Nikki Schaffer
Features Editor

A total of seven billion dollars was spent to fuel the 2012 election campaign between Governor Romney and President Obama. With no limitations on campaign spending, politicians are able to dive into funds with no consequences. If you are sick of political warfare and the billions of dollars that are spent to finance every Election Day, consider participating in an organization that demands democracy like Democracy Matters.
“Democracy Matters is a non-partisan, national, student-powered, grassroots organization working to get big private money out of politics and people back in,” said MU senior Justin Eveler, a government and political affairs major, who is currently interning with Democracy Matters.
The main goal of Democracy Matters is to raise public interest in achieving political reform to get big money out of politics. By joining this organization, students will have a chance to voice their opinions and help campaign for finance and democratic reform.
“I joined Democracy Matters because I believe that the issue of money and politics is not only important, but it affects us every day,” Eveler said, who is also the president of the College Democrats at MU.

Democracy Matters is a non-partisan, student-powered organization that encourages students to raise their voice and whose main goal is to get big money out of politics. If you are interested in joining this organization, attend Democracy Matters’ meetings on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. in the SMC Ford Atrium.
Democracy Matters is a non-partisan, student-powered organization that encourages students to raise their voice and whose main goal is to get big money out of politics. If you are interested in joining this organization, attend Democracy Matters’ meetings on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. in the SMC Ford Atrium.

“Under the law of McCain-Fiengold, financing of political campaigns was regulated so that our voices would not be drowned out by private wealth and corporate control of elections. Now because of the Supreme Court case, ‘Citizens United,’ there are basically no federal regulations of how much spending is allowed in political campaigns. Soon it will be worse if we don’t do something.”
Although politics is not everyone’s forte, there are many reasons students should consider getting involved. Most students do not realize how money and politics affect them every day—student loan debt, education funding, civil rights, clean food and water or getting involved in other countries’ affairs—these are all issues that will impact students’ lives.
If you would like to become involved in this organization, start by attending their weekly meetings. Democracy Matters meets every Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the SMC Ford Atrium. They discuss current events and decide what kinds of events they wish to hold, such as panel discussions with professors or politicians.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the organization will be hosting a professor panel on the issue of money and politics from 6-7 p.m. in the McComsey Ford Atrium. There will be a new event to attend each month, if you had to miss this one.
In September, the organization hosted former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, John Hanger; students were able ask questions after they heard him speak.
Democracy Matters is not just for student government majors. Students from all majors are welcome to join the organization, Eveler said.
“I have always had a desire to make society better. I believe in this organization and I want to help spread the message.”
If you have any questions about the organization, contact Justin Eveler at 717-887-5960 or email him at sjeveler@millersville.edu.