[Libs-Or] Become "EMPOWERED"! Beyond Voting: Elections and Campaign Finance - Thurs. Wkshp -

[Donna Cohen]

The LAST of these self-sponsored workshops. Check it out and please pass the
word. Your library can encourage more civic participation!


BEYOND VOTING - ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE: AN "EMPOWERING" * WORKSHOP

* "Thanks for all the great information. It was empowering." 

Roberta Richards, MLS - Portland Community College Librarian, Co-Chair, OLA
Intellectual Freedom Comm., participant Aug 2,2016

 

Our electoral / campaign finance systems are ripe for reform and there are
so many opportunities for citizens to be part of the solutions! Most of the
concerns are bipartisan. Bottom line - there are many matters which - with
more attention and engagement by the public - can be successfully addressed.

Most people have no idea about these issues/opportunities. Especially during
election season the popular press supports a focus on a "horse race"
mentality where we overlook opportunities, other than voting, to become more
influential citizens.

It doesn't matter whether we simply "tune in" more, consider a broader scope
of issue factors, write a letter to the editor, speak to one's
local/state/federal officials, "testify" at City Council, join with a group
working towards changing/adding a law or policy - there are a myriad range
of activities which when combined with the acts of other citizens, move our
society and our world forward; as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The arc of
the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

 

THIS WORKSHOP PRESENTS SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES for engagement, and, by doing
so, opens the door to many more, as well. Examples [slides omitted]:

We don't have a Constitutional right to vote. You can join with others
already working toward this. [current bill for a Constitutional Amendment].
Perhaps Portland should change its voting approach to "instant run-off"?
[Portland's Charter Commission considered this idea a few years ago].
How come over 90% of federal Representatives keep getting elected? What
happened to competition? [redistricting can be done in a bi-partisan way, as
in Iowa]
Citizen protests already resulted in change to the Democrats' Superdelegate
system. Like Maine, we can do more, if we want. [Maine's new approach]
Against the Electoral College, like the majority of Americans? There is a
viable alternative that 11 states have already signed on to. Perhaps Oregon
should join with them? [National Popular Vote idea]
A significant majority of the public - Democrat and Republican - want
changes in campaign finance law. [survey data]
Some people feel that public financing of elections is an answer. Right now
a Portland City Commissioner has begun work on this for Portland - and she's
looking for public input!
Oregon has its own set of campaign finance rules, called "unlimited". [chart
of state campaign finance limits] Overturning Citizens' United is not, in
and of itself, going to affect most Oregon elections. [perhaps you want to
work on changing Oregon's campaign finance laws]
The Federal Election Commission is one source of campaign finance data.
Oregon has its own system for state elections. [one can look up data on the
Secretary of State's webpages]
Let's weigh some different options for reforming campaign financing. Here
are broad categories of reform. [small group discussion of them]

Beyond Voting: Elections & Campaigns
It's election time and we need to look at candidates but also at our
electoral system - how it works, who votes, and whether we are encouraged to
participate in the democratic process. This workshop covers voter fraud,
voting rights, alternative election options, methods of financing campaigns
[PACs, SuperPACS, 501(c)4] and more. Might there be adjustments to our
electoral process that would make it more effective and democratic? 
This is a non-partisan workshop.

THURS. AUGUST 11 HOLLYWOOD LIBRARY, 4040 NE TILLAMOOK ST 6:00-7:45
Civics for Adults Workshop Series - To Enhance Civic Knowledge and Inspire
Political Engagement
For more information, citizen at civicthinker.net
 <https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036>
https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036

 

Donna

Donna L Cohen, MEd, MLIS

Portland, Oregon

503-737-1425

citizen at civicthinker.net

Civics for Adults Workshop Series: To Enhance Civic Knowledge and Inspire
Political Engagement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/

 

 

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