Butler, one of the organizers of the Democracy Awakening movement, explained to Loud & Clear that a coalition of over 100 organizations traveled to the US capitol to bring to light labor issues, problems faced by youth and the elderly, as well as issues related to climate change.
“More than 90 percent of American public yell that there’s too much money in politics, and their voices are not being represented in our democracy,” Butler said. “And that’s why you are seeing a lot of that movement organized for democracy.”
Among the root problems triggering increasing protest, Butler mentioned some “very specific” decisions by the US Supreme Court in recent years, including the Shelby decision and the Citizens United decision, “that struck down key pieces of the Voting Rights Act.”
“And, as a result this year, this presidential election, we have fewer protections for the right to vote then we did in 1964, that’s why we see record lines at polling places.”
She said that a very small percentage of multinational corporations provide a lion’s share of campaign financing.
“You see fossil fuel companies — one of the richest industries on the planet – pouring billions of dollars into our political system. And as a result we are getting a Congress that blocks any progress on climate change. On the other hand you see people whose votes in our political system are suppressed – and that means people of color, young, and elderly people.”
“We need to make sure that it’s easier for everybody’s voice to count. And that means public financing. All the means are on the table to make democracy work for the people,” Butler said. “We want to lift the power of the small donors rather than big corporate interests.”
