Voters Begin Campaign Finance Reform March to DC

Submitted by Brian Beihl, the deputy director, Open Democracy and NH Rebellion.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - In 1999, New Hampshire's Doris “Granny D” Haddock began a walk from California to to Washington, DC at age 89. And she made it. Haddock spread the word among ordinary Americans on how Washington's politicians had been corrupted by a campaign finance system which benefits campaign donors, not voters. Two years later, with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold on one arm, and Sen. John McCain on the other, Granny D walked up the Capitol steps.

On April 2, 2016, members of the New Hampshire nonprofit NH Rebellion, along more than 150 other walkers, begin another audacious march, this time from Philadelphia to Washington, DC as part of a national protest of big money politics called Democracy Spring.

“It's my time to do my part,” said Zoe Picard, of Webster. “I believe in democracy. I really believe that all voices should be heard. And in honor of Granny D, I'm challenging like-minded individuals to rise up and force our politicians to reform our system,” she said. Picard is joining the walk in Baltimore for the last 40 miles

The Democracy Spring march will take nine days and arrives in Washington on April 11, when nonviolent sit-ins around the U.S. Capitol building are planned.

Joe Magruder, a retired Concord news editor, said he is willing to get arrested for the cause.

“Making us all equal citizens when it comes to choosing our leaders is the moral issue of our time, and this is a way to make that happen,” Magruder said.

Magruder, a Vietnam veteran, added that he has walked in other NH Rebellion walks in New Hampshire, but felt compelled to go to Washington to send a strong message directly to Congress.

Following the Democracy Spring actions, a large rally is planned for April 17 on the mall in Washington, and tens of thousands are expected from all over the country. More than 140 groups are mobilizing their members to attend Democracy Awakening, with buses streaming in from up and down the eastern seaboard. Groups supporting the rally, and actions the following day, include democracy and voting rights groups, the NAACP, the AFL-CIO, church organizations, senior groups, and environmental activists.

Asked why he was walking all 140 miles from Philadelphia, Lyme's Rick Bourdon responded, “I think that the people of this country need to do more than complain. Now it's time to take action. I'm walking and protesting, but you can write a letter, call up your representatives or get active in your community. But we can't afford to do nothing,” he said. “Our democracy has to be saved.”

More information about Democracy Spring and Democracy Awakening is available on the NH Rebellion website, NHRebellion.org in the “Take Action” section, or by going directly to the event sites, DemocracySpring.org and DemocracyAwakening.org.