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A citizen-funded super PAC, to end all super PACs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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# Frequently Asked Questions
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### What's the plan here?

This campaign will occur across at least two election cycles. We have launched an experiment to see whether we can kick-start a campaign for fundamental reform. 
With over $7,000,000 in donations, the first stage of that experiment has succeeded.

In 2014, we will are launching independent campaigns in at least five congressional districts. Our goal: To elect five members of Congress who support strong reforms of the way candidates fund elections. 

This is just the pilot program, Based on what we learn in those 5 districts, we
will launch a much larger campaign in 2016 to get us to 218 votes in the House, and 60
votes in the United States Senate.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/i3X2eDCmPRY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

### Why is this so important? What's wrong with the Status Quo?

[This article](https://medium.com/law-of-the-land/whats-so-bad-about-a-superpac-c7cbcf617b58) by Lawrence Lessig, entitled ["What's So Bad About a Superpac?"](https://medium.com/law-of-the-land/whats-so-bad-about-a-superpac-c7cbcf617b58) explains in detail exactly why the way candidates raise money for elections needs to be reformed, and the dynamics that the creation of Super PACs have produced.

### What do you mean by "Citizen-Funded, Kick-started" Super PAC?

Mayday PAC was funded by two kick-started crowdfunding rounds. The first, in May, met it's $1M goal in 13 days, and the second, from June 4th to midnight, Independence Day. We met that goal thanks to a great last-minute rally nine hours before the deadline. Over 50,000 citizens have contributed to the Mayday PAC, making it truly a citizen-funded PAC. So far as we know, no Super PAC has ever had more contributors. 

### Is the Mayday PAC partisan?

No, and in fact, during our crowdfunding rounds, we allowed our donors to earmark their contributions to help "Democrats Only," "Republicans Only," or "Whatever Helps." The vast majority -- between 70-80% -- chose "Whatever Helps." We're not interested in pushing policies for the Left or the Right, but to free Congress to lead on issues that the Left and the Right care about. 

### What kind of "PAC" is the Mayday PAC?

The Mayday PAC is a 501(4)(c), or "Super PAC." That means that so long as the PAC is not seen as "coordinating" with any candidate or candidate's committee, we can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money. 

However, the ultimate aim of *this* super PAC is to end the dominance of super PACs in our elections. We want fundamental reform that will change the way elections are funded. The
first step towards that goal is to elect a Congress that will enact fundamental
reform. Once we have elected that Congress, we will then consider the constitutional
reform that will secure fundamental reform.

### So you want to use big money to fight big money?

Yes. We want to use big money (collected from the many) to fight big money
(collected from the few). *Ironic*, we understand. But *embrace the
irony*. Everyone recognizes that politics costs money in America. And we
don't imagine a future where campaigns are free. But if we can pull together a
large enough pool of money through this campaign, we can convince Americans that
they can change the way money matters in politics. We can create a system in
which it isn't the influence of a few that matters. Instead, as any democracy
should, it would be the influence of a majority that matters.

### What will you spend the money on?

We will use the money to win elections in which we’ve made fundamental reform a key issue.

As part of this effort, we will hire professional campaigners who will craft interventions in targeted districts to
make fundamental reform the issue in that campaign — and to make the reform
candidate the winner.

In 2014, these interventions will serve as prototype for a much larger round of
funding in the 2016 cycle. Our aim this year is to learn what works, and to
prepare for the much bigger fight in the next election for a majority in Congress committed
to reform.

100% of the money that came from our pledgers will be used to fund campaigns. Any expenses we
have to build and operate the MaydayPAC — and there will be some — will be paid
for through other donations.

We hope you’ll give us the freedom to run the most effective campaign for
fundamental reform that we can. But if you’d like to target your contributions,
you can indicate whether your money will help only Republicans, or only
Democrats.

### Will the contributors to the Mayday PAC be listed?

The names of all contributors above $200 will be reported to the FEC. We will
list the names of large contributors prominently on our site. We will not accept
anonymous contributions, or contributions from anonymizing entities.

### What does "fundamental reform" mean? What specific proposals do you support?

We want to reform the way campaigns are funded. As we see it, the critical
problem in American politics today is that a tiny fraction of Americans are the
effective, or relevant, funders of congressional campaigns. We want to spread
that influence in order to include the greatest number of citizens as the effective
funders of campaigns.

There are a range of proposals that would do this — some better than others, but
all which would achieve fundamental reform. Lawrence Lessig's campaign finance
reform group Rootstrikers has listed five specific proposals at
[reform.to](http://reform.to/#/reforms), and that list may evolve.

But as a first step, any candidate for Congress who has pledged to co-sponsor
one of these reforms will be safe from the Mayday PAC. At this point, we will
only target candidates who have not already committed to co-sponsoring fundamental
reform.

That standard may change. The requirements for "safe harbor" may need to
evolve. But at this point, the simplest way for a candidate or incumbent to
avoid the Mayday PAC is to commit to fundamental reform.

Here is a great video made by one of our supporters which explains "citizen funded elections" and what we mean by "fundamental reform."

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OCnRxgfV5ps" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

### The reforms at Reform.to are just statutory. What about constitutional change?

The work of the Mayday PAC will not be finished until we have secured constitutional reform. But that change is next on the list. It is not the focus of our work now. And we do not view a commitment to constitutional reform without a commitment to statutory reform as sufficient.

