Government of the Many, not of the Money
Government of the Many, not of the Money
Citizens United, the disastrous Supreme Court decision four years ago that allowed money to flow unchecked into politics, shook the very foundation of our democracy: that in the United States of America, it is the voices of the people that determine the outcome of our elections, not the bank accounts of the privileged few. We must work to change this. The less money there is in politics, the more civility and respect there will be, which means more candidates who truly reflect the face of our diverse nation. Since the Citizens United decision, we have seen how the tidal wave of unlimited, unidentified money has distorted our electoral process. And we have seen how special interests have worked to drown out the public interest.
So we must DARE to take back our politics:
- Disclose the sources of the money in our campaigns;
- Amend the constitution to reverse the grievous error of the Citizens United decision;
- Reform our broken campaign finance system;
- Empower citizens everywhere to exercise their right to vote.
That is why on Wednesday, House Democrats were proud to announce the introduction of "The Government By the People Act," to reform our broken campaign finance system. Together, we can restore confidence in our process. We can reassert the full promise of our democracy. We can ensure that ours is—and will always be—a government of the many, not a government of the money.
Don't Leave California High and Dry
California is suffering from an historic drought that has the potential to wreak havoc on the lives and businesses of millions of Californians. We need measures that will help our state, such as increased conservation, water recycling, desalination, and emergency support for the most impacted communities.
However, instead of these commonsense solutions, House Republicans passed the so-called "Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act," which will create more obstacles to progress and offer fewer answers to our state's most pressing challenges. It is the wrong step at the wrong time for California. This bill does not provide relief from the drought. It creates no new water. But it does unravel key water settlements that have been decades in the making, and preempts California's water rights. These political games won't solve California's water crisis. Only by working together can we put forward policies that support state and local efforts, protect and expand our state's water supply, preserve our environment and natural resources, and build a sustainable future for all Californians.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is asking San Franciscans to voluntarily cut water consumption by 10%. They have posted helpful tips to help conserve water during this historic drought. For information on how best to reduce your own water usage, please visit the SFPUC's website.
Congresswoman Pelosi joins Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, and members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. from San Francisco and across the country during Delta Week 2014, to talk about how When Women Succeed, America Succeeds, the Voting Rights Act, gun violence prevention, and other ways we can move America forward
An Olympic Spirit
As the XXII Olympic Winter Games begin in Sochi, Russia, we wish all of our American athletes and trainers, many of them from Northern California, luck and success in the coming weeks. The Olympic spirit is one of international partnership and friendly competition. The Olympic Games should foster greater respect and understanding of the diversity and vibrancy that exists in every country—a diversity that we take so much pride in here in San Francisco. Every Olympic Games, our athletes are symbols not only of drive, determination, and success, but also of the values of freedom and equality that we, as Americans, so value. I look forward to watching Team USA bring home the gold.