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Report | CoPIRG | Democracy

Billion-Dollar Democracy

 

The first presidential election since Citizens United lived up to its hype, with unprecedented outside spending from new sources making headlines. This is Demos and CoPIRG Foundation's analysis of reports from campaigns, parties, and outside spenders to the Federal Election Commission to find our big money system distorts democracy and creates clear winners and losers.

 

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Report | CoPIRG | Democracy

Outsized Spending in Colorado

The 2012 elections were by far the most expensive in history thanks primarily to the tidal wave of outside, special interest money triggered by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.

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News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Budget, Tax

Report Exposes How Taxpayers Bear Cost of Corporate Settlements

A new report spotlights a common practice where corporations that commit wrongdoing and agree to financial settlements with the federal government go on to claim such settlement payments as tax-deductible business expenses.

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Report | CoPIRG Foundation | Budget, Tax

SUBSIDIZING BAD BEHAVIOR

BP’s recent $4.5 billion legal settlement with the Justice Department for its misdeeds in the Gulf oil spill was historic for being the largest ever criminal settlement. But it was historic for another reason as well—none of it is allowed to be tax deductible. Unfortunately, too many settlements for wrongdoing end up as tax deductions.

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Report | CoPIRG Foundation | Budget, Tax

WHAT AMERICA COULD DO WITH $150 BILLION LOST TO OFFSHORE TAX HAVENS

Many corporations and wealthy individuals use offshore tax havens—countries with minimal or no taxes—to avoid paying $150 billion in U.S. taxes each year. By shielding their income from U.S. taxes, corporations and wealthy individuals shift the tax burden to ordinary Americans, who must pick up the tab in the form of cuts to public services, more debt, or higher taxes. The $150 billion lost annually to offshore tax havens is a lot of money, especially at a time of difficult budget choices. To put this sum in perspective, we present 16 potential ways that income could be used.

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News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Democracy

New Voters Project Helps Register 13,000 Youth to Vote in Colorado

From Alamosa to Fort Collins, CoPIRG’s New Voters Project registered over 13,000 Colorado youth to vote in time for the November 6th, 2012 election.

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Media Hit | Democracy

Amendment 65: Voters, not money, should drive elections

Six days and 14 hours. According to a recent analysis by the students of CU News Corps, that's how long it would take you to sit down and watch the political ads that have been purchased on Denver's four biggest television stations this year. The price tag? Nearly $20 million.

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Media Hit | Democracy

Raising the Youth Voice in Grand Junction

Twenty-year-old Benjamin Shipman will vote in his first U.S. presidential election Nov. 6, and he's working to ensure other youth also exercise their right to vote.

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Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Bank fees a mile higher in Denver area

Denver consumers pay the nation's highest ATM surcharges and overdraft fees, according to a report released Monday by Bankrate.com.

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News Release | CoPIRG | Democracy

Initiative Targeting Big Campaign Spenders Qualifies for November Ballot

Coloradans have responded to the barrage of campaign spending in Colorado by putting an initiative on the ballot to instruct Colorado’s elected officials to pass a federal constitutional amendment to limit campaign contributions and spending.

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Report | CoPIRG | Budget, Tax, Transportation

Do Roads Pay for Themselves?

Highways do not – and, except for brief periods in our nation’s history, never have – paid for themselves through the taxes that highway advocates label “user fees.” Yet highway advocates continue to suggest they do in an attempt to secure preferential access to scarce public resources and to shape how those resources are spent.

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Report | CoPIRG

Smart Savings

There are many practical ways to use energy more efficiently to save Coloradans money and protect public health. Our report looks at 10 different policies:

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Report | CoPIRG | Food

Recipe for Disaster

Last month’s nationwide recall of half a billion eggs was just one of more than 85 national recalls involving 153 food companies since July 2009.  During this time, the U.S. Senate has failed to pass needed protections.

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Report | CoPIRG | Budget, Tax

Following the Money 2010

The ability to see how government uses the public purse is fundamental to democracy. This report rates the 50 States in how well they provide online access to government spending data.

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Report | CoPIRG | Transportation

Transportation Freedom Day 2010

To highlight the differences in transportation costs per city, CoPIRG released data from the Center of Neighborhood Technology that calculated each city’s Transportation Freedom Day - the date in which a typical household has earned enough to cover its annual transportation costs. That day tends to arrive earlier for residents of cities with more car-alternatives to getting around.

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Tools & Resources

  • Keep High-Speed Rail On Track
    In 20 years, Colorado highways will be packed with a million more cars. Tell the Governor: Bring high-speed rail to Colorado.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • STOP TAX DODGERS
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • Reclaim Democracy
    The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision ushered in an era of unprecedented spending by big money in our elections, but we're working to return our democracy back to the principle of "one person, one vote."
    Learn more
    Add your voice
  • ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON ENERGY SAVINGS?
    Thousands of Coloradans miss out on potential energy-efficiency savings simply because of inconsistencies between our state’s utilities.
    Learn more
    Get the report

Take Action

In 20 years, Colorado highways will be packed with a million more cars. Tell Governor Hickenlooper: Bring high-speed rail to Colorado.

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