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Putting "We the People" back in control of our politics
NC Voters for Clean Elections, a coalition working to advance citizen-funded, voter-owned elections will hold a lobbyday at the General Assembly June 22. The NC AFL-CIO supports the work of the NC Voters for Clean Elections because we believe public campaign financing would make it easier for regular citizens - as opposed to special interests with deep pockets - to impact policies that ensure every North Carolinian has a decent quality of life.
What: Voter Owned Elections Lobby Day
When: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 starting at 9:00 AM
Where: State Legislative Building, 16 W Jones Street, Raleigh, NC
Click here to register to attend lobby day!
Special keynote address by Lawrence Lessig
This year NCVCE will present Professor Larry Lessig as the keynote speaker at Lobby Day. Lessig is a Professor of Law at Harvard University and a frequent national commentator on the growing influence of special interests in our political system. He is currently the Director of Harvard's Edward J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics where he studies institutional corruption. To get more of an idea about his work, you can read his recent article, "How to Get Our Democracy Back," published in the Nation, or view a selection of his famous, rapid fire presentations (seriously, you'll be stunned).
Lessig will speak in the Legislative Auditorium from 11 AM - noon, followed by free lunch for lobby day participants from 12 noon - 1 PM. Click here to register.
Two bills in the General Assembly need our support
There are two bills on the coalition’s legislative agenda that would push reform forward in North Carolina. The first would expand our successful Council of State program to additional statewide races where there is an awkward reliance on money from regulated industries (e.g. State Treasurer, Commissioner of Labor). The second would allow municipalities to create local public financing programs. Both bills help break the fundraising dependencies that have led to state ethics scandals. Both would make state elections more accessible to average voters and grassroots-oriented candidates.
But legislators won’t act unless they hear from you!Click here to register.
The event is being sponsored by the state campaign reform coalition, NC Voters for Clean Elections. Their partners include the League of Women Voters, Democracy North Carolina, the NC Center for Voter Education, Common Cause NC, AARP-NC, the NC Council of Churches, the AFL-CIO of NC, the NAACP of NC, the NC Association of Educators, and the NC Justice Center. For a full list of partners click here.
The NC State AFL-CIO is proud to stand with NC Voters for Clean Elections to expand sensible campaign finance reform and put "We the People" back in charge of our politics in North Carolina.
For more information, including the schedule, parking, and directions, visit http://www.ncvce.org/.