How to Invest $100 Million to Fix the Political System
Yes, we understand. You don’t have $100 million to spend on political reform. But maybe you have a friend who does. And, in any case, grappling with this question may lead you to a better understanding of the “business of politics.” First of all, is $100 million...
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Could the National Popular Vote Ever Decide U.S. Elections?
In February 2019, Colorado became the 12th state to pass the compact for the National Popular Vote. If approximately nine additional states pass this agreement, it effectively becomes a new way to elect our president. There is a scenario where this can actually happen...
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What is the Best System to Promote Voter Turnout?
Why is it so hard to vote in so many places? And what are states doing to make it easy? A new study by Northern Illinois University analyzed the time and effort it took to vote in each presidential election year from 1996 through 2016. Researchers factored in...
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Why is Negative Election Campaigning So Effective?
Negative campaigning isn’t simply a random tactic that has proved to be effective for selected politicians. It’s part of a broader strategy of “pseudo-competition” between two major ecosystems battling for supremacy, power and money. These Democratic and Republican...
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The Disconnect Between Winning & Governing
We have evolved a system of politics where incumbents can overwhelmingly win elections, yet we are continually dissatisfied with how they govern. How can this be so? Is this just one “bad batch” of politicians, or is there something systemic in our politics that dooms...
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Why Are Lawmakers Leaving Congress?
Over the last 12 months, Change the Rules has documented how the structure of the current political system – the “business of politics” – is failing our country. In this blog, we explore what the system looks and feels like from the inside, and why it's leading...
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Money in Politics Part 2: Pipe Dream or Tipping Point?
In the first part of our Money in Politics blog series, we discussed the scope of the problem. In part two, we’ll highlight action happening today to reform the role of money in politics. We’ll also delve into whether these reforms mean we are at a tipping point or if...
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Money in Politics Part 1: How Bad is the Problem?
Many voters recognize that only about 10 percent of the 435 congressional seats are actually competitive. Gerrymandering and the "business of politics" seem to be the major culprit. The same dynamic holds true for the 7,400 state legislative seats across the country....
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Howard Schultz: Democratic Spoiler or Potential Election Reform Hero?
Based on the “spoiler” role that third-party candidates have played in Presidential elections, Democrats are rightly concerned that Howard Schultz, if he were to run as an Independent presidential candidate, could split the anti-Trump vote in 2020 and ensure a second...
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The Two Tracks Toward Gerrymandering Reform
Many voters know that gerrymandering (extreme partisan redistricting) poses a threat to the integrity of our elections. By marginalizing large blocks of Republican, Democratic and Independent voters, it breeds mistrust, disfunction and public policies that don’t...
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