ReFormers Caucus: Presidential candidates must debate democracy first

Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus is urging Secretary Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to spell out their plans to fix our out-of-control campaign finance system at their first presidential debate. The text of the Caucus’ statement is below, and available here (PDF).

STATEMENT OF REFORMERS CAUCUS:

CANDIDATES MUST ADDRESS MONEY IN POLITICS AT FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

As Secretary Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump take the stage Monday evening to debate the issues of the day, they must address a root cause of Washington’s dysfunction—the dominance of money over politics and policymaking. Our campaign finance system has ensnared too many members of Congress in an exhausting fundraising arms race, repelled too many candidates from running and fomented deep cynicism with the public that believes their voices don’t matter anymore.

So prevalent are Americans’ concerns over the selling of access and influence in exchange for campaign donations that the topic has emerged this cycle as a top five voting issue across nearly every demographic.

The American people deserve to know how the presidential candidates of the two major parties propose to repair our out-of-control campaign finance system.

Voters are losing faith in the American way of self-government and craving bold, new solutions as never before. It is vitally important that the presidential candidates articulate a vision of a bipartisan and responsive government, as well as a plan to make it a reality.

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Issue One is putting the American people back in control of our democracy by reducing the power of money in politics and policymaking. Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus is a coalition of more than 150 former members of Congress and governors from both parties committed to reducing the power of money in politics and restoring trust in our democratic institutions.