### Is campaign reform the only "screen" that will be used to decide which candidate(s) to support?

Yes. Support for fundamental reform in the way campaigns are funded is the
essential filter now. There will always be issues that we, as individuals, will feel passionate about. But the one and only thing that our pledgers and volunteers are
unanimously united on is the need to reform the way we fund elections in the
United States.

### Isn't it possible that otherwise "awful" candidates could say they will support campaign reform and then not actually do so once elected? How can you deal with this?

Yes, that's possible, but we will carefully screen candidates to minimize that possibility
(by selecting people who otherwise seem trustworthy and reliable), and make as
public as possible any commitments they make.

### Which candidates are you planning to support? Both Democrats and Republicans are recognized on your web page, but there is a huge difference in philosophies about fair elections between the two major parties.

In 2014, we will spend the money to learn and to teach — to learn what works
best, in winning seats on the basis of reform, and to teach that this is an
issue all Americans care about, whether Democrats, Republicans, or Independents. That
should make the candidates in 2016 at all levels of government pay attention.

That campaign will be most effective when it can launch fully and
effectively. If we pre-launch it — by announcing candidates now — it will
not be effective.

In 2016, we will spend money to win a majority in Congress committed to
fundamental reform.

### The options of "Whatever Helps," "Republicans Only," and "Democrats Only" do not leave room for an "Independents/3rd Party" option. Why have you chosen to exclude independent candidates?

In 2014, our objective is to win seats on the basis of reform, and to show that
we can win seats on the basis of reform. We don't see any independent candidates
on the federal level who could win this election cycle. Spending our donors
money to support independent candidates doesn't advance our objective. However,
if that changes, we will reconsider.


### Is there a physical mailing address where I can send my donation in the form of a check? I don't give money over the Internet.

Yes, there is:

> MAYDAY PAC<br>
> P.O. Box 380444<br>
> Cambridge, MA 02238

Please include your name, address, occupation, and employer along
with your check. According to FEC rules, we will be unable to accept
your donation without that information.

### Why is my bank reporting my pledge as a recurring payment?

Under no circumstances is your pledge a recurring payment. It is a one-time charge.

Our payments processor, like other payments processors, sends what is called a "recur flag" to banks to lessen the chances of a decline. Most banks do not pass this bit of technical info on to their customers' statements, but a few do. Either way, rest assured: your pledge is not a recurring payment. It is a one-time charge.

(Please note: If you made a donation through democracy.com, instead of a pledge, and chose to make that donation recurring, then you will in fact be charged on a monthly basis.)

### Do you accept Bitcoin contributions?

Thanks to a PAC called [MakeYourLaws](https://makeyourlaws.org/), which has gotten approval from the FEC for 501(4)(c) organizations to accept up to $100 from individuals in Bitcoin, yes. You can now donate bitcoin - up to $100 worth - at [mayday.us/bitcoin](/bitcoin)

### What percentage of my contribution is eaten up by overhead?

**None of the money raised through this citizens-up campaign will be spent for
overhead or other indirect costs. 100% of that money will be devoted to
campaigns.**

This doesn’t mean there is no overhead in this project. It means we will cover
the costs of that overhead — including even the payment processing fees from
your contributions — from other sources. Those costs will be as small as we can
keep them. None of the directors of the Mayday PAC will be paid. And we will
keep the costs of building and maintaining Mayday.us as low as possible. But
whatever costs this organizing site incurs, we will cover them independently of
the money raised through the two pledge campaigns.

### What payment processor do you use? Are my money and information safe?

We have decided upon using [Stripe](https://stripe.com/) as our payment
processor. Stripe has offered us a very competitive rate (for which we thank
them), and Stripe is compliant with PCI requirements and no sensitive data hits
our servers. When you enter in your credit card information, it is not stored
on the Mayday.us site and goes directly to Stripe via the Stripe.js API.

Or in short: Yes, your money and info are safe.

### What if my question isn't answered here?

You can ask us through our [Contact Page](/contact). Please send us your feedback.

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## Questions related specifically to our picks:

### Why are you supporting a Republican?

In the New Hampshire Republican Senate **Republican Primary**, we are supporting two-term State Senator Jim Rubens, the only Republican U.S. Senate candidate in the nation who has openly endorsed fundamental reform to the way campaigns are funded. 

Better yet, he's made political reform his central issue. While most Republicans in Congress oppose reform, this is a race where reformers can show that we will have the backs of those brave Republicans who buck special interests and do the right thing.

### By supporting Rubens, are you opposing incumbent Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D), a champion of reform?

The campaign we announced is in the Republican *Primary* in New Hampshire. In that race, we're supporting Jim Rubens *against Scott Brown.* 

If Jim Rubens wins the primary, then both candidates in the NH Senate race will be for public funding of elections. Our work will be done. We have no reason to be supporting one pro-public funding candidate against another. 

We will wait for the results of the primary before deciding whether to take further steps in the NH Senate race.  

### You're giving candidates a chance to inoculate themselves by pledging for reform. What happens if a candidate claims to support reform, and then doesn't?

Those candidates could be on our target list for 2016. 

### My candidate supports reform, but you don't have their stance listed!?

Great! [Send us a press release or public statement](https://mayday.us/contact/), and we'll make sure it gets posted.

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