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Improving environmental policies through campaign finance reform

Improving environmental policies through campaign finance reform. Democracy Matters. Selling Out. Energy, Utilities, Chemical, and Automotive Industries Campaign contributions from these industries direct policies that affect the environment.

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Improving environmental policies through campaign finance reform

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  1. Improving environmental policies through campaign finance reform Democracy Matters

  2. Selling Out • Energy, Utilities, Chemical, and Automotive Industries • Campaign contributions from these industries direct policies that affect the environment

  3. Cheney’s Energy Task Force (made of industry lobbyists) • recommended: drilling in ANWR, weakening regulation for air pollution controls around power plants, building new refineries, increasing reliance on coal, and Increasing gas and oil exploration on public land • Contributed $54.5 million to Republicans, $25.2 million to Democrats • Environmental groups contributed $411,300 to Republicans, $3.7 million to Democrats

  4. Electric Utilities Industry • EPA’s New Source Review revised in 2002, 2003. (plants no longer had to install pollution reducing technology) • Republicans received $53.9 million • Democrats received $32.4 million

  5. Oil and Chemical Industries • Oil/Chemical industries wish to shift Superfund cleanup burden to consumers • Contributed $158.6 million to Republicans, $54 million to Democrats • Congress refused to authorize Superfund taxes on these industries • Consumer take 71% of the cleanup burden

  6. Auto Industry and Unions • Auto Industry (and congress) resists efforts to raise fuel efficiency standards (the single biggest step to curb global warming) • Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards remained at 1975 levels with SUVs getting special treatment • Hummers got up to $100,000 in tax deductions in 2003 • Congress sold out to the Auto and Unions • Republicans got $66.8 million • Democrats got $23.1 million • Unions gave Democrats $18.3 million • Unions gave Republicans $198,000

  7. Solution: Clean Elections • Limit the influence these industry have on environmental policy • Congressmen no longer have to depend on these vast sums to keep their jobs • Levels the playing field between corporate and environmental interests • Reduce the corrupting influences of money • Congress can legislate in the interests of their constituents rather than their donors

  8. Strategies • Push for Clean Elections on the State level • Participate in Lobby day at the end of the month • Sign the DM petition • Make Campaign Finance Reform an environmental issue • Inform members

  9. Other benefits of clean elections • Improve voter turnout • Opens political process to under-represented groups • Liberates politicians from any obligation to large contributors • More competitive elections

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