of small business owners opposed unrestricted campaign spending. They want the system changed. They don't want their entrepreneurial spirit undercut by legacy industries that can't win in a fair fight. They know that for our economy to prosper, we must limit opportunities to purchase policy and corrupt the Congress. This can best be accomplished with spending restraints and radical transparency about who is trying to buy whom."
"President Obama has time and again voiced his commitment to a democracy where everyone can participate and every voice is heard, and now is the time to act on that commitment," said Marge Baker, executive vice president of People For the American Way. "With a stroke of his pen, the president can help shine a light on secret corporate political spending that distorts our democracy. And he can use his bully pulpit to reaffirm his call for the restoration of voting protections in the wake of the Shelby County decision. As the country prepares for an election that's expected to be the most expensive in history, where voters are already facing long lines and other barriers to participation, the time for President Obama to take action in support of a working democracy is now."
"The very corporations that are polluting our air, water and land are also polluting our democracy by spending outrageous sums of money to influence the outcome of elections and policy-making - and American families are often left in the dark," said Debbie Sease, senior lobbying and advocacy director for the Sierra Club. "With a swipe of his pen, President Obama can begin to lift the curtain on secretive corporate election spending and let in some light."
"Pope Francis tells us that a good Catholic meddles in politics and that we have a moral obligation to fight for justice," said Laura Peralta-Schulte, senior government relations advocate for NETWORK. "The way we answer our faithful call to participate is by voting. NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice calls on Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act so that all can exercise their fundamental right to vote. We also ask President Obama to act immediately and shine a light on the massive amount of money being poured into the political system, which distorts both our votes and our voices."
"Working with our allies, Common Cause has helped deliver more than 1 million signatures to the president, placed tens of thousands of phone calls to the White House, and seen thousands more Americans take to the streets to protest a democracy that is dangerously unbalanced," said Scott Swenson, vice president for communications at Common Cause. "With the stroke of his pen, President Obama can shift the entire national debate from billionaires and boardrooms to what each American needs to do to engage and fight back. Every opinion poll verifies that lopsided majorities of Americans of every race, creed, color and political persuasion want to limit money's influence and restore balance, ensuring we all have a voice and a vote on policies impacting our families' futures. It's time for the president to match his eloquent pleas for 'a better politics' with action to deliver it."
"Big Oil, the pesticide industry and other dirty companies pour millions into campaign contributions to make sure our elected officials protect their profits over people and the planet," said Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth. "If President Obama makes Big Polluters' political spending public, we'll be able to hold these corporations accountable for how they influence our politics." "We understand how the influence of big money in politics and voter suppression laws impact not just our work, our political system, and our lives--but the lives of our children, who will inherit our democracy. This is a moment where we make a choice as a country--we either move forward, or we stand still," said Michele Jawando, vice president of the Center for American Progress action fund. "We move forward with reforms to strengthen our democracy, eliminate the improperinfluence of money in politics, and ensure that every eligible American can cast a vote that will be counted, or we stand still as big money continues to dominate our elections and our public policy, and our democracy becomes unrecognizable. Today, we are urging the administration and Congress to move forward to restore our democracy--for our sakes, for the sake of our nation, and for the sake of children's future."
The groups organizing the call-in day are American Family Voices, Avaaz, Campaign for America's Future, Center for Biological Diversity, Change.org, Common Cause, Communications Workers of America, Corporate Accountability International, Courage Campaign, Daily Kos, Democracy For America, Every Voice, Food & Water Watch, Franciscan Action Network, Free Speech for People, Friends of the Earth, NETWORK, People For the American Way, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, StampStampede and U.S. PIRG.
Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. We defend democracy, resist corporate power and work to ensure that government works for the people - not for big corporations. Founded in 1971, we now have 500,000 members and supporters throughout the country.
(202) 588-1000LATEST NEWS
Grassroots Latinx Group Says Local Organizing Is Key to Stopping Trump Agenda
"We can't endorse Biden or the Democratic Party, but we understand the threat that a Trump administration poses to our communities," said the director of Mijente.
Jul 18, 2024
The largest progressive Latinx political organization in the U.S., Mijente, said Thursday that it will not be officially endorsing a presidential candidate in the 2024 race—but emphasized that its non-endorsement doesn't mean it believes Latino voters should be disengaged from the election or the fights that will continue regardless of who wins.
In a video featuring organizers and community members from across the country, Mijente grapples with the reality that many Latino voters and rights advocates are "currently disillusioned with the Biden administration."
An Axios-Ipsos poll in April found that while Latino voters support the Democratic Party on issues such as abortion rights and immigration, support for President Joe Biden among the community had fallen precipitously to 41%, down from 55% in December 2021.
Biden, who is facing pressure to step aside in the presidential race, has recently cracked down on migrants' ability to seek asylum, and he expanded former President Donald Trump's Title 42 rule aimed at swiftly deporting immigrants.
