What's Next, Los Angeles? with Mike Bonin
Los Angeles is at a turning point. We are living in a defining moment. What happens next is up to us. Over the past few years, problems and challenges have shaken this city -- and tremendous opportunities for change have presented themselves. How do we rise to this moment and emerge a better place to live? What will it take to create a more just and a more equitable community? Working together, how are we going to create a stronger, forward-thinking Los Angeles? Mike Bonin, writer, teacher, progressive activist and former City Councilmember, looks at the issues and problems facing Los Angeles, examines ideas, and talks with the people who will lead us to a brighter future.
Produced in partnership with LA Forward.
What's Next, Los Angeles? with Mike Bonin
How do we fight Big Money $$$ in elections?
How can we fix a broken political system? How can we re-energize grassroots democracy? How do counteract the poisonous influence of big money in our elections? One big idea is something called "democracy vouchers."
“Democracy vouchers” is a campaign finance system in which all residents are issued vouchers that they can donate to political candidates who, in turn, redeem them for public campaign funds. Democracy vouchers help democratize campaign finance by both: empowering ordinary citizens to participate more in the financing of political campaigns; and empowering political candidates to run for office without relying on — and spending as much time courting — wealthy donors.
In this episode, Mike talks with Mike Draskovic, an organizer working to get a democracy voucher program in Los Angeles, and with Teresa Mosqueda, the first person elected to the City Council in Seattle after that city implemented a popular and robust democracy voucher system.
Los Angeles for Democracy Vouchers
https://www.lademocracyvouchers.org/
@LADemVouchers
Seattle's Democracy Voucher Program
https://www.seattle.gov/democracyvoucher
Teresa Mosqueda
Government Site- https://www.seattle.gov/council/mosqueda
Campaign Site - https://www.teamteresa.org/
Twitter: @TeresaCMosqueda
IG: @teresacmosqueda/