Democracy is good for business

Index.html" target="_blank">In America, democracy and capitalism go Index.html" target="_blank">hand Index.html" target="_blank">In Index.html" target="_blank">hand. WatchIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing our democracy function (or, more accurately, malfunction) over the past few years, I have come to the conclusion that there is a slow-movIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing crisis developIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing for our democracy — and our economy. For entrepreneurs to have a fightIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing chance and for existIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing companies to prosper, our legislators must strive to construct a truly competitive economic system that encourages Index.html" target="_blank">Innovation and works for everyone, not just those with the most political Index.html" target="_blank">Influence or campaign donations.

What might our country look like if we were to surrender policy-makIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing to the anti-democratic forces of campaign donation-obsessed politicians, rent-seekIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing special Index.html" target="_blank">Interests and behemoth oligopolistic-mIndex.html" target="_blank">Inded corporations? Well, it would look a lot like what we have now:

• There has been zero meanIndex.html" target="_blank">Ingful action to combat catastrophic global climate change, which, if left unaddressed, Index.html" target="_blank">Index.html">will cost our economy and busIndex.html" target="_blank">Inesses hundreds of billions of dollars.
• The U.S. pays far more than other countries for the exact same medications, which means the American people pay through the nose to subsidize the rest of the world.
• Our legislators have shown no Index.html" target="_blank">Interest Index.html" target="_blank">In regulatIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing the biggest banks, which have only consolidated control sIndex.html" target="_blank">Ince the 2008 Recession that their market abuses directly caused, ultimately wipIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing out nearly 9,000,000 jobs.
• Because of Index.html" target="_blank">Inion/monopolies-Index.html" target="_blank">In-the-us.html">lenient anti-trust enforcement, smaller retailers are beIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing forced to close their doors everywhere we look and entrepreneurship is experiencIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing its slowest rate of growth sIndex.html" target="_blank">Ince 2004.
• The Deepwater Horizon oil spill Index.html" target="_blank">In the Gulf of Mexico occurred because of Index.html" target="_blank">Inds-us-regulations-l-88637.html?pagewanted=1">lax environmental protection oversight of offshore drillIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing.

The lack of courage demonstrated by our elected politicians to reIndex.html" target="_blank">In Index.html" target="_blank">In corporate abuses and protect our markets is our giant white flag of surrender, and its effects can be found Index.html" target="_blank">In nearly every sector of our economy. Our prosperity has been seized by the anti-competitive and anti-Index.html" target="_blank">Innovation forces of a dysfunctional political system domIndex.html" target="_blank">Inated by monied special Index.html" target="_blank">Interests. And it’s happenIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing right out Index.html" target="_blank">In the open for all of us to see. Fret not, however, because it is entirely withIndex.html" target="_blank">In our power to squash the bugs that have Index.html" target="_blank">Infested our democracy.

Our elected leaders seem to have hoisted a giant white flag of surrender — either unable or unwillIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing to reIndex.html" target="_blank">In Index.html" target="_blank">In corporate abuses and protect our markets. The effects of these anti-competitive and anti- Index.html" target="_blank">Innovation forces of our dysfunctional political system can be found Index.html" target="_blank">In nearly every sector of our economy. Monied special Index.html" target="_blank">Interests are draIndex.html" target="_blank">InIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing our prosperity, and it’s happenIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing right out Index.html" target="_blank">In the open for all of us to see.

As busIndex.html" target="_blank">Iness leaders and entrepreneurs, we must demand our politicians step up and take action to protect economic competitiveness and provide guard rails for expansion of our capital markets. For American citizens to have confidence that legislators are workIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing toward these dual goals of protection and expansion, it is absolutely crucial that we first do everythIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing possible to make our democratic elections as competitive and fair as possible.

For America to thrive and Index.html" target="_blank">Innovate Index.html" target="_blank">In an Index.html" target="_blank">IncreasIndex.html" target="_blank">Ingly competitive global economy, we need strong, uncorrupted, fairly regulated markets.

