Friend,

From the East Coast to the West Coast, from the northern Rockies to the Gulf of Mexico, the work to get big money out of politics is rooted at the local level. At the heart of the cross-country American Promise network are our citizen leaders, who are connecting with others—in American Promise Associations and elsewhere—through a shared concern about the state of our democracy and the future of our country. 

By broadening support for the 28th Amendment at the local and state levels among fellow citizens and elected officials, this citizen-led network is building the momentum needed for the amendment to advance to Congress. In just a few weeks, these citizen leaders will come together to collaborate, gain inspiration, and learn from each other at the National Citizen Leadership Conference. 

Register now for NCLC to build on this year’s momentum and learn from American Promise leaders:

• Like Ella McGrail of New Hampshire, which earlier this year became the 20th state to approve a resolution calling for Congress to limit big money in politics. 
• Like Dr. Lynn Horton Morrison and Rod Morrison, who are working with fellow citizen leaders at Wyoming Promise to advance a state resolution calling for the 28th Amendment and reduce the influence of dark money in local campaigns.
• Like Elizabeth Doty, who as co-founder of Business for American Promise is building on the momentum of the Bay Area American Promise Business Council to create a network of business leaders across the country working for free-market capitalism.

You can join them by joining an American Promise Association—check here for the closest chapter or inquire about launching a chapter. Through the collective work of citizen leaders like you, we’ll advance the movement toward a government that reflects the wishes of the majority rather than the wealthy few and restore our democracy to ensure a stronger future for our nation. 

From the Baltimore Sun: In a contributed opinion piece, college student Faith Carter-Nottage of Baltimore shares how the Baltimore Fair Election Fund will help create a more even political field. Big money in politics puts younger people at a severe disadvantage, she says, because “large contributions are out of the question for most of us.” Carter-Nottage adds that the Fair Election Fund, approved by Baltimore voters in November 2018, will allow younger voters to have a more active role in democracy. Read more.

From The New York Times: As the quarterly deadline approached for campaign donations, the email pleas ramped up. As Reid J. Epstein notes in the On Politics column, “All this shameless begging, which will continue unabated for a few more hours, comes in the name of juicing fund-raising numbers the campaigns must report to the Federal Election Commission by Oct. 15.” Quarterly fundraising total are seen as as sign of a candidate’s strength, Epstein says, which explains why campaigns continue to send them although they feel “dirty and desperate.” Read more.

From FiveThirtyEight: An analysis of campaign ads highlights what presidential candidates and outside groups are spending to boost their cause for the 2020 elections, including when the ads aired and at what cost. Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer, a billionaire and former hedge fund manager, tops individual spending so far that collectively totals around $15 million. Read more. 

From Mic: Through his 600-plus-mile trek from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., Renaldo Pearson highlighted the need to fight for voter protections, safer elections, and an end to political corruption—a message he shared once he reached the U.S. Capitol, more than 50 days after his journey began. Pearson serves as the director of external affairs at RepresentUs, a cross-partisan organization building on America’s tradition of pursuing federal reform through the states. “Whatever your issue is — whether you’re a conservative, independent, Republican, progressive, whatever — the solutions to your issues are caught in a death grip of corruption,” Pearson says. Read more.

October 8, Boston, MA: Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith, university professors, and local activists for the premiere of Winning Back our Democracy. Part of the “Power to the People” Bright Lights Film Series, Winning Back Our Democracy shares uplifting stories about successful and underreported citizen reform movements transforming our political system from the ground up across the United States. The film will be followed by a panel discussion. Learn how you can use this film to inspire and mobilize people in your community to enact real legislative change by taking action at the grassroots. 7 p.m., Emerson Paramount Center, Bright Family Screening Room.

October 10, Gainesville, FL: Join citizen leaders in northern Florida for the launch of the Gainesville American Promise Association. The kickoff event will include a free workshop for those interested in becoming grassroots leaders to break the dominance of money in politics, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., First Magnitude Brewery Beer Garden. RSVP online.

October 19-21, Arlington, VA: Join us for the third annual National Citizen Leadership Conference. NCLC brings together a cross-partisan group of politicians, democracy reformers, and citizen leaders to advance the 28th Amendment to get big money out of politics. At the end of the conference, attendees have the opportunity to head to Capitol Hill and speak with their elected officials, or their staff, about the 28th Amendment. Register now!

October 30, Tucson, AZ: Grassroots leaders will gather for a free training session to “Get Big Money Out” of politics. The event will include Tucson organizers and American Promise Citizen Empowerment Coordinator Kimberly Clinch, who will cover what the 28th Amendment does and how to talk about it, plus other advocacy tips. 5:45 p.m.-7:45 p.m., Woods Memorial Library, Small Meeting Room. RSVP online.