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An Introduction to Federal Campaign Finance
Campaign finance plays a central role in the democratic process. Elections can’t happen without campaigns, and — to state the obvious — running a campaign costs money. Lots of it. (Political campaigns at the state and federal levels have become much more expensive in recent years.) So where does all the money come from? It may be a daunting question, but it’s an important one to ask in our effort to become more informed citizens. The collection of laws that govern how campaigns are funded is often referred to as the campaign finance system. But in truth, “system” may be a bit of a misnomer — at least if “system”…
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Greenwashing Explained (and What You Can Do About It!)
You may have noticed that many consumer products have a little tree or recycling logo on the packaging. Do these symbols indicate that products are good for the environment? Are companies using these graphics or other “green” jargon as a deceptive advertising tactic to draw customers to their products? You’re wise to be skeptical — marketing a company or product to seem more environmentally friendly than it truly is has become a widespread practice. It even has its own name — greenwashing. Greenwashing can take many forms. In some cases, companies use misleading language or imagery to make products or services seem more environmentally friendly than they really are. Sometimes…
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Media Literacy Toolkit
The founders of the United States knew an educated public would be key to the strength of a democratic republic. The creation of the First Amendment ensured citizens would have access to the information needed to make good decisions about their representatives and policies. At Mormon Women for Ethical Government, all of our advocacy and education efforts flow from our Principles of Ethical Government, and this is also true of media literacy. These principles include the idea that, “All individuals have a duty to educate themselves about the actions of government officials and current events in the world, taking care to ascertain facts from reliable sources of information.” Knowing where…
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Water Rights on the Colorado River in a Drought-Prone World
The Colorado River is the beating heart of the West, pumping life into the region’s cities, farms, and deserts. Its water is used for reasons as diverse as growing alfalfa that is shipped to Saudi Arabia to providing hydroelectric power to over 40 million people in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. The Colorado River is the principal source of water for seven states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Nevada, and California); it also provides water for Mexico. Water rights on the Colorado River are governed by a complicated network of laws, court decisions, contracts, and regulations known as the Law of the River. The Colorado River Compact The…
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Administrative Agencies
By Yvette Farnsworth Baker Administrative agencies are a powerful but underappreciated component of federal, state, and local government. They are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, yet they’re sometimes called the fourth branch of government. Between 2019 and 2020, Congress passed only 344 laws, while federal administrative agencies enacted 5,838 rules. Understanding administrative agencies is a critical part of advocating for ethical governance. What are federal administrative agencies? Federal administrative agencies are delegated power from the executive or legislative branch of government. They are tasked with executing and enforcing laws passed by the legislative branch. Often, when a law is passed it requires more detailed rules and guidance to be…
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Principled Voter Part 10: Principled Voter Promise
Welcome to our Principled Voter series, which helps voters better understand the problems affecting both themselves and others in our society — and then vote in ways that work toward solutions. Principled voters are Golden Rule voters. They ask if their vote will harm others or leave people behind. Principled voters use their vote to protect others and create a better future. Here is one issue to consider as you become a principled voter. When day comes, we step out of the shade,Aflame and unafraid.The new dawn blooms as we free it,For there is always light,If only we’re brave enough to see it,If only we’re brave enough to be it.—…
