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 competition masks a shared dependency on money.
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 publicly commit to all 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 not ideological distancing from progressive values.
It is structural independence from party fundraising machinery.
Modern party systems enforce “call time”- mandatory fundraising regimes that bind candidates to donor priorities. Independence from money requires independence from party enforcement.
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
- 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.
When working people have purchasing power, businesses thrive.
Demand builds prosperity. 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.
But even here:
- Housing costs crush families
- Healthcare drains savings
- Wages lag behind productivity
- AI threatens creative and technical jobs
- Public trust in government continues to erode
We cannot solve 21st century problems with a 20th century fundraising model.
As someone who spent four decades in union television production and served three terms on the Directors Guild of America Council, I have seen firsthand how representation changes when loyalty runs upward instead of downward.
Representation must run downward — to the people.
Artificial Intelligence: The Defining Issue
AI is not a niche topic.
It is the defining labor and economic issue of our generation.
Without structural reform, AI will:
- Displace workers
- Concentrate wealth
- Hollow out middle-class industries
- Replace creative labor with automated systems
With proper policy, AI can:
- Shorten workweeks
- Raise wages
- Increase productivity
- Fund universal economic security
The difference is political will.
And political will requires independence from donor capture.
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.
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.
A proof that ordinary citizens can challenge the donor class without selling out.
When the money ends, democracy thrives.
—
Doug Smith
OPEN SOURCE CANDIDATE
Doug Smith for Congress – CA 32
The Politics That Money Cannot Touch
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 currently remain legally exempt from filing FEC Form 2 because I raise and spend no qualifying campaign funds.
This campaign operates without donor financing.
It is conducted in the open.
Why Run This Way
For decades, both major parties have operated within the same financial incentives.
Fundraising obligations shape access, messaging, and governing priorities.
If outcomes are to change, the structure must change.
An Open Source Candidate campaign creates a structural break from donor driven politics. This approach is practical, measurable, and publicly verifiable.
The Four Pillars
Every legitimate Open Source Candidate must meet four non negotiable standards. I publicly commit to all four.
These standards are measurable and publicly verifiable.
1. Zero Money
- No donations of any kind
- No crowdfunding
- No paid consultants
- No paid advertising
- No party resources
- No in kind coordination
If qualifying campaign funds are accepted, the Open Source model no longer applies.
This campaign is designed to demonstrate that candidates can communicate directly with voters without financial gatekeeping.
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 more than forty years, supply side economic policy has concentrated wealth while wage growth has lagged behind productivity.
The Open Source framework supports restoring and modernizing FDR’s Second Bill of Rights for the AI era.
This includes:
- A 50,000 dollar universal basic income floor
- A modernized WPA guaranteeing full employment
- Living wage jobs
- Affordable housing
- Universal healthcare
- Quality public education
- Strengthened Social Security
- Protections for workers affected by AI and automation
When working households have stable purchasing power, local businesses and regional economies grow more sustainably.
4. Strategic Integrity
If credible, methodologically sound polling demonstrates that my candidacy would split the vote in a way that enables a supply side conservative to win, I will withdraw and endorse the most viable demand side candidate.
This commitment will be public, documented, and binding.
The purpose of this campaign is structural reform, not personal advancement.
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 elevated
- Healthcare expenses strain household budgets
- Wage growth has not kept pace with productivity
- 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 Council, I have seen how representation shifts depending on where accountability flows.
Effective representation must remain accountable to the public.
Artificial Intelligence: The Defining Issue
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the central labor and economic issue of this decade.
Without thoughtful policy, AI may:
- Displace workers across multiple industries
- Concentrate wealth and market power
- Disrupt middle class career paths
- Reshape creative and technical professions
With appropriate policy frameworks, AI can help:
- Support shorter workweeks
- Increase productivity
- Improve wage growth
- Strengthen long term economic security
Policy direction will determine which path prevails.
HR 415 and the STOP Act
Restoring Trust in Congress
Public trust improves when clear rules govern financial conduct in office.
I support the goals of the STOCK Act and the current effort to strengthen enforcement through HR 415, often referred to as the STOP Act.
Members of Congress should operate under conflict of interest standards that match or exceed those required in the private sector.
What HR 415 Seeks to Do
The proposed STOP Act focuses on tightening compliance and enforcement around congressional stock trading rules.
Key areas of reform include:
- Stronger reporting requirements
- Clearer enforcement mechanisms
- Greater transparency around financial activity
- Improved accountability for violations
These steps represent meaningful progress, though additional reforms may be warranted over time.
Why This Matters to CA 32
California’s 32nd District includes workers in technology, entertainment, healthcare, and small business.
Many professionals in these fields operate under strict conflict of interest rules. Voters reasonably expect comparable standards from federal lawmakers.
When legislators trade individual stocks in industries affected by their policy decisions, public confidence can erode.
Trust functions as civic infrastructure. Maintaining it requires consistent standards and visible enforcement.
My Open Source Standard on Congressional Trading
Consistent with the Open Source Candidate framework, I commit to the following:
- No trading of individual stocks while in office
- Full public financial transparency
- Support for stronger federal restrictions on congressional trading
- Support for enforcement mechanisms with meaningful consequences
Public service should maintain clear separation from personal market advantage.
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
If the model struggles to gain traction, the experiment still provides useful data about how financial expectations shape perceived viability.
Either outcome produces information that can inform future reform efforts.
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 with full public visibility.
A Plain Chalice
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the correct choice was the plain wooden cup.
The Open Source Candidate model reflects that same principle of simplicity and durability. It prioritizes structural integrity over campaign polish and keeps the focus on public accountability.
The Long Game
This campaign is designed as a working prototype.
Its purpose is to test whether 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.
Doug Smith