A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance. Every year, Kids Count in Michigan asks how government policies and budgets can better prioritize what’s most important to us: young people and their families. And these questions have been even more important during the pandemic. As billions of dollars in federal support come into […]
Month: July 2021
Empowering Families Through Affordable Energy
For many families with low incomes, housing comes with high energy bills. An affordable rent or mortgage payment often means living in a home with outdated heating and cooling systems, sparse insulation, leaky windows or other structural issues that lead to energy waste. High energy bills can push housing costs into the unaffordable realm and […]
10 Things to Know about the Expanded Child Tax Credit
We’re pleased to feature this guest blog post by Ashley Burnside, Policy Analyst for the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). The original version appeared on June 21, 2021. Ashley Burnside, CLASP Lawmakers have temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) available to families with children in 2021. This policy is anticipated reduce child poverty […]
There are 1.4 billion reasons for a bipartisan investment in childcare
A version of this column appeared in Michigan Advance After years of restrictive policies that prevented most families from receiving any assistance with their child care costs, coupled with very low wages for child care workers, COVID-19 lifted the veil on the underlying reality that without child care, businesses can’t attract and keep talent, and […]
The Legislature Needs to Strengthen Unemployment Insurance, Not Weaken It
A version of this column appeared in Michigan Advance COVID-altered life in Michigan continues to reveal the inadequacy of many of our state’s social policies and safety net systems, and a new report from the Michigan League for Public Policy demonstrates how Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance policies are falling short in providing an adequate and effective […]
Money Talks, Voters Walk
Interesting contrast between 2 major Supreme Court decisions announced today. First in Brnovich v. DNC the court upheld an Arizona law which requires ballots cast in the wrong precinct be discarded and prohibits anyone other than immediate family, mail carriers and election officials from delivering ballots to the polling place.
Writing for the majority, Justice Alito acknowledged that while “every voting rule imposes a burden of some sort.” Arizona argued such burdens are needed to combat election fraud. A position Altio seemed to accept writing “one strong and entirely legitimate state interest is the prevention of fraud.”
Even when there is no such evidence of fraud because it’s important to maintain public trust in elections.
In the second case, AFPF v. Bonta, the court strikes down a California law requiring charities to disclose their donors to the state (not publicly). The court ruled that such disclosures are an unconstitutional violation of donors First Amendment rights. To me, the important consideration here is that over the last 10 years dark money groups have spent over $1 billion in US elections. Dark money groups are typically 501c4 Social Welfare organizations, groups which now have Supreme Court approval to spend unlimited money influencing elections from hidden sources.
Even though dark money spending undermines public trust in elected officials.
Is there seriously anyone that would argue that secret donors spending unlimited sums to get candidates elections is not corrupting on elections? The Supreme Court has ruled that it’s reasonable to apply limitations on voting to maintain election integrity, but apparently transparency for billions in political spending is asking too much.
The end result is we’re likely to see more “burdens” on voting and even more secret money in politics.