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Call to Action: Urge Federal Elected Officials and the President to Create Lasting Bipartisan Immigration Solutions That Are Secure, Humane, Efficient, and Focused on Growth
The American people have cast their majority vote, and President-elect Donald Trump will take office this January. As he begins working to enact his immigration campaign promises, we pray for and call on him and other elected officials to ensure future policies and actions are rooted in moral, ethical, practical, and legal principles. Some MWEG leaders are traveling to Capitol Hill in D.C. this week to talk to legislators about immigration and would love to hand deliver your letters that convey your personal convictions on this important and urgent issue! Use our advocacy tool to write a letter to your representatives. Quickly enter your contact information, write your letter, and…
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A Deeper Dive: Citizens United, Super PACs, and Dark Money
In our introduction to federal campaign finance, we discussed the landmark Supreme Court case Citizens United v. FEC, which caused substantial waves in the world of campaign finance. Though it has now been more than 13 years since this case was decided, it is important to understand how this decision has influenced the topics and issues at play today. What was the case actually about? Citizens United is the name of a nonprofit organization that created a political documentary called “Hillary: The Movie.” This film was designed to criticize presidential candidate and then-Senator Hillary Clinton. It was scheduled to be released right before the Democratic primary elections in January 2008,…
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A Brief Exploration of Potential Campaign Finance Reforms
We have recently explored several of the core issues surrounding campaign finance that undermine accountability and transparency in our elections. After learning about (i) the disproportionate impact of very wealthy Americans on policy outcomes, (ii) the Citizens United case and consequent rise of super PACs and dark money, and (iii) the challenges with regulating online political ads, it is easy to be disheartened and feel pessimistic about the possibility of change. But the truth is, many Americans of diverse political ideologies support campaign finance reforms. If we work together, small acts of advocacy could go a long way in encouraging elected officials to make change happen. In this final piece, we’ll…
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Official Statement from the Arizona Chapter of Mormon Women for Ethical Government on the ACC Energy Rules Vote
We believe the land and the air around us are a gift, and we are responsible for their care. Individual efforts to âsafeguard the earth and her resources for our children and generations that followâ are important but insufficient on their own. Reasonable, well-written policies can help to ensure sustainability. Last Wednesday, January 26, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), by a vote of 3-2, rejected the Energy Rules package that would have required the stateâs regulated electric utilities to reduce their carbon emissions to combat climate change. The Energy Rules were drafted over a period of several years and drew upon judgment from industry experts, public utility companies, and Arizona…
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Call to Action: Stand with Women Across the U.S. for a Day of Policy Action for the Violence Against Women Act
After years of negotiations, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have reached a deal on a framework to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with key improvements and protections to better meet the needs of abuse survivors. They plan to introduce the bill in late January. However, the senators are asking for people to voice support now. While they finalize the bill, Americans can build support for it among our senators. On January 19, MWEG will join the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence and womenâs and interfaith organizations across the U.S. in calling on our representatives to…
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Call to Action: Ask Your Senator to Bring the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to Debate
Without protected voting rights for every eligible American, it is impossible to have a government that is truly representative of and accountable to the people. To this end, H.R.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 (VRAA), was designed to protect the right to vote for Americans who experience voting discrimination on the basis of race, color, or language minority membership. It amends the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 by strengthening its power to protect voting rights and updating its requirements to be specific to the modern context of voting discrimination. The bill was passed in the House strictly along party lines. It now goes before…