The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 15, 2024

Ever Wonder The Reason It Took So Long for the IRS to Offer an Online Tax Preparation App?   Big Money Lobbying.
The IRS has a pilot program in 12 states this year to file your personal taxes online for free without the use of 3rd party software.   Wonder why it took so long?   Big money lobbying.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Open Secrets - Tax prep companies that spent over $90 million lobbying against free tax-filing system face new scrutiny from lawmakers
Pro Publica - Inside TurboTax’s 20-Year Fight to Stop Americans From Filing Their Taxes for Free
NerdWallet - Data: Americans Waste Billions to File Tax Returns
Federal Trade Commission - FTC Issues Opinion Finding that TurboTax Maker Intuit Inc. Engaged in Deceptive Practices
Congressional Research Service - The Internal Revenue Service’s Free File Program (FFP):
Current Status and Policy Issues
CNBC - Roughly 70% of taxpayers are eligible for IRS Free File, but only 2% used it in 2022
Internal Revenue Service - IRS Direct File pilot for States of Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming
IBIS World - Tax Preparation Services in the US industry analysis

Groups Taking Action:
Coalition for Fair Filing,  Public Citizen, Economic Security Project

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #EndBigMoney #IRS #TaxPreparation #EndCitizensUnited #FreeFiling

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 12, 2024

Michigan Case Which Used the ‘Independent State Legislature Theory’ to Challenge Voting Rights Ballot Questions is Dismissed
We reported last October that 11 Michigan GOP legislators used the “Independent State Legislature” theory to challenge two Michigan ballot questions expanding voting rights.  A federal judge dismissed their case April 10th.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Brennan Center for Justice - Moore v. Harper
BallotPedia - Michigan 2018 ballot measures
BallotPedia - Michigan 2022 ballot measures
U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN (via Democracy Docket) - JONATHAN LINDSEY v.  GRETCHEN WHITMER Opinion and Order
Michigan Department of Attorney General - Federal Court Rejects Lawsuit of 11 Republican State Legislators, Predicated on Independent State Legislature Theory
Michigan Advance - Federal judge rejects GOP lawmaker suit over state election laws
Democracy Docket - Revisiting Moore v. Harper and the Threats to Democracy

Groups Taking Action:
Michigan Alliance for Retired Americans,  Detroit Downriver A. Phillip Randolph Institute, Detroit Disability Power

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #MichiganPolitics  #DemocracyReform #DirectDemocracy #MoorevHarper

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 11, 2024

National Study of Elections Officials Confirms Turnover from Harassment, But Also Finds An Aging Workforce and Increasing Workloads are Factors
Disinformation spread about the 2020 election by candidates & partisan groups mobilized extremists to harass or threaten election officials. Many of those officials resigned.  But a large national study also found other reasons for large-scale turnover, and some hope for the 2024 election.

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Bipartisan Policy Center - Election Official Turnover Rates from 2000-2024
American Democracy Minute - Rules, and ‘Election Integrity’ Vigilantes Led to an Election Official Brain-Drain
Pew Research Center - Older people account for large shares of poll workers and voters in U.S. general elections
Brennan Center for Justice - Election Officials Under Attack
U.S. Election Assistance Commission - Be a Poll Worker!
Power the Polls - HELP STAFF YOUR LOCAL POLLING PLACE

Groups Taking Action:
Issue One, Election Official Legal Defense Network, Power the Polls, Center for American Progress

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers #BeaPollWorker

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 10, 2024

Trying to Game the System, Missouri Legislature Proposes Ballot Question Rule Changes to Head Off Reproductive Rights Question in November
In the face of a reproductive rights ballot question later this year, Missouri’s legislature is the latest to try to game the system, making the passage of ballot initiatives harder, and taking power away from the voters.  

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia -  Ohio 2023 ballot measures
BallotPedia - Missouri Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment (2024)
Missouri Legislature - Text of SJR 74, Amended Version
Missouri Independent - Missouri Senate passes bill making it harder for voters to amend the constitution
Missouri Independent - As few as 1 in 5 voters could defeat initiative petitions under Missouri Senate proposal
Columbia Missourian - Initiative petition changes clear hurdle
BalltPedia - History of Initiative & Referendum in Missouri

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters MO,  Missouri Voters for the Environment,  Missouri Conference of the NAACP, Empower Missouri,  PROMO

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DirectDemocracy #MissouriPolitics #VotingRights #SJR72

One more day of repeats and we're back doing new reports!   Thanks for your patience while we navigated the challenges of the past week.  - Brian Beihl

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 9, 2024

Nonpartisan Report Recommends Ways Local Officials Can Expand Voter Participation and Recruit Election Workers Using Public/Private Partnerships

The nonpartisan Fair Elections Center released a report to state and local election officials in February suggesting ways voter participation can be expanded.  Recommendations include expanding voter registration options, making use of public/private partnerships to distribute voting information, developing communication plans, and expanding poll worker training.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Fair Elections Center - LOCAL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE VOTING EXPERIENCE:
Recommendations for Local Elected Officials and Election Officials
U.S. Election Assistance Commission -  Election 2024 Toolkits

Groups Taking Action:
Fair Elections Center, Campaign Legal Center, Brennan Center for Justice

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RegistertoVote #BeAPollWorker #ProtectElections

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 8, 2024

Another day of no power and no interenet in my area of New Hampshire – we’ve been out since April 3rd — so we’re posting a report from mid-February. There were crews working down the street, so hopefully soon! – Brian Beihl

True the Vote’s Claim of Evidence of 2020 Ballot Stuffing in Georgia Were . . . Not True

