WASHINGTON - June 21 - Today, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) launched the Campaign to End Corporate Rule. Its mission states:

The Campaign to End Corporate Rule exists to influence budget debates, election outcomes, public policy and other achievable short-term, mid-term and long-term objectives to restore democratic balance and end corporate dominance in our society.

Corporate welfare will be a main theme of the campaign, beginning with the Medicare Part D prohibition on negotiating prices of bulk medicine purchases, which could save hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars in a decade—easily a trillion dollars over two decades—if eliminated. The campaign is asking taxpayers to sign a petition asking Congress to close the no-negotiation loophole.

"Time and again, whether we are seeking sensible healthcare, environmental, economic, or foreign policy supported by a majority of Americans, we are stifled because corporate lobbyists and donors have managed to get between us and our legislators," said Tim Carpenter, PDA national director.

From healthcare to energy and financial services, mega-corporations have a stranglehold on our legislators, resulting in record-breaking profits for the executives and shareholders, and huge long-term liabilities for taxpayers. The economic crash of 2008 is only one recent example.

Federal and state governments, experiencing budget shortfalls, are proposing and passing austerity measures on those same taxpayers while passing tax cuts for the very wealthy and big business, despite dire warnings from many prominent economists that austerity measures will slow down the recovery for Main Street.

Carpenter added, "Instead of putting people back to work—a known economic stimulator—and refilling government coffers with the taxes that millions of unemployed Americans used to pay, we get policies that further exacerbate the Main Street economic recession."

The campaign will work in alliance with other organizations and individuals. For more information, visit: http://www.pdamerica.org/get-active/iot/campaign-to-end-corporate-rule/3082. Contact: Stephen Spitz and Doug Ballard at campaigntoendcorporaterule@pdamerica.org.

Progressive Democrats of America was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and our country. We seek to build a party and government controlled by citizens, not corporate elites—with policies that serve the broad public interest, not just private interests. PDA is a grassroots PAC operating inside the Democratic Party, and outside in movements for peace and justice. Our inside/outside strategy is guided by the belief that a lasting majority will require a revitalized Democratic Party built on firm progressive principles.

For over two decades, the party declined as its leadership listened more to the voices of corporations than those of Americans. PDA strives to rebuild the Democratic Party from the bottom up--from every congressional district to statewide party structures to the corridors of power in Washington, where we work arm in arm with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In just five years, PDA and its allies have shaken up the political status quo--on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Medicare for all, voter rights, accountability, and economic and environmental justice.