"We can't endorse Biden or the Democratic Party, but we understand the threat that a Trump administration poses to our communities," said Marisa Franco, national director of Mijente. "Our video captures the urgency of this moment, calling for a mobilization of Latinx voters to defeat Trump. By participating in this election, we are making a strategic decision to give us the best chance to fight for a just future for our families."
The video was released ahead of Trump's planned speech accepting the party's nomination at the Republican National Convention. At the gathering, delegates have been seen holding signs reading, "Mass deportation now!" as speakers have pushed Trump's immigration agenda.
The former president intends to carry out the Republican Party's plan to "carry out the largest deportation operation in American history," and has proposed building huge detention camps to house undocumented immigrants awaiting deportation flights.
While warning Latinos of the danger posed by Trump and his vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), one Mjiente organizer said in the video that "Biden seeks to form the same anti-Trump coalition from 2020, often taking our communities for granted and the progressive movement as a given."
"The status quo will make us wonder, what is our future? What is our place in this country?" said one organizer.
Illinois-based Mijente member Corina Pedraza said that Trump and the Republicans, if elected, "will dismantle gains of generations past. They seek to send us back into the shadows, back into the closet, and to the back of the bus."
While Mijente made its first presidential endorsement in 2020, supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ramos explained that this year, "the choice lies beyond Trump versus Biden. The contrast between these candidates is what we can do."
The group said it has launched mobilization efforts in states including Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Arizona "to amplify Latino voices and shape the national conversation," including through El Chisme Tour 2024.
The tour gathers organizers, artists, elected representatives, and educators in 20 cities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, with the goal of broadening "the discussion of what's at stake in this election and engage audiences disillusioned with the current political discourse," said Franco.
"We need to reconnect at a local level with joy and strategic determination to push back the ultra-conservative agenda," she added.
Mijente's video ends with several members explaining why they plan to vote in the election and organize for justice—no matter who wins in November.
"I am voting in this election because this election is about us, not about them," said one organizer, referring to the two candidates.
"I'm organizing for my people, the present, and the future," said another.
A vote in the 2024 election, said another organizer, "is a tool that our movement can use to bring us closer to a country where we can thrive, without having to fight for everything we need to survive."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Sunrise Warns Trump-Vance Would Cause 'Irreversible Damage' to Climate
"Vance, Trump, and their Wall Street allies have proven... that their priorities are with corporate polluters, not the people," an expert said.
Jul 18, 2024
The Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate organization, warned on Thursday that former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance, who take their place on the Republican presidential ticket this week at the party's convention in Milwaukee, would cause "catastrophic and irreversible damage" to the climate if elected.
Republicans were not speaking about climate at the convention nor even their plans to "drill, baby, drill," as per the party's platform, Stevie O'Hanlon, Sunrise's communications director, said in a statement issued from Milwaukee. O'Hanlon posited that this is because party leaders know that their approach to the climate is unpopular among Americans.
"The absence is glaring," O'Hanlon said. "Republicans are dodging talking about the climate because they side with oil and gas billionaires, not the vast majority of Americans who support the U.S. taking steps to reduce climate change."
Donald Trump was the worst president ever for clean air, clean water, and protecting a livable future. With the selection of JD Vance as his VP pick, that climate-denying legacy would only worsen in a second term.
Read my full statement here: https://t.co/IQSaDTi1lPÂ pic.twitter.com/hWf4MlGbXb
— Ben Jealous (@BenJealous) July 16, 2024
Other environmental groups have this week also issued warnings about the dangers of a Trump-Vance White House. The Sierra Club drew attention to the fact that one of Vance's main donors, the private equity firm the Blackstone Group, owns the "deadliest" coal plant in the country. Emissions from the Gavin coal plant in Ohio lead to 244 premature deaths per year, according to one estimate.
Sarah Burton, Sierra Club's national political director, highlighted Vance's approach to the dirty coal plant in a statement on Tuesday:
Anyone who wants a sneak preview of a Trump-Vance administration needs to look no further than the Gavin coal plant—a deadly disaster kept afloat to benefit Wall Street billionaires even as it makes everyone else sick. Gavin is the deadliest coal plant in America that has killed hundreds of Americans, but JD Vance spent his time in the Senate attacking safeguards that would clean it up while collecting checks directly from the plant's owner. Vance, Trump, and their Wall Street allies have proven over and over again that their priorities are with corporate polluters, not the people.
Media outlets have documented Vance's close ties to the fossil fuel industry—and even outright climate denialism—in the three days since Trump announced his vice presidential pick.
As recently as 2020, Vance acknowledged a "climate problem" caused by human emissions and voiced support for the use of clean energy. But during the Senate race in Ohio in 2022, his climate positions moved dramatically to the right, drawing an endorsement from Trump—and campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry.
