Our Economy

We need an economy that works for Us -- that invests in job creation and lifts people out of poverty, expands the middle class and strengthens small businesses on Main Street.

But Big Banks and Multinational Corporations have used campaign donations and lobbying connections to make government work for them instead of the people.

Connect the Dots

1 of 5

Let’s look at retirement and connect the dots...

$17 billion

... a year or $33K a minute is skimmed from our retirements due to loopholes that allow brokers to pitch Us investments that are in their best interest, not ours.

Trust

The Department of Labor has proposed a new rule that would require financial advisors to act as fiduciaries and provide advice that is always in our best interest, just like lawyers or doctors are required to do.

25%

The estimated retirement savings for hard working Americans if the Department of Labor is able to implement these new conflict of interest rules.

$$$

Wall St and the financial services industry have spent millions on political contributions, lobbying and lawsuits to block these new rules that would better protect our retirement savings.

Sources: New York Times, Market Watch, Save Our Retirement
Let’s look at equal pay and connect the dots...

79¢

The amount women get paid for every dollar their male counterparts earn.

72%

… of Americans believe it is extremely important that women earn equal pay for equal work.

1997

The first year the Paycheck Fairness Act, federal legislation to close the gender pay gap, was introduced.

10 years

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other special interests have lobbied heavily against the Paycheck Fairness Act and killed the bill for nearly a decade.

Sources: National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women's Law Center, Congress.Gov
Let’s look at prescription drug prices and connect the dots...

2003

Big Pharma drug companies deploy their lobbyists and call in their campaign donation chits to win passage of a law prohibiting Medicare officials from negotiating with the industry for fair prices. The law is still in place.

$137 billion

The taxpayer tab for the first ten years of this sweetheart deal.

$711 billion

Total profits of the biggest pharmaceutical companies during that same ten-year period.

Sources: Washington Post, CBO, Health Care for American Now
Let’s look at tax policy and connect the dots...

Sixteen

The number of mega-companies that funded the majority of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s operations in 2009 to ensure that the Chamber carries water for big corporations.

$$$

The Chamber has spent millions in political contributions and successfully lobbied Congress on tax policy.

Zero

Tax liability over the last four years for companies like Prudential, Mattel and General Electric.

???

How much more in taxes do small business owners have to pay because corporate special interests have created and exploited tax loopholes?

Sources: U.S. Chamber Watch, Open Secrets, Citizens for Tax Justice
Let’s look at recent bank deregulation and connect the dots...

$2 billion

The total amount Wall Street banks and financial interests reported spending on lobbying and campaign contributions in the 2015-2016 election cycle. That's $2.7 million per day.

5

Number of Goldman Sachs alumni with top posts in the Trump Administration, overseeing our nation's economy.

ROI

Congressional Republicans are charging ahead on the financial industry’s top priority, the “Choice Act,” which would eviscerate Wall Street reforms enacted to protect consumers and investors in the wake of the 2008 market crash. The Wall Street crowd is seeing a pretty good return on investment (ROI) for that $2 billion.

Sources: The New York Times, Americans for Financial Reform

The Solution

Let’s build a small donor matching system for funding campaigns. And make it about Us.

We know Government should reward the hard work of everyday citizens, rather than crafting tax loopholes and subsidies that favor big corporations and their CEOs. With Citizen owned elections, we can demand that Congress replace the Wall Street economy with Our Economy.

Sign the Petition

Funding campaigns with a small donor matching system is a real solution to make sure that the voices of everyday Americans are heard again in Washington. Add your voice today by joining Us.

The Latest

Economy Democracy

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, Brennan Center for Justice

For more than 40 years, arguments against “dark money” have lost at the Supreme Court. Now, however, the Court could reinforce the growing influence of this type of secret funding for political campaigns.

Hear Us

Voices from around the country.

I believe that getting big money out of our politics will positively affect the health of Americans. By getting rid of the chemical industry’s influence we will be able to remove the harmful chemicals and ingredients that are currently allowed in our personal care products and food supply (often unknown to the consumer). As a parent this issue is important to me because of the links between these harmful ingredients and behavioral health issues, chronic health conditions, and cancers.

Meghan Enriquez, A Business Owner from Glen Burnie, MD

Our Economy

Connect the Dots

Let’s look at retirement and connect the dots...

Let’s look at equal pay and connect the dots...

Let’s look at prescription drug prices and connect the dots...

Let’s look at tax policy and connect the dots...

Let’s look at recent bank deregulation and connect the dots...

The Solution

Sign the Petition

The Latest

The Supreme Court’s Looming Dark Money Decision

Biden signs $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, clearing way for stimulus checks, vaccine aid

If Democracy Gets Money-Whipped This Time Around, It May Never Rise Again

Hear Us

Voices from around the country.