The purpose of 1v99 is to provide access to factual information that can be used
in the battle to restore democracy in America. We focus our attention on
seven primary objectives we hope our efforts will help accomplish:
1. Override the Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United vs. FEC (Federal Elections Commission):
We believe that the best way to do that is through Bernie Sanders’s proposal for a Constitutional Amendment establishing that fact that corporations are not people and money is not free speech. (sanders.senate.gov) http://shar.es/W2NUh
2. Real Campaign Finance Reform:
We believe that as long as money is the primary component of our electoral process, the system favors a select few. We support the “Get Money Out” effort as a good starting point. www.getmoneyout.com
3. Comprehensive Reform of Special Interests Lobbying and Other Forms of Political Influence:
Throughout the history of the United States, so-called “lobbying reform legislation’ has done little to reform much of anything. While the original intent may have been good, by the time a bill is passed, special interests have all had their say in the matter. As a result, most bills are so watered down they become a mere mockery of themselves.
The challenge is how to advance a strong bill through both the legislative and executive branches that won’t get diluted, and will hold up against a Supreme Court that has repeatedly proven their favoritism towardsspecial interests.
As for now, there is no one singular reform attempt that we find strong enough to lend our support to. Hopefully this will change soon.
4. Increased Protection For All Americans:
Throughout the history of the United States, special interests groups have fought against almost every piece of legislation designed to protect the American citizenry. From seat belts to clean drinking water to selling cigarettes to minors, big business has spend billions to deregulate everything that they perceive as detrimental to profitability.
The recent attacks against the formation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the appointment of a director nomination, exemplify the ongoing injustice in a nutshell. We are in strong support of Richard Cordray’s appointment to head the CFPB and the election of Elizabeth Warren to the Senate of the United States. www.ElizabethWarren.com
5. Creation of a Fair and Sustainable Distribution of Wealth & Taxation in America:
Facts prove there has long been an escalating shift of wealth to the top. This redistribution of wealth to the upper 1% has rapidly increased in the last 30 years and needs to stop. We believe the redistribution needs to be reversed to a more equitable and sustainable position.
As for tax reform, we are strong supporters of efforts led by Citizens for Tax Justice. www.ctj.org
As for the redistribution of wealth in America, we support a variety of efforts designed to create equal access and opportunity for all citizens, not just the privileged elite.
6. Stop the Systematic Destruction of the Middle & Working Class:
Two primary issues come into play here. One is the systematic destruction of union rights. The other is the deliberate attempt to suppress voter rights, especially among the poor and disenfranchised. While there are many other issues related to the systematic destruction, these two are the most visible and garner much of our attention.
We support the efforts of our nation’s great unions and the American Dream Movement. www.rebuildthedream.com
7. Elect Politicians That Are Most Likely to Help in Meeting Our Objectives:
We support Obama and a Democratic controlled Congress even though we are well aware that Obama, and many other Democratic leaders, are funded by corporate interests and have a long history of favoring special interests. We expect it will be easier to meet our objectives with them in office than it would be if Republicans were in control.
We also support all efforts to overcome the onslaught of voter suppression including the works of Project Vote: www.projectvote.org