“PSA” Urging Corporations to Spend More Money Is Fifth Weekly Prize Winner in Democracy For All Video Challenge
$59,000 in Cash Prizes Still Available With New Winners Announced Weekly
Today Say No to Big Money and People For the American Way announced the fifth of 14 weekly winners in a new contest tapping into the creative potential of Americans of all political stripes through short videos in support of a constitutional amendment to get big money out of politics.
This week’s winner of the $64,000 Democracy For All Video Challenge is a satirical video in the format of a PSA titled “The Citizens United PSA” by James Parker of Southern California.
The video uses satire to highlight the dysfunction of the American political system and the undue influence of corporations in elections. The narrator goads corporations to increase their political spending, saying: “Have a law you need crushed or a bill you need rushed? Simply pay for it… America, government of the corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation. Freedom!”
Click here to see “The Citizens United PSA:” http://www.democracyforall.com/entries/the-citizens-united-psa/
Previous contest winners include videos tying a lack of campaign finance regulations to student loan debt and the excessive political influence of the chemical industry. Last week’s winner was an original song from a rapper who uses activism to communicate on hot-button issues.
From its August launch through December 2, contest entrants can submit a 30-90 second video that includes a call-to-action in support of the Democracy For All Amendment for a chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money, including a $25,000 grand prize. Supporters of an amendment to fix the nation’s campaign finance system have already submitted a diverse array of entries.
“Satire has great power to point out what pure outrage sometimes cannot,” said Jeff Haggin, president of Say No to Big Money. “This video is a great example of the type of creative message that can help drive Americans to contact their lawmakers to convey the urgency of the need to fix our broken campaign finance system.”
“I entered this contest to show support in the effort to reverse Citizens United and join voices with the overwhelming number of citizens in the U.S. who oppose unchecked corporate participation in our democratic system,” added winner James Parker, a documentary filmmaker. “It seems so illogical to give corporate interests the same power as an individual citizen, and I think it's pretty clear where the public opinion lies.”
Click here to see more about the contest and additional entries: http://democracyforall.com/
The Democracy For All Amendment is a proposal being considered by Congress, currently with 138 cosponsors in the House and 41 supporters in the Senate, that would overturn decisions like Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court case that paved the way for unlimited political spending by corporations and the super wealthy.
Say No to Big Money, the official sponsor of the contest, and People For the American Way are partnering with Act.TV, Agenda Project, American Family Voices, Coalition to Restore Democracy, Coffee Party USA, Courage Campaign, Common Cause, Free Speech For People, National Priorities Project, PF Pictures, People’s Email Network, Public Citizen, and US PIRG in this effort, with the support of more than 140 other organizations.
Full contest details and rules are available at www.DemocracyForAll.com. PFAW Executive Vice President Marge Baker and Say No to Big Money President Jeff Haggin are available to speak with press. To arrange an interview, please contact Alec Saslow at [email protected] or 720-319-4948.
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