We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both! - Justice Louis Brandeis
5 Key Areas in Need of Reform:
1. Legislative reform to eliminate gerrymandering and use democratic rules and procedures in PA by having an independent commission decide (with court approval) how lines are drawn for state legislative and national congressional districts. Also, we oppose judicial gerrymandering for PA state courts. Plus the legislature should 'Fix Harrisburg' so the rules and procedures are fair and democratic. (Fair Districts PA)
5 Key Areas in Need of Reform:
1. Legislative reform to eliminate gerrymandering and use democratic rules and procedures in PA by having an independent commission decide (with court approval) how lines are drawn for state legislative and national congressional districts. Also, we oppose judicial gerrymandering for PA state courts. Plus the legislature should 'Fix Harrisburg' so the rules and procedures are fair and democratic. (Fair Districts PA)
2. Increase voter rights and participation by supporting: fair and democratic rules for the PA State House and PA State Senate, automatic voter registration, early voting, stopping voter suppression, stop unnecessary voter purging, open primaries, same day voter registration, making election day a holiday, use of ranked choice voting, national popular vote for president, easier ballot access, a discussion of term limits, census advocacy, no-fault absentee voting, start a ballot initiative/referendum process and other similar issues.
3. Minimize money's role in government by supporting: citizen funding of campaigns (public financing), disclosure of all contributions to candidates/elected officials, amending constitution about the US Supreme Court's 'Citizens United' decision, merit selection of judges and a ban on gifts to legislators.
4. Secure the vote in our elections by mandating a voter-marked paper ballot with optical scan machines to count the vote, plus allowing easier access to recounts and audits of results.
5. Strengthen ethical behavior in government by updating ethics laws and supporting open access to public records.
All Pennsylvania citizens are welcome and encourages to join our Good Government Justice Team. Good Government legislation that we are promoting generally fall into the 5 general categories listed. Specific legislation is listed on page 4.
We will partner with other PA groups active in this work, e.g., Fair Districts Pa, Common Cause PA, League of Women Voters PA, March on Harrisburg, Represent PA, election integrity groups and PA United to Amend.
Rationale:
We cannot succeed in securing fairness and justice for all without repairing our broken democracy.
"What these activists must now see is that all these projects (environmental protection, decent wages, affordable health care, better schools, gun safety, a humane system of immigration) face a common threat: the threat of a failed and corrupted democracy.
Until we work together to remedy that corruption... none of the critically important problems that so many decent souls fight for can be solved sensibly...
Every group that feels its fight is undermined by the power of money over voice should offer at least 10 percent of its activism to the common end of reforming this democracy."
Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman, Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law School