Steve Grossman on Government Reform

	Steve Grossman on Government Reform Former Chair of DNC; Democratic Challenger MA Governor

Enhance Super PAC donor disclosure and boost donation limits

A pending campaign finance reform bill would enhance Super PAC donor disclosure and boost donation limits to candidates. Republican Charlie Baker said he was generally supportive of the measure, but criticized what he called a special exemption for Democratic-leaning labor unions. Attorney General Martha Coakley, Treasurer Steve Grossman, and former federal health care administrator Don Berwick all said they support the bill, which would require super political action committees to report their donors within seven days of their expenditures. As primary and general election votes approach, those windows would close to every 24 hours. In seeking to shine light on shadowy sources of campaign financing, the bill, which would take effect immediately upon passage, could change how voters judge candidates based on the outside groups that are backing them. Source: Mass IEPAC: Research Profile on Charlie Baker, p.250 , Sep 1, 2014

Give people a reason to participate in politics again

Unfortunately, voter participation is at record low levels. Re-engaging young people and bringing new voters into the process is critical to the future health of our democracy. We must make politics and public service exciting, relevant and honorable again.

Ultimately, what Steve hopes to achieve as governor is to give people a reason to participate in politics again-to give them the sense that someone is working for them and listening to their concerns and making a difference in their lives.

Source: Campaign web site, Grossman2002.com , Dec 7, 2001

Low voter participation is a “national disgrace”

Voter turnout in our 1998 midterm elections dropped to a mere 36% of the electorate, the lowest rate since 1942. This is a national disgrace.

As a small-businessman, I focus every day on developing products and services that are tailored to customer needs. When I have looked at potential voters as “consumers” and the voting process as “product,” it has been clear to me that as political leaders we have not responded meaningfully to the changing behavior of our electoral consumers. Our product-our voting process-is stagnant, and its delivery is irrelevant to tens of millions of our fellow citizens.

Today, people work longer hours and frequently at more than one job. At home, they care for aging parents and young children. Some consider it a simple task to register to vote and show up on election day. For too many, however, it is an added burden that cannot be realistically accommodated.

Source: Boston Globe, Op-Ed, “Improve Voter Turnout” , Mar 19, 1999

Use mail-in voting, and vote over several days

Political leadership must respond to today’s rapidly changing and more demanding lifestyles by making more imaginative use of innovation and technology. While winning campaigns have adopted technology to expand a candidate’s reach, our national political structure does not regularly use these tools to increase voter turnout.

Knowing that the pool of people able to leave work or a child in their care between 9 AM and 3 PM on a weekday was decreasing, banks created the ATM, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. US elections could experience increased participation by permitting voting over several days or weekend voting. France, Argentina, Ecuador, and Australia are among the nations with a 65 percent or higher voter turnout and have Saturday and Sunday voting.

The mail-order business has seen unprecedented growth in the last decade. Perhaps the millions who shop by mail might vote by mail. Voters in Oregon achieved success in a historic 1996 US Senate all-mail ballot election.