| layout | title |
|---|---|
two_column |
Frequently Asked Questions |
{:.no_toc}
- Will be replaced with the ToC, excluding the "Contents" header {:toc}
We have launched an experiment to see whether we can kick-start a campaign for fundamental reform.
That campaign will occur across at least two election cycles.
If we raise our funding targets, in 2014, we will launch a small campaign in at least 5 congressional districts. Based on what we learn in those 5 districts, we will launch a much larger campaign to get us to 218 votes in the House, and 60 votes in the United States Senate.
We will set a series of targets --- two in 2014, more for the 2016 cycle --- in which we announce a fundraising goal, and ask people to commit to that goal.
People "commit" by pledging a contribution --- anywhere between $5 and $10,000 --- to the Mayday PAC. That commitment is collected only if we reach the target by the target date at the end of the month. If we don't meet the goal, no pledges are collected.
In 2014, there is one additional contingency. Prof. Lawrence Lessig has committed to matching the two fundraising targets. We will only collect your pledge if he has secured that match.
If the goal is not met, your pledge to the kick-start campaign is not collected. The experiment has failed, and we will go back to the drawing board.
The Mayday PAC is a super PAC. That means it spends the money it collects independently of any political campaign. But the ultimate aim of this super PAC is to end the dominance of super PACs in our elections.
We want fundamental reform that will change the way elections are funded. The first step towards that goal is to elect a Congress that will enact fundamental reform. Once we have that Congress, we will then consider the constitutional reform that will secure fundamental reform.
Yes. We want to use big money (collected from the many) to fight big money (collected from the few). Ironic, we understand. But embrace the irony. Everyone recognizes that politics costs money in America. And we don't imagine a future where campaigns are free. But if we can pull together a large enough pool of money through this campaign, we can convince Americans that they can change the way money matters in politics. We can create a system in which it isn't the influence of a few that matters. Instead, as any democracy should, it would be the influence of a majority that matters.
Winning elections, and learning precisely what can win elections. We will hire campaign managers for both Republican and Democratic campaigns. They will spend money in the way that campaigns spend money. The leadership of the super PAC, however, will not be compensated.
For a more detailed breakdown, check out our "Distribution Plan" page.
The names of all contributors above $200 will be reported to the F.E.C. We will list the names of large contributors prominently on our site. We will not accept anonymous contributions, or contributions from anonymizing entities.
We want to reform the way campaigns are funded. As we see it, the critical problem in American politics today is that a tiny fraction of Americans are the effective, or relevant, funders of congressional campaigns. We want to spread that influence out, to include the widest number of citizens as the effective funders of campaigns.
There are a range of proposals that would do this --- some better than others, but all which would achieve fundamental reform. Lawrence Lessig's campaign finance reform group Rootstrikers has listed five specific proposals at reform.to, and that list may evolve.
But as a first step, any candidate for Congress who has pledged to co-sponsor one of these reforms will be safe from the Mayday PAC. At this point, we will only target candidates who have not committed to co-sponsoring fundamental reform.
That standard may change. The requirements for "safe harbor" may need to evolve. But at this point, the simplest way for a candidate or incumbent to avoid the Mayday PAC is commit to fundamental reform.
We believe a commitment to statutory reform is the first necessary step. Once we have a majority big enough to enact that reform, we will turn to the much harder challenge of constitutional reform. The work of the Mayday PAC will not be finished until we have secured constitutional reform. But that change is next on the list. It is not the focus of our work now. And we do not view a commitment to constitutional reform without a commitment to statutory reform as sufficient.
Yes. Support for fundamental reform in the way campaigns are funded is the essential filter now. And while there are other issues that we all feel passionate about, the one and only thing that our pledgers and volunteers are unanimously united on is the need to reform the way we fund elections in the United States.
Isn't it possible that otherwise "awful" candidates could say they will support campaign reform and then not actually do so once elected? How can you deal with this?
Yes, that's possible, but we will select candidates to minimize that possibility (by selecting people who otherwise seem trustworthy and reliable), and make as public as possible any commitments they make.
Which candidates are you planning to support? Both Democrats and Republicans are recognized on your web page, but there is a huge difference in philosophies about fair elections between the two major parties.
In 2014, we will spend the money to learn and to teach --- to learn what works best, in winning seats on the basis of reform, and to teach that this is an issue Americans care about, Democrats, Republicans and Independents. That should make the candidates in 2016 at all levels of government pay attention.
That campaign will be most effective when it can launch fully and effectively. If we pre-launch it --- by announcing candidates now --- it will not be effective.
In 2016, we will spend money to win a majority in Congress committed to fundamental reform.
The options of "Whatever Helps," "Republicans Only," and "Democrats Only" do not leave room for an "Independents/3rd Party" option. Why have you chosen to exclude independent candidates?
In 2014, our objective is to win seats on the basis of reform, and to show that we can win seats on the basis of reform. We don't see any independent candidates on the federal level who could win this election cycle. Spending our donors money to support independent candidates doesn't advance our objective. However, if that changes, we will reconsider.
We've set up a way to donate direct through Democracy.com. Click the blue button on the sidebar.
Is there a physical mailing address that I can send a check to? I don't give money over the Internet.
Yes there is:
MAYDAY PAC
P.O. Box 380444
Cambridge, MA 02238
Please remember to include your name, address, occupation, and employer along with your check for FEC filing.
We want to take what ever currency we can. Currently, a PAC called MakeYourLaws has asked the FEC for a ruling on cryptocurrency donations. We will follow the resolution of that case.
In order to keep the site responding quickly, we update the home page bar only once every few minutes. Don't worry – your pledge was recorded in our system, and will count towards the total.
If I pledge in May, but after the $1M goal has been met, and the June goal is not met, does MayDay get my money?
Any amount pledged in May over 1M will become part of the 5M June goal, and will be collected only if that goal is met and matched. If you want your contribution to be collected right away, you can use the direct donation option on our Pledge Page
"Founders" in the nautical sense, as in a ship that is "foundering" on the rocks, and hence might call "MAYDAY."
You can ask us through our Contact Page. Please send us your feedback.