A panel discussion hosted by the Brennan Center for Justice in the Montgomery Interpretive Center of Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail focused on important issues such as campaign finance, the role of social media in politics, and the challenges Southern legislators face daily in their work.
The event, held Thursday, March 6 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., was presented by the Levi Watkins Learning Center.
The Brennan Center for Justice advocates for public policy positions including raising the minimum wage, opposing voter identification (ID) laws, and calling for public funding of elections.
Several state legislators who served as the panel to discuss these issues were Alabama State Rep. Anthony Daniels, Mississippi State Rep. Kabir Karriem, Alabama State Sen. Robert Stewart, Tennessee State Sen. Charlene Oliver and Louisiana State Rep. Joy Walters.
Vice President of the Brennan Center for Justice Kareem Clayton, Ph.D., moderated the event and asked the panelists a pressing question about money in politics, “Do you believe money corrupts campaigns, and how can it be addressed?”
Karriem suggested that communities should start their own Political Action Committees (PACs) to raise the necessary funds for driving political change.
“If you want to change the dynamics, you need the money to do so,” Karriem said.
An Alabama State Senator Robert Stewart from Selma, Alabama, shared his experience of running his campaign with only $6,000.
“I got to the Senate with just $6,000 to run my campaign,” Stewart explained. “My focus has always been on restoring power to the people, and I believe that campaign finance should empower communities.”
The panel also touched on how legislators engage with their constituents.
Louisiana State Representative Joy Walters from Shreveport, Louisiana explained how time constraints in committee meetings often limit the ability to address all the concerns of citizens.
“As a committee chair, we have to make sure to address everything that needs to be discussed, but we often only have a few minutes to do so,” Walters said.
State Senator Charlene Oliver from Nashville, Tennessee, agreed with Walters, highlighting that Tennessee legislators are restricted to just two minutes to address public concerns.
“The issues we are fighting for in Tennessee are very popular, and the people are on our side,” Oliver said. “But the establishment does not want these issues getting out to the public, so we try to leverage the media to get our message out. Two weeks ago, 12 of us walked out in protest during the governor’s State of the Union address because of the school vouchers that passed in the special session in January. This was our way of leveraging the media people did not talk about the address; they talked about the walk out.”
Oliver continued, emphasizing how social media has both positive and negative aspects.
“Social media is a double edged sword. It is a great tool to democratize the civic process, but on the flip side, it has made us lazy.”
Anthony Daniels, House Minority Leader from Huntsville, Alabama, also weighed in, humorously stating that Donald Trump was “doing a good job” on those issues, which prompted a laugh from the audience.
Daniels explained his unique situation, where he often works with representatives from the other side of the aisle to shape policy.
“It is like a game of 3D chess,” Daniels said. “You have to utilize the tools you have from the House floor. You need to find common ground, agitate the system, and get people to give up on their positions.”
Daniels also highlighted the importance of press conferences, especially with live streaming.
“We hold press conferences that draw more attention now,” he said. “It is all coordinated, and it helps us keep the public informed.”
While the panel discussion was rich with personal perspectives on the role of money in politics, media influence, and representing the public, no specific strategies were presented for addressing campaign finance reform or corruption in the political system.