Why We Need to Pay Attention to McCutcheon v. FEC

If we don't get big money out of politics, the fat cats will run the show.

Credit: Photo by Greenpeace.

Any day now, the Supreme Court will issue its decision in the McCutcheon v. FEC case. That case threatens to make the influence of super wealthy donors in our elections and our democracy even greater.

Many court watchers are predicting that the court will likely eliminate the cap on the total amount of money one donor can give to PACs, candidates and campaigns – also known as "aggregate contribution limits." That would open the door for the 1 percent to pour millions upon millions of dollars into every election cycle, maybe as much as $3.6 million, maybe even more. Right now donors are limited to a total aggregate contribution of $123,000.

As soon as the decision lands, CWA activists and allies will be hitting the streets to rally against the corrupting influence of money in politics. The challenge is that we don't know when the justices will make up their minds.

In order to mobilize thousands of activists quickly, we're encouraging CWAers to visit www.moneyout-votersin.org. Click here to check out the map of rally locations, and sign up to attend an event or create a new one in your community.

Already many Democracy Initiative allies including Public Citizen, People for the American Way, Food and Water Watch, Our Time, Moveon.org, Common Cause, Sierra Club, CWA, Public Campaign, Story of Stuff, Demos, USAction and US PIRG are working to organize events around the country on the day of the ruling. More than 130 events are now in the works.

We're not wavering in our fight to get big money out of our politics. Join a rally, and make sure the Supreme Court hears you loud and clear.

Check out this breakdown of why getting big money out of politics matters.