Knight Talk with Mae Quilty '11 from Democracy Matters!

Mae Quilty is a senior Political Science Major and has started a group on campus called "Democracy Matters".

1. What is Democracy Matters?
Democracy matters is a non-partisan, campus-based national organization that works to get private money out of politics and people back in. They offer internships on different campuses across the US and work to train young people as effective grassroots organizers.

2. Why have you gotten involved with this group?
I chose to get involved with this group because as a Political Science major I feel an obligation to take what I learn in the classroom out into the real world. I believe in the importance of democracy and the need to work toward the changes that you want to see. As a part of Democracy Matters, I am able to focus on a wide range of issues while being an active member of civil society.

3. How are you trying to get St. Michael's students involved?
In order to get SMC students involved, I have put information up on the Political Science bulletin board in St.Ed's, sent e-mails, presented to Green Up, tabled in Alliot, and held weekly meetings on Mondays at 5:30 in Eddie's Lounge.

4. What kind of activities and events will you be sponsoring?
So far, we have a few events in the works. On October 21st, the Northeast coordinator for Democracy Matters will be speaking in both sections of Professor Siplon's Introduction to American National Politics classes. In addition, we will hold a panel in the Farrel Room on October 20th at 7:00 with multiple speakers on the topic of money in politics. We are also hoping to host a Rock the Vote Concert to promote participation in the upcoming November election, but details still need to be finalized. Another ongoing project we will be working on is petitioning for signatures for the Fair Elections Now Act which would allow federal candidates to run for office without relying on donations from corporations or lobbyists.


5. Why does democracy matter to you and why do you think it should matter to other St. Mike's Students?
Democracy matters to me because I see it as a privilege. I feel lucky to live in a country where my voice really does matter, and in order to make it count I need to actively engage in my society. There are so many issues out there today that people are passionate about and the cool thing about Democracy Matters is that it is connected to most of them. Whether it's the environment, health care, civil rights, women's empowerment, you name it, it all comes back to the issue of money in politics.