Americans deserve to know who is funding elections and influencing politicians.

When corporations give money to politicians’ campaigns, they have more influence and, therefore, more of a say in government elections. Politicians work for corporations, not the people.

In 2010, the Disclose Act (which stands for Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending on Elections) was introduced by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, and Charles Schumer, D-New York. It was supposed to stop foreign countries from having a say in U.S. federal elections and to disclose who was spending money to fund elections. The act has been stopped many times in the Senate, as recently as July 2012.

The Disclose Act ought to pass so an improvement can be made in the way money influences elections and politicians.

If the act were to pass, Americans would know who influences elections and politicians might go back to working for the people, not the corporations.

Cody Woodward