💰How dark money and gerrymandering break American democracy
Government
Campaign finance, gerrymandering, and efforts to reform the electoral system
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Key Takeaways
- <ul><li><strong>Citizens United decision transforms democracy into plutocracy when corporations purchase elections through unlimited spending</strong>: Dark money groups hide billionaire donors while spending over $1 billion annually to influence policy outcomes that benefit wealthy contributors. The Supreme Court's 2010 ruling eliminated century-old campaign finance restrictions established during Progressive Era reforms that prevented corporate capture of elections.</li><li><strong>Gerrymandering allows politicians to choose voters rather than voters choosing representatives through safe district manipulation</strong>: Eighty-three percent safe seats eliminate electoral competition
- making primary elections more important than general elections in determining winners. Redistricting software enables surgical precision gerrymandering that packs opposition voters into few districts while spreading supporters across maximum number of winnable seats.</li><li><strong>Average Senate winner spending $15.8 million prices ordinary Americans out of democratic participation</strong>: Working families cannot compete with corporate-funded candidates who raise millions from business interests seeking favorable policies. This economic barrier creates legislator dependence on wealthy donors rather than constituent needs
- corrupting representative democracy through financial inequality.</li><li><strong>Only 24 states limit corporate campaign contributions while 26 states allow unlimited business influence over elections</strong>: Geographic inequality in campaign finance rules creates uneven democratic playing fields where corporate power varies by state location. Montana's century-old Corrupt Practices Act limited corporate election spending until Citizens United overruled state democratic protections against business interference.</li></ul>
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Detailed Content
2
Match each dark money group to their 2024 election impact.
Matching
Campaign Finance
4
What change did the Campaign Finance Transparency Act make to the donor-disclosure threshold?
Multiple Choice
campaign finance
5
Which constitutional clause grants Congress the authority to regulate federal election rules?
Multiple Choice
constitutional law
6
Which act required disclosure of donations over $10,000 and mandated 48-hour digital reporting?
Multiple Choice
campaign finance
7
Which state reform did Governor Whitmer sign on May 14, 2025?
Multiple Choice
state-level reform
8
Your state is considering electoral reforms. How do you advocate for meaningful change?
Scenario
Electoral Systems
12
The Freedom to Vote Act reached final passage in the Senate.
True/False
legislative process
13