Sometimes silence is more effective than noise

Campaign finance reform is not exactly a sexy topic. But it’s on the mind of many Americans and is one of the largest threats to democracy today. Unlimited donations to certain candidates is what has allowed so many anti-women types to make it to the forefront of politics. At least 83% of the public feel there should be some limit on how much money corporations give to political campaigns. And the issue is non-partisan: both parties have accepted astronomical amounts of money and dedicated more time to fundraising than campaigning this election cycle. Not one candidate was asked about this in either debate, nor is the mainstream media pushing the issue.

As the election draws near, folks in battleground states are being hit the hardest with gluttonous, offensive and aggressive campaign advertising. In response, a coalition of groups fighting superPACs, called unPAC has put out the following ad to cut through the noise for voters in Ohio.

If you want to make sure this ad gets on the air, you can donate here.

Getting money out of politics is a bit of a wonky issue, but fundamentally impacts how we are able to create change in any capacity, from who represents us to the types of policy that is written, endorsed and passed. Marianne Schnall asked me (and a bunch of really incredible women I’m humbled to be quoted next to) about how I felt about the upcoming election and what it means for women, I replied,

There are many things that need to happen for women to have full recognition and participation within our current political system. The first is supporting politicians and legislation that actually impacts our life being fair and maintains accessibility to services that make our day-to-day lives livable (whether that be access to abortion or fair wages). And the second is an ability to participate in the political process. As of right now, the amount of money that has been fed into the election prioritizes the needs of constituents that are not us — this is not just about women, this is about all voices that are drowned out and not answered to when their only interest is lobby groups (especially ones that support retrograde anti-woman legislation). Justice is the ability to fully participate in the political process, be represented by it and demand that our needs are met and it’s important we don’t let this issue die down after the election.

This election will come and go, but the issue of dark money in elections will continue and it’s important we not just raise awareness about the issue but work collaboratively and creatively to push effective solutions. Buying Silence is one creative way to raise awareness about it.

Related: PBS Frontline did a special on big money and politics last night.