User:Trackinfo/Alison Hartson

Alison Hartson is an American teacher and activist.

Hartson is a former co-National Director of Wolf PAC,  a grassroots non-partisan political action committee advocating campaign finance reform. Hartson was "the first in her family to earn a college degree" and taught in working class high schools for ten years; in that job she had "realized the influence of money in politics was the root cause of other problems in society." She found Wolf PAC through a web search and had decided to volunteer. Wolf PAC aims to ratify an amendment to the United States Constitution to end the influence of money in the American political system and eliminate corporate domination of political decisions due to widespread corporate campaign contributions, especially those made towards Super PACs as legalized by the Citizens United Supreme Court decision. Since many legislators in Congress receive some form of Super PAC donation, Wolf PAC does not attempt to pass its constitutional amendment in Congress, instead lobbying state legislatures to call an Article V constitutional convention. Hartson began by training volunteers, eventually becoming a regional organizer. Next she became the California statewide organizer. With a popular proposal with 90% approval ratings, Hartson led lobbying efforts that made it virtually impossible for legislators to vote against the bill; meeting legislators and staff directly; organizing a phone bank to reach out to their constituents, who in-turn contacted their legislators; 60 speakers at the committee hearings and a simultaneous rally outside. During her time as California State Director she oversaw the group of volunteers increase 360 per cent. On June 23, 2014, the California Senate passed approval of the resolution, completing the process in Hartson's home state. Since then, Hartson has led efforts, touring the country mentoring local volunteers to lobby in their own states. Hartson stepped down from her position at Wolf PAC in order to run for political office.

On November 2, 2017, Hartson announced her candidacy in the 2018 Senate election in California. On that day, she appeared on The Young Turks, a show hosted by Cenk Uygur, the founder of Wolf PAC. Her committee filed official paperwork with the FEC on November 7. Hartson is likely to face opposition from the incumbent, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and the president pro tempore of the California State Senate, Kevin de León, both of whom are Democrats.

""Hartson lives in Orange County and is not well-known outside of progressive circles. She said she is hoping to capitalize on the wave of people inspired by the 2016 presidential bid of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.""

""We can't wait for some progressive ideas to happen 20 years from now. We need a democracy that works for people and we need it now.""

Along with the activist Paula Jean Swearengin, who is a candidate in the concurrent Senate election in West Virginia, Hartson is one of the first two candidates for the United States Senate put forward by the Justice Democrats, an organization created by Uygur, in the wake of the 2016 presidential campaign by Sen. Bernie Sanders from Vermont, to elect congressional candidates who support campaign finance reform.

Political positions

 * Money out of politics
 * $15 minimum wage
 * Free public college and trade school for all
 * Single-payer health care system