As Politicoreported on Tuesday: "Vance changed his tune on climate change. Oil cash flowed."
The Washington Post on Thursday reported that a Republican sweep of the federal elections would "transform" U.S. climate policy by boosting fossil fuel use, rolling back clean air protections, and defunding or dismantling agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
In his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris agreement and The New York Timescalled "climate damage" possibly his "most profound legacy."
A recent analysis by Carbon Brief, a science publication, estimated that a second Trump term would add about 4 billion metric tons of carbon emissions to the atmosphere by 2030.
Little of this has been mentioned in Milwaukee this week. Prime-time Republican speeches haven't so far highlighted climate or energy policy, according to O'Hanlon, who argued that this is because the party's platform is so out of step with public opinion. O'Hanlon cited a CBSpoll from April showing that a large majority of Americans favor taking climate action, with just over half supporting action "right now" and another 17% favoring action in the next few years.
Sunrise has also expressed discontent with the Democratic presidential ticket. Last week, the organization called for President Joe Biden to step aside, arguing it would improve the party's chances of defeating Trump in November.
Keep ReadingShow Less
CFPB Aims to Protect Workers From Paycheck Advance Fees
"The CFPB's actions will help workers know what they are getting with these products and prevent race-to-the-bottom business practices," said the director of the bureau.
Jul 18, 2024
With inflation rising in recent years, driven by corporate greed according to numerous analyses, the number of people in the U.S. who have relied on paycheck advance products has skyrocketed—but a rule introduced Thursday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is aimed at ensuring that lenders who provide these products are transparent with financially struggling workers about the fees they can incur.
The CFPB proposed a rule clarifying that paycheck advances, sometimes marketed as "earned wage" products, are consumer loans and are therefore subject to the Truth in Lending Act.
The federal law requires lenders to disclose all fees, interest, and total costs consumers will incur before they use the product.
According to a study released by the CFPB as it announced the new proposed rule, the number of paycheck advance transactions processed by employer-partnered firms ballooned by 90% from 2021-22. More than 7 million workers used paycheck advances to access $22 million over that time period in order to pay for their housing, utilities, and other essentials.
The study notes that "the mismatch between when a family receives income and when a family must make payments for expenses" is a major driver of demand for consumer credit and other products like paycheck advances.
"To reduce their costs, employers have a strong incentive to delay the payment of compensation to workers, which drives demand for short-term credit," reads the analysis.
As such, said Rohit Chopra, director of the CFPB, paycheck advances "are often marketed to and designed for employers, rather than employees."
"The CFPB's interpretive rule will level the playing field and promote competition among short-term small-dollar lenders."
"The CFPB's actions will help workers know what they are getting with these products and prevent race-to-the-bottom business practices," he said.
Th bureau's report focuses on employer-sponsored paycheck advances, which have been increasingly used over and over by the same workers. Employees took out an average of 27 paycheck advance loans per year, according to the CFPB, with the average transaction totaling $106.
"The share of workers in our sample using the product at least once a month increased from 41% in 2021 to nearly 50% in 2022," wrote the CFPB.
The bureau noted that while employers sometimes make paycheck advances fee-free for their employees, workers usually pay fees themselves, including expedited service fees and "tips" that the online services request when completing the transaction.
In the sample the CFPB reviewed, employers paid for less than 5% of the fees incurred by workers
"Across our sample of surveyed companies, in 2021 and 2022, roughly 90% of workers paid at least one earned wage product-related fee," said the bureau. "Among the companies in our sample that collect fees, the average cost per transaction ranged from $0.61 to $4.70. When workers paid a fee, the average size was approximately $3.18. Workers paid an average of $68.88 per year in fees."
Some services provide subscriptions for workers who used paycheck advances regularly; those who utilize them can pay as much as $14.99 per month in subscription fees, according to the CFPB.
"In recent years, workers have seen big increases in wages, but junk fees and high rates on financial products not only chip away at these gains—they take advantage of workers," acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement.
Adam Rust, director of financial services for the Consumer Federation of America, said the proposed rule shows that "an advance on wages is still a loan that has to be repaid, and no amount of hair-splitting can change it."
"Workers have always relied on wages to repay advances from lenders," said Rust. "Policymakers should be skeptical whenever lenders insist on regulatory exemptions from rules that apply to their competitors. The CFPB's interpretive rule will level the playing field and promote competition among short-term small-dollar lenders."
The CFPB is among several federal agencies that right-wing operatives, many of whom worked in the Trump administration, have pledged to abolish under the policy agenda Project 2025.
Under the Biden administration, in addition to taking aim at paycheck advances, the CFPB has proposed a rule to cap credit card late fees at $8, a move that would save Americans $10 billion per year; prevented discrimination by small business lenders; and fined Wells Fargo $3.7 billion for illegal activity.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular