Last week, hundreds of protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., as a part of the Democracy Spring movement. Democracy Spring seeks to “end the corruption of big money in our politics and ensure free and fair elections in which every American has an equal voice.” Their goals are to get money out of politics, protect voting rights and “save democracy.” The protesters are among many who are fed up with corporate influence in the U.S. political system.
As shown by movements like this, the call to end corrupt campaign finance is getting louder. The prominence of topics regarding campaign finance reform during this election season, especially as popularized by Bernie Sanders’ platform, is another sign of the growing unrest.
Much of the movement is surrounded by disapproval for the 2010 Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission court case. The Court ruled that corporations' right to donate a limitless amount of money to political campaigns was protected under free speech. For many Americans, like those protesting for Democracy Spring, this is a sign that regular people are losing their voice and power in politics.
The efforts began with a 10-day march from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., followed by a peaceful sit-in at the Capitol Building. However, hundreds of people have been arrested during these protests. There has also been little media coverage of the events, but the #DemocracySpring on Twitter has seen lots of action.
Hundreds are being arrested at the Capitol right now for #climate justice with #DemocracySpring. pic.twitter.com/Q3VVDsDk9n
— Tar Sands Action (@TarSandsAction)
Democracy has been denied to black people & POC in the US forever. Center black lives in this movement #BLMDS pic.twitter.com/1eL9GDItvV
— Democracy Spring (@DemSpring)
Yes, that's @rosariodawson marching at #DemocracySpring with organizer @kai_newkirk (sporting TYT shirt!). #Hero pic.twitter.com/fvyhYntLdv
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur)
For the hundreds of Democracy Spring protesters as well as hundreds of others around the country, American democracy today has strayed far from what democracy really is—one person, one vote.