February 9, 2010
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The Center for Governmental Studies (CGS), a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1983, creates innovative political and media solutions to help individuals participate more effectively in their communities and governments. CGS is unique in its ability to combine several areas of expertise to: convene relevant stakeholders; conduct research and policy analysis; achieve consensus among diverse groups; and effectively use technology to gather, present and disseminate the information to a wide audience.

 
Featured Topic

Citizens United Criticized as an Activist Disaster

  • Click here for a debate on Citizens United which was aired on NPR affiliate KQED, featuring CGS' Jessica Levinson.
  • Click here to read CGS' assessment of the United States Supreme Court's ruling today in Citizens United. Citizens United is a seminal case in the area of campaign finance law.

Loopholes, Tricks and End Runs: Evasions of Campaign Finance laws, and a Model Law to Block Them by Molly Milligan has just been published.


Tracy Westen recently participated in the Dagstuhl Seminar on Democracy in a Network Society. Click below to view a .pdf of the overview:


Bob Stern and Molly Milligan have written an article for California Lawyer Magazine, discussing the pros and cons of a California Constitutional Convention.

LA Times Op-Ed


Mapping Public Financing in American Elections provides a comprehensive map-view of state and local public financing programs in the United States... More>>


Video Voter produced a series of Public Service Announcements geared towards informing voters and getting out the vote.
Click here to view the new commercials.

 


Project Highlight
CGS has released seven studies of state public campaign financing laws in North Carolina (Judiciary), Florida, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and New Jersey (gubernatorial and legislative).


North Carolina Judiciary: Balancing The Scales

Florida: A Program Sours

Wisconsin: Showing Its Age

Michigan: Driving Towards Collapse

New Jersey—Legislature: A Pilot Project Takes Flight

New Jersey—Governor: Weeding Out Big Money in the Garden State

Minnesota: Damming Big Money in the Land of 10,000 Lakes