The election denier group True the Vote is one of the loudest and most aggressive in casting doubt on the 2020 election.  In Georgia, its claims of fraudulent absentee ballots being deposited in drop boxes was used in a documentary, parroted by former President Donald Trump and his allies, and led to the banning of drop boxes in several states.  In a court filing this week, True the Vote said it had no such evidence.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Georgia Recorder - Georgia election board dismisses claims of ‘ballot harvesting’ in 2020 election
USA Today - Fact check: Georgia investigation into alleged ballot harvesting is not evidence of election fraud
Kansas Reflector - States target ballot drop boxes in fight over voting rights
Movement Advancement Project - State Policies on Drop Boxes
Associated Press - Election officials sue conservative voting group over refusal to produce ballot-harvesting evidence
Associated Press - Conservative group tells judge it has no evidence to back its claims of Georgia ballot stuffing
PBS NewsHour - How 2020 election denialism became a litmus test for the GOP

Groups Taking Action:
Fair Fight Action,  All Voting is Local Georgia, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Showing Up for Racial Justice, ACLU Georgia

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ElectionDeniers #Georgia #ProtectElections

Today, Brian is one of over a 100,000 electric customers in NH without power, due to high winds and over a foot of heavy, wet snow.   Fortunately, we still have internet -- for now -- and are writing under generator power.   Here's an important rebroadcast from February.  Have a good weekend;  I'll be shoveling!


The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 5, 2024

Survey Finds Strong Support from Americans for Early Voting & Election Day Holiday Reforms, but Restrictive Government-Issued ID Requirements
A new study by Pew Research finds Americans broadly support such democracy reforms as making election day a holiday and two weeks of in person early voting, but also think voters must use government issued ID, and voting machines should have paper backup.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Pew Research - Bipartisan Support for Early In-Person Voting, Voter ID, Election Day National Holiday
Brennan Center for Justice - Voter ID
MIT Election Data & Science Lab - Automatic Voter Registration
Ballotpedia - Voting Methods and Equipment by State

Groups Taking Action:
ACLU, League of Women Voters, National Disability Rights Network, Declaration for American Democracy

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PewTrust #AVR #VoterRegistration #ElectionDayHoliday

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 4, 2024

In April 2 Presidential Primaries, Wisconsin Voters Approve Restraints on Running Elections, and Large Numbers of Voters Unhappy With Nominees
April 2nd, Wisconsin voters passed two ballot questions impacting how local elections are run, and in Wisconsin and other states’ primaries, large numbers of voters made it known they’re not happy with the apparent nominees.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute - April 2nd Wisconsin Ballot Measures Would Prohibit Outside Help & Funding, Hampering Small Town Elections
Milwaukee Independent - WISCONSIN VOTERS SET TO DECIDE ON REPUBLICAN-BACKED BALLOT MEASURES AIMED TO RESTRICT VOTING RIGHTS
Reuters - April 2 US presidential primary states, delegate counts
Wisconsin Examiner - Constitutional amendments pass setting new limits on elections officials
NBC News - April 2, 2024 Primary Results
Wisconsin Elections Commission - April 1, 2024 Voter Registration Statistics

Groups Taking Action:
All Voting is Local Wisconsin, League of Women Voters WI, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, ACLU WI

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #WisconsinPolitics #ProtectElections #Uncommitted #VoteUninstructed #April2Primary

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 3, 2024

Despite the Salacious Details, Trump’s Alleged NY ‘Hush Money’ Actions Covered Up Serious Campaign Finance Violations 

On the eve of former President Donald Trump’s first criminal trial, the media has focused on the salacious details, but not as much on the cover-up of less titillating campaign finance violations.  

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Free Speech for People - Trump’s New York trial and the federal government’s failure to enforce campaign finance law
Free Speech for People -  Campaign Finance Complaint Regarding Donald Trump (Karen McDougal)
Federal Election Commission - FIRST GENERAL COUNSEL’S REPORT (Karen McDougal)
Common Cause - Campaign Finance Complaint Regarding Donald Trump (Stormy Daniels)
Federal Election Commission - FIRST GENERAL COUNSEL’S REPORT (Stormy Daniels)
State of New York - Trump Indictment for Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree
Associated Press - Michael Cohen ends prison term after Trump-related crimes
Associated Press - Trump’s New York hush money case is set for trial April 15

Groups Taking Action:
Free Speech for People, Common Cause

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #TrumpCriminalTrials #CampaignFinanceReform #FixtheFEC

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 2, 2024

Montana Supreme Court Throws Out Four Anti-Voter Laws Targeting Native American, Younger, Elderly, and Disabled Voters
In a victory for voters, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision March 27th, striking down four anti-voter laws which disproportionately impacted younger, disabled and Native American voters.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Montana Constitution - II.13.  Right of Suffrage Provision
Montana Judicial Branch -  Opinion in Democratic Party v. Jacobsen
Montana Free Press - Montana Supreme Court declares 2021 voting laws unconstitutional
Flathead Beacon - Montana Supreme Court Strikes Down Election Laws
Election Law Blog - “The Montana Supreme Court Correctly Recognizes a Robust Right to Vote Under the State Constitution”
New Jersey Beacon - A top GOP lawyer wants to crack down on the college vote. States already are.


Groups Taking Action:
Montana Native Vote,  Native American Rights Fund, Montana Youth Action, Forward Montana Foundation, and Montana Public Interest Research Group

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FreedomtoVote #YouthVoting #NativeVote #Montana #MontanaPolitics