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Monetizing Democracy
This is campaign finance orthodoxy in early 2012: Corporations are people, money is speech and democracy is when my billionaire whups your billionaire. What's wrong with this picture? What should be done?
Congressional fundraising reflects redistricting
Fund-raising figures reported by Michigan’s active congressional candidates carry a strong suggestion of the effect of the 2011 redistricting process. There will be competitive Democratic primaries this year, as there were after the 2001 redistricting process, and less competition in November than there was in 2010.
- Press Release: Congressional fundraising reflects redistricting
- MI congressional candidates' fundraising through 12/31/2012
Officeholders raised $5.9M during reporting hiatus
State legislators and elected executives raised $5.9 million since they last filed campaign finance reports with the Department of State more than a year ago. Read about what you've been missing and see who's got the money.
- Press Release: Officeholders raised $5.9M during reporting hiatus
- Constitutional executives' campaign finance summaries, 11/2010-12/2011
- State representatives' campaign finance summaries, 11/2010-12/2011
- State senators' campaign finance summaries, 11/2010-12/2011
Top PACs have raised $12.7M
Michigan's top 150 PACs have raised $12.7 million so far this election cycle. Manuel J. "Matty" Moroun and his family have given $96,500 to strategically important PACs already this year in their campaign to block a new bridge between Detroit and Windsor. Follow the money!
$70 million hidden in plain view
Some $23 million in television advertising that affected every major statewide election campaign went unreported in 2010. That makes a total of $70 million in phony "issue" ads that were not reported since 2000. Had enough of secret campaign spending?
- Press Release: Campaign transparency hit new lows in Michigan in 2010
- $70 Million Hidden in Plain View - Michigan's Spectacular Failure of Campaign Finance Disclosure, 2000-2010
- Dashboard of Campaign Finance Accountability, 2010
The RGA's $114M shell game
The Republican Governors Association used a network of state PACs to spend more in 2010 than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Action Network, American Crossroads, Crossroads GPS and the Service Employees International Union - combined. The RGA's $8.7 million Michigan operation illustrates how one set of donors was swapped for another and campaign accountability was lost in the shuffle.
- Press Release: The RGA's $114M shell game
- Michigan contributors to the RGA 527 committee
- Contributors to the RGA MI PAC
Reinventing Michigan Politics
Reinvent Michigan? Change our culture? First we need to reinvent Michigan politics.