Voters in Montana on Tuesday delivered a major blow to big moneyed interests by overwhelmingly passing a ballot initiative barring corporate cash from political campaigns in the state.
With 87% of votes counted as of Wednesday morning, Montana Constitutional Initiative 194 has ++received++ support from more than 65% of voters, with just 35% registering opposition.
This is the kind of ballot measures that should be put to more states. When there’s direct democracy about single issues people are very progressive. Removing corporate cash from elections will be something everyone can get behind.
Instead states like Arizona fill the ballot with hateful anti trans measures. And my state just wants to hurt the poor and immigrants even more with “amendments to save america”. All written by Republicans of course.
What a waste.
Color me pessimistic and mostly a dumbass but how will this stop things? Like people can still donate. It just won’t be anonymous (and even by the letter of the bill that’s kind of up in the air too). But will that stop anything? As we’ve already seen, tons of billionaires don’t really give a crap if everyone knows they donated a bajillion dollars to stop puppies and kittens from getting free food. They’re still doing it and still making a huge difference in politics.
I guess I just don’t see a huge difference in changing a campaign donation from “Bill’s Furniture Emporium donated $3 million to Carl Ass’ campaign fund” to “the ceo of Bill’s Furniture Emporium donated $3 million to Carl Ass’ campaign fund”
I think this is definitely a step in the right direction but I don’t think this is the crippling blow to oligarchy some people seem to think it is
Its not a panacea but a step in the right direction. The rich and powerful have always had an out sized influence on American democracy but after citizens united its been much more. Any steps to curb it will be useful, especially at the state level since it is usually easier than national level. But at this point it might even happen at the national level. It isn’t a cure all but a step in the right direction