At a time when the 2010 midterm elections set a record for campaign spending; and a new populism is on the rise that contains elements of anger and racism it’s good to remember Doris “Granny D.” Haddock the amazing, eloquent, funny grandmother who gave the last 15 years of her life to getting money out of politics and to embody a populism that is fueled by love, compassion and a bright, clear sense of justice.
Granny D. was best known for walking, in her 90th year, from Los Angeles to Washington DC to tell those she met along the way that there is a way to restore democracy by removing the privilege of money. Among the many proposals for campaign finance reform that she pursued, one national piece of legislation was then under debate, the McCain Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act – and she is widely credited for galvanizing the public support that helped pass that Act in 2002.
She had worked on campaign finance reform on the state level before her walk and she continued to do so when she returned home in March 2000. For another decade she did vigils, was arrested, met with over half the Senators and about 100 House members. She walked 300 miles across Missouri with the Alliance for Democracy and founded a group that pushed the New Hampshire state legislature to create the Citizen Funded Election Task Force.
Granny D. died March 9, 2010, at the age of 100. Just before her death, which came very suddenly, she had jokingly discussed with her friends and supporters what it would be like to walk across the country again to call attention to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled corporations are persons and have First Amendment rights and that the government cannot impose restrictions on their political speech. That decision cleared the way for corporations and other special interest groups to spend the record amounts of money which we see in the 2010 midterm election.
Granny D. left behind a treasure of writings, recorded speeches, and an inspiring diary of her 1999/2000 walk across America – some of which you will be able to enjoy in this double program. Molly Ivins said about her her: Granny D, gives you “the strength, courage and optimism to keep fighting for change.” Thanks to <http://www.humanmedia.org/> for clips of Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower and Dennis Burke. David Freudberg produced a beautiful one hour portrait of Granny D. that you can access at: <http://www.humanmedia.org/catalog/program.php?products_id=104> And thanks to Amy Goodman of <http://www.democracynow.org/> for parts of her interview with Granny D. during her Senate campaign.
For a broadcast quality mp3 version of Part ONE click HERE
For a broadcast quality mp3 version of Part TWO click HERE
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