Democracy Rising PA

==Background==
* Formed in 2004 after the slots gambling law passed without public knowledge, without public hearings, and without public approval, Democracy Rising PA advocates for greater integrity in state government.
* Timothy Potts is the co-founder.
==Issues==
* Wants to hold a Constitutional Convention in PA.
==Statements==
* Democracy Rising PA-statements-Widoff from March 2007
* 99 candidates commit to integrity actions in April 2008
==Links==
* Constitutional Convention-LTE-Daugherty
* Kathleen Daugherty
* Electing the Speaker of the PA-House-plank-DemRising from December, 2006
* Mark Widoff, interim chair in March 2007
==Details==
===Fundraising letter from December 2006===
Dear Friends,
For more than two years, Democracy Rising PA has worked with citizens throughout the Commonwealth to get public officials – especially lawmakers – to respect our Constitution and the people they are supposed to serve. The results speak for themselves:
· 736,000 voters removed a Supreme Court justice from the bench for the first time in state history.
· Voter outrage spurred 31 incumbents lawmakers to retire rather than face the voters again.
· Voters defeated another 17 lawmakers in the 2006 primary election and another 7 in the general election, including the historic defeat of three “unbeatable” architects of the Pay Raise.
· Voter turnout has exceeded expectations in each of the last three elections.
For more than two years, we have done this as volunteers. No one working for Democracy Rising PA has collected a pay check yet. In fact, both Co-Founder Kathleen Daugherty and I have paid a price for our commitment to integrity in government. But you – the fans and friends of Democracy Rising PA – have made it worthwhile.
Only you can keep Democracy Rising.
You are the essential element in all we do. On the web, at community meetings and in the news, we have worked to give you information and insight about how Harrisburg really works. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions about state government and the public officials who serve in it.
That’s how we will achieve our mission – to create in Pennsylvania the highest standards of public integrity, the best value for tax dollars, the clearest transparency and the highest levels of citizen confidence of any state government in America.
In return, you have given us tremendous moral support and encouragement to keep fighting on your behalf. Literally, there are days when something as simple as an email of appreciation lifts our spirits and helps us carry on.
But now we need to ask for your financial support as well. In December, we’re trying to raise $25,000 from individual donations to cover just our expenses for the year – like rebuilding my computer when a virus recently attacked it.
We’re asking for $32.16 – or for any other amount you can give, however small or large.
Why $32.16? That’s a long story, and one we’ll be glad to send you with the receipt for your donation. We find it inspirational, even if our opponents find it annoying.
In January, if not before, we expect to receive approval from the IRS of our application for tax-exemption. When we do, you will receive an official receipt allowing you to deduct your donation from your 2006 taxes.
Sending this appeal to your friends and neighbors is another way to keep Democracy Rising.
When the virus struck my computer (and our back-up system), we lost a lot of email addresses. And, of course, there’s no way to know who they are. When you forward this appeal, you can help us re-connect with old friends and make new ones.
Please make your most generous donation today. Just print out the form below and mail it with your check to:
Democracy Rising PA
P.O. Box 618
Carlisle, PA 17013
Donation _____ $32.16 _____ Other ($______)
*Name ____________________________________________
*Address __________________________________________
*City_____________________ *State ___ *Zip _________
*County ___________________________________________
E-mail address ______________________________________
*Occupation ________________________________________
* indicates required information.
Thank you! And best wishes for the holidays!
====Two quick notes:====
1. The official registration and financial information of Democracy Rising PA may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1 (800) 732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. 
2. Democracy Rising PA believes in transparency. So our policy is to post the names and addresses of our donors on our web site, as well as the amount of the donation. If that’s a problem for you, we understand. We’ve been a problem for a lot of people in the past two years. J
Tim Potts, Co-Founder, Democracy Rising PA
http://www.democracyrisingpa.com
717-243-8570
category:organizations