OPEN SOURCE
OPEN SOURCE CANDIDATE
Doug Smith for Congress – CA 32
I am running for Congress as an Open Source Candidate.
That means:
- I accept no donations.
- I am not affiliated with any political party.
- I use only free, public, transparent tools to communicate.
- I remain legally exempt from filing FEC Form 2 because I raise and spend no qualifying campaign funds.
This campaign is not financed.
It is witnessed.
It is not backed by donors.
It is backed by principles.
Why Run This Way?
For decades, both major parties have operated inside the same financial gravity:
Fundraise → Obligate → Compromise → Repeat.
The appearance of healthy competition masks a shared dependency on dark money forces to survive.
If we want different outcomes, we need a different structure.
An Open Source Candidate campaign is a structural break from donor politics.
Not symbolic. Structural.
The Four Pillars
Every legitimate Open Source Candidate must meet four non-negotiable standards. I commit to the following four.
1. Zero Money
- No donations (corporate, PAC, individual, or small-dollar)
- No crowdfunding
- No paid consultants
- No paid advertising
- No party resources
- No in-kind coordination
If even one qualifying dollar is accepted, the model collapses.
This campaign is a demonstration that money is not required to speak truth.
2. Unaffiliated
I am not a member of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, or any political party.
This is a structural decision. Modern party systems rely heavily on continuous fundraising expectations that shape candidate behavior. Independence from money requires independence from those financial enforcement mechanisms.
3. Reverse Reaganomics
For over forty years, supply-side economics has concentrated wealth upward while wages stagnated.
The Open Source framework commits to restoring and modernizing FDR’s Second Bill of Rights for the AI age.
That includes:
- A $50,000 universal basic income floor (U.B.I.)
- A 21st century WPA guaranteeing full employment
- Living wage jobs
- Affordable housing
- Universal healthcare
- Quality public education
- Strengthened Social Security
- Protection from AI and automation displacement
This is not radical. It is updated New Deal economics. A healthy economy strengthens democracy and in turn builds the middle class.
When working people have purchasing power, businesses thrive.
Demand builds prosperity from the bottom up, not trickle-down.
4. Strategic Integrity
If credible polling shows that my candidacy would split the vote and enable a supply-side conservative to win, I will withdraw and endorse the most viable demand-side candidate.
Principles come before ego.
The goal is not to be a spoiler.
The goal is to fracture the money monopoly without causing collateral damage.
This commitment will be public, documented, and binding.
Why This Matters in CA 32
California’s 32nd Congressional District represents innovation, labor, creativity, and diversity.
At the same time, residents across the district continue to face real pressure:
- Housing costs remain unaffordable
- Healthcare expenses strain household budgets
- Wage growth has not kept pace with inflation
- AI is beginning to disrupt creative and technical work
- Public trust in government institutions has declined
Addressing these challenges requires updated policy tools and greater independence from donor pressure.
After four decades in union television production and three terms on the Directors Guild of America ADSM Council, I have witnessed the same need to rebuild trust, especially with regard to addressing responsible technological advancement while allowing the middle class to flourish.
Artificial Intelligence: The Defining Issue
AI is not a niche topic.
It is the defining labor economic AND humanitarian issue of our generation.
Without structural reform and strict regulation, AI will:
- Displace workers
- Concentrate wealth
- Hollow out middle-class industries
- Replace creative labor with automated systems
With strict regulations and absolute alignment, AI can:
- Shorten workweeks
- Raise wages
- Increase productivity
- Fund universal economic security
The difference is political will in defending our society against forces focused entirely on profit and power.
And political will requires independence from donor capture.
We must employ even STRONGER regulations on the development of Super Intelligence (AGI).
What This Campaign Proves
If voters respond to a zero-money campaign:
- It proves campaigns don’t require millions.
- It proves seriousness is not measured in ad buys.
- It proves democracy can operate without financial gatekeeping.
If voters reject it:
- The framework still exposes how deeply money defines perceived legitimacy.
Either way, the illusion weakens.
What This Campaign Tests
If voters respond positively to a zero money campaign:
- It will demonstrate that viable campaigns can operate without large fundraising totals
- It will show that voter engagement can occur outside traditional advertising models
- It will provide a working example of donor independent campaigning
Transparency Commitment
- All policy positions are public
- Strategic withdrawal criteria are public
- Legal exemption status is documented
- No hidden funding streams
- No PAC coordination
- No consultants shaping private messaging
This campaign operates in the open.
Humble, clear-eyed
AND incorruptible.
This campaign is not a protest.
It is a prototype.
When the money ends, democracy thrives.
Its purpose is to ensure ordinary citizens can challenge the donor dependent model while remaining fully transparent and compliant with election law.
Long term democratic resilience depends on expanding the range of viable campaign structures available to candidates and voters
Candidate for Congress
California’s 32nd District
Doug Smith