Closing Plenary Power Up Together
What are the key fights you are facing?
Cenk Uyger, Young Turks (helps progressives) – correct misinformation by national media and on-line- can amplify our voices; Justice Democrats (don’t take PAC money) – put people in congress; Wolf PAC (trying to get money out of politics) – Unity Letter – United Against Corruption, United Against Corruption – Wolf-PAC
Maria, FairVote.org (ranked choice voting) – currently implement in Santa Fe, Las Crusas New Mexico, Maine primaries, Utah municipalities; supports local groups interested in moving RCV – Mass., Colorado, Bay Area in Cal. all have good work going on
Alex Kaplan, Represent.US (national non-partisan anti-corruption acts at city and state level) – helping people plug into all available efforts – in 2012 had 5 ballot initiatives; in 2014 had 9; in 2016 had 12; in 2018 have 16 – this movement is building the needed momentum – we all need to help each other
Rajon, End Citizens United – 4 million members tackling this problem from all different angles –work with elected officials to get them more passionate about this issue; work with candidates who can demonstrate their passion for no corporate PAC commitment – 140 have made this commitment – ballot initiatives to work with other groups on common sense reforms
Vicky Harrison, New Mexico Common Cause – involve people up front – people want spending limits, short elections, net neutrality, disclosure – it will take all of this to get it done – it’s necessary to win – talk to business community and religious leaders to find shakers and bakers
Francis Johnson, Take Back Our Republic – have state coordination in 48 states – Vicky Barnes is state coordinator for both American Promise and Take Back Our Republic – get the message out, bring in new members – working on a whole host of issues – must work locally – elected officials need to understand this is a growing movement to move people on Capitol Hill
Steve Lipscom, Fix It America – (he started the World Poker Tour and is comfortable with making bets) – he believes that within 5 years we will be out of congress with the 28th Amendment – this meeting is the beginning of the communal effort that will make this all possible – Democracy is ugly, thank God
Ben Gubits, American Promise – goals are 20 more APAs this year, 150 more meetings with members of congress, 100 more signed pledges, 5 more state bills; more votes in congress – we are on the verge of a huge breakthrough
The conference closed with a very inspirational activity where many of the conference attendees stood and told the audience the actions they planned to take when they return home.