Common Blog

Nothing shines a light on problems quite like a scandal. If we’re lucky, it means that we take a closer look at not only the issue that makes the headlines, but the issue ecosystem. The recent back and forth about IRS incompetence regarding screening 501 (c)4 groups has prompted a secondary discussion about the very [...]

A new report by Common Cause Massachusetts shows that limiting outside spending in last year’s U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts helped to increased electoral transparency, accountability, and fairness, and calls on the current Senate candidates Ed Markey and Gabriel Gomez to agree to limit outside spending in the current election. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC (2010) [...]

News from Capitol Hill. A Senate subcommittee is hearing testimony this morning on the woeful state for enforcement of our campaign finance laws. The Federal Election Commission is one of the most important and arguably the most dysfunctional agency in the federal government. At the end of this month, all of its members will be [...]

  Last Thursday, California Common Cause policy advocate Phillip Ung and state board member LeeAnn Pelham joined a panel of speakers to discuss electoral reform for the nation and the Golden State. The forum was hosted by freshman Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-2) and included Congressman John Larson (CT-1) who chair’s the House Democratic Caucus’ task [...]

Common Cause Massachusetts is proud to partner with the New Organizing Institute (NOI), ACLU Massachusetts, MassVOTE and others to host RootsCamp Massachusetts on April 6-7. RootsCamp is an open space “un-conference” for activists to share lessons learned, discuss best practices, and discover opportunities for collaboration. It’s an “un-conference” because there is no pre-set agenda; instead [...]