The Anatomy of Campaign Finance: Money’s powerful influence on US politics and policy
The power of campaign donations to shape political decisions is front and center in the 2012 presidential election. Citizens United, the Supreme Court decision that allowed corporations, mega- donors and unions to invest vast resources in candidates’ campaigns, has been called an undemocratic giveaway to social and economic elites. Does their growing electoral power undermine the public interest, or simply increase the public visibility of candidates’ messages and influence? What are the long-term implications for our political culture and public policy? And what are the prospects for meaningful change?
To look at these issues the Center for New York City Affairs will present the Nathan Levin Lecture, The Anatomy of Campaign Finance: Money’s Powerful Influence on US Politics and Policy,, on Tuesday, May 1, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. This year’s lecture is being held in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Urban Policy Analysis and Management Program at the Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy.
Moderated by Jeffery Smith, assistant professor of politics and advocacy at the Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy, The New School, the lecture will feature:
- Jacob Hacker, director of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies and professor of political science at Yale University. He is co-author of Winner-Take-All Politics: How Washington Made the Rich Richer and Turned Its Back on the Middle Class.
- Joseph Hagan, contributing writer to Vanity Fair and New York Magazine. He is the author of The Coming Tsunami of Slime: How Super-PACs, vulnerable candidates, and armies of mercenaries will converge to create the ugliest campaign ever.
Admission to this event, which will be held in the Wollman Hall, 65 West 11th Street, 5th floor, is free an RSVP is required by emailing centernyc@newschool.edu.
The Nathan Levin Lecture on Public Policy was established in 1989 in honor of the late Nathan Levin, a trustee and acting president of The New School.