Common Cause

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit citizens' lobby and advocacy organization^[1]. The organization was founded in 1970 by Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson John W. Gardner with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and accountable.^[2]

Common Cause's current President and Chief Executive Officer is Robert W. Edgar,^[3][4] former Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania. It has offices in 36 states, and is funded by dues and contributions from its nearly 400,000 members and supporters.^[5]

Mission and issues

Common Cause’s mission is: “Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard in the political process.”.^[6]

Common Cause focuses on five broad issues;

• Money in Politics
• Election Reform
• Ethics in Government
• Government Accountability
• Media and Democracy

and also weighs in on health care, environmental and defense topics.

Money in Politics

Common Cause’s most well known issue is that of campaign finance reform. In 1974 Common Cause led the effort to pass the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), creating the system of public financing in presidential campaigns in use today.^[7]

At the state level, Common Cause has led successful efforts to pass campaign finance reforms, including the first disclosure laws, contribution limits and public financing in states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey, Michigan, Kentucky, Connecticut, and Florida.

Common Cause is currently working on legislation for voluntary public financing in Maryland, New Mexico and other states.

Election Reform

Election Voting Machines: Common Cause advocates a voter-verified paper audit trail for election machines in all states. On January 30, 2008, Common Cause and the Verified Voting Foundation released a report entitled “Voting at Risk 2008” highlighting the problems with electronic voting machines. The report listed 17 states as “High-Risk”.^[8][9]

National Popular Vote: Common Cause is in favor of establishing a national popular vote for presidential elections to replace the current electoral college system.

DC Voting Rights: Since 2005 Common Cause has advocated giving the District of Columbia voting rights in Congress.^[10]

Media and Democracy

Common Cause's Media and Democracy department focuses on media ownership, network neutrality and community broadband.

Ethics in Government

Common Cause was instrumental in passage of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which was enacted on September 14, 2007. The bill strengthens public disclosure requirements concerning lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.^[11]

Government Accountability

In 1972, Common Cause sued President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign, the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP), under the Corrupt Practices Act for failure to report campaign contributions. This high-profile case forced Nixon to expose his secret list of donors and aided in his ultimate downfall two years later.^[12]

Common Cause Magazine

From 1980 through 1996, Common Cause published the self-named Common Cause Magazine.^[13] The magazine, once termed "the little magazine that could,"^[14] and described by the Washington Post as "a deeply researched, finger-in-your-eye sort of periodical"^[15], paralleled the work of Common Cause and focused on issues such as campaign finance and government accountability.

The magazine won more than two dozen journalism awards, including five from Investigative Reporters and Editors, as well as a National Magazine Award for General Excellence.^[15]

According to a Washington Post article, Common Cause was considering acquiring the Washington Monthly magazine. ^[15] However, the National Governing Board voted against the Washington Monthly acquisition at its spring 2008 meeting.

References

External links

• Common Cause website.
• An interview with Bob Edgar in the Hartford Advocate.