This notion of prodigious change to our electoral system is not new. Index.html" target="_blank">In fact, more than two-thirds of the amendments to the U.S. Constitution sIndex.html" target="_blank">Ince the Bill of Rights were crafted specifically to address votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing, representation and election shortcomIndex.html" target="_blank">Ings Index.html" target="_blank">In our democracy. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait for a constitutional amendment to resolve our problems. There are actionable thIndex.html" target="_blank">Ings we can do right now to expand democratic participation and restore trust Index.html" target="_blank">In our elections.

For starters, I, along with many other busIndex.html" target="_blank">Iness leaders across America, am supportIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing the Secure Elections Act, a bipartisan bill Index.html" target="_blank">Introduced Index.html" target="_blank">In the U.S. Senate last year by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and James Lankford (R-OK). This bill requires paper records and rigorous audits to reduce the risk of vote hackIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing, improves Index.html" target="_blank">Information sharIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing between federal and state election officials and establishes cybersecurity guidelIndex.html" target="_blank">Ines to protect our elections.

Further, there are simple, proven changes that make votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing accessible to more citizens:

• Enable automatic (opt-out) voter registration upon turnIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing 18
• Allow no-fault absentee vote by mail for all voters
• Expand early votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing dates and locations
• Restore votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing rights for people who have served their time for non-violent offenses

Policies that expand votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing rights benefit all members of a democracy, regardless their political affiliation. State by state, progress is already beIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing made. Index.html" target="_blank">In 2018, by an overwhelmIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing margIndex.html" target="_blank">In, Index.html" target="_blank">Ing-rights-to-more-than-1-million-former-felons.html">voters Index.html" target="_blank">In Florida restored votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing rights to non-violent ex-felons. On the same day, Index.html" target="_blank">Ing-votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing-rights-expansions">balloters Index.html" target="_blank">In Nevada and Michigan approved Index.html" target="_blank">Initiatives to automatically register voters when they turn 18, brIndex.html" target="_blank">IngIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing the total to 15 states where this is the law. It’s time to put partisan politics aside and do this Index.html" target="_blank">In all 50 states.

FIndex.html" target="_blank">Inally, elections can be made more democratic and competitive:

• End gerrymanderIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing of districts
• Adopt open primaries
• Enact ranked-choice votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing

Index.html" target="_blank">In 2018, Index.html" target="_blank">Ing-lIndex.html" target="_blank">Ine/">anti-gerrymanderIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing efforts passed at the ballot box Index.html" target="_blank">In Michigan, Missouri, Utah, Ohio and Colorado. Index.html" target="_blank">In Pennsylvania, the Index.html" target="_blank">Ing-reform-plan-pennsylvania/">21st Century Election Reform Modernization proposal, Index.html" target="_blank">Introduced by Governor Tom Wolf (D), would enact many of these voter-friendly upgrades. The Index.html" target="_blank">In_congress#why_we_need_the_fair_representation_act">Fair Representation Act, co-sponsored by Ro Khanna (D-CA) here Index.html" target="_blank">In Silicon Valley, Don Beyer (D-VA) and Jamie RaskIndex.html" target="_blank">In (D-MD), proposes an Index.html" target="_blank">Innovative approach to ensurIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing we all have a voice Index.html" target="_blank">In our democracy, no matter where we live.

House Democrats are makIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing a statement with HR1, the first bill of the 116th Congress, which addresses money Index.html" target="_blank">In politics, ethics and votIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing rights. It’s a great step Index.html" target="_blank">In the right direction, but for this to be successful, Republicans must joIndex.html" target="_blank">In Democrats to create bipartisan consensus.

As busIndex.html" target="_blank">Iness leaders, our political ideologies are as diverse as our Index.html" target="_blank">Industries. But one thIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing we should all be able to recognize is that for America to thrive and Index.html" target="_blank">Innovate Index.html" target="_blank">In an Index.html" target="_blank">IncreasIndex.html" target="_blank">Ingly competitive global economy, we need strong, uncorrupted, fairly regulated markets. To reach that ideal, we must first protect and strengthen the democratic foundations of our elections. I Index.html" target="_blank">Invite every busIndex.html" target="_blank">Iness leader across the nation to joIndex.html" target="_blank">In me Index.html" target="_blank">In fightIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing for a more democratic democracy for all Americans by supportIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing legislation and lawmakers workIndex.html" target="_blank">Ing diligently toward that goal.