About UsTo make our democracy work, we must claim it as our own. John Gardner, Common Cause’s founder, wrote that, "The citizen can bring our political and governmental institutions back to life, make them responsive and accountable and keep them honest. No one else can." This then is our common cause: to forge a democracy by and responsive to an engaged public, and committed to progress in the struggle for social, economic and environmental justice for all.Common CauseCC_b1dc0de2-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aCommon Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1970 by John Gardner as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest. Today, Common Cause is one of the most active, effective, and respected nonprofit organizations working for political change in America. Common Cause strives to strengthen our democracy by empowering our members, supporters and the general public to take action on critical policy issues. Now with nearly 400,000 members and supporters and 35 state organizations, Common Cause remains committed to honest, open and accountable government, as well as encouraging citizen participation in democracy. In 2000, the organization created the Common Cause Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity, as its public education and research affiliate. Common Cause is financed, in large part, by the dues and contributions of our individual members. Because we are a 501(c)(4) lobbying organization, such contributions to Common Cause are not tax deductible. The combined annual operating budget of Common Cause and the Common Cause Education Fund is approximately $10 million.Bob EdgarBob Edgar is the president and CEO of Common Cause. Bob arrived at Common Cause in 2007 with a long history of leadership and public service that included 12 years in Congress. He was the general secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA for seven years immediately before becoming Common Cause President. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 to represent the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia, Bob was part of the congressional class nicknamed "the Watergate babies," those elected in the wake of the Watergate scandal and who led sweeping reforms of Congress.Robert ReichRobert Reich is the Chair of the National Governing Board. Reich is a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He was Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, with Time magazine naming him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the last century. He has published 13 books, including Supercapitalism (2007), which makes the case for why capitalism must be kept separate from democracy, and why corporate money in politics threatens both. His newest book, Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future, has just been released. He is founding co-editor of The American Prospect, a syndicated columnist, regular commentator on public radio's Marketplace and other radio and television programs, and blogs at www.robertreich.org. Martha TierneyMartha Tierney is the Vice Chair of the National Governing Board. Martha is a partner at the Denver law firm of Kelly Garnsey Hubbell + Lass LLC, where she concentrates on civil rights and election law matters, as well as commercial litigation in both federal and state courts. Martha joined the Common Cause National Governing Board in 2005 and also serves on the board of Colorado Common Cause. She is a member of the board of directors of the Colorado Lawyer’s Committee and serves on its election task force, as well as the Colorado Secretary of State’s campaign finance advisory committee. Martha received her law degree from Vermont Law School and is graduate of Colorado College. National Governing BoardCommon Cause's National Governing Board serves as its policy-making body and provides broad oversight for the organization. The members of the board are chosen for three-year terms. The board meets in Washington, DC three times a year to discuss, determine and oversee issue, financial and organizational matters. Common Cause Education FundTogether with our sister organization, the Common Cause Education Fund, we employ a powerful combination of grassroots organizing, coalition building, research, policy development, public education, lobbying and litigation to win reform at all levels of government. The Common Cause Education Fund, our 501(c)(3) affiliate, conducts research, education, and outreach activities and is supported by foundation grants and tax-deductible contributions from individuals and institutions.MembersFounded with 4,000 core members in 1970 to serve as a people’s lobby, Common Cause has grown into a nationwide network of more than 400,000 members and supporters, with offices in 36 states and Washington, D.C.A democracy by and responsive to an engaged public, and committed to progress in the struggle for social, economic and environmental justice for all._b1dc1094-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aCommon Cause serves as an independent voice for change and a watchdog against corruption and abuse of power._b1dc122e-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aAmerican DemocracyCommon Cause is dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard in the political process.OpennessHonesty AccountabilityParticipation and Faith in Self-GovernmentStrengthen public participation and faith in our institutions of self-government_b1dc1332-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a1_b1dc1404-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aCommon GoodEnsure that government and the political process serve the common good, rather than special interests_b1dc14e0-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a2_b1dc15b2-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aInfluence of MoneyCurb the excessive influence of money on government decisions and elections and illuminate the connections between lobbying money coming in and government expenditures going out_b1dc1698-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a3_b1dc177e-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aElectionsPromote fair, honest and transparent elections_b1dc186e-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a4_b1dc195e-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aEthics and LawHold government officials accountable for working within the rule of law and under high standards of ethical conduct_b1dc1a58-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a5_b1dc1b5c-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aMediaFight for a vigorous, independent and diverse media_b1dc1cc4-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a6_b1dc1dd2-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2aCivil Rights and LibertiesProtect the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans_b1dc1ecc-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a7_b1dc1fd0-fc57-11e0-89f9-5c1f7a64ea2a2011-10-21http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4860183OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net