Campaign for Economic Democracy
AbbreviationCED
Formation1976
DissolvedJuly 1986
TypePAC
Legal statusdefunct
HeadquartersSanta Monica, California
Membership
12,000
LeaderTom Hayden

Campaign for Economic Democracy (CED) was a California-based political action committee founded by activist and politician Tom Hayden along with his wife, actress and activist Jane Fonda. The CED was formed to promote New Left issues such as rent control, reduction of water pollution, investing in solar power and fighting against nuclear power, advocating labor rights, women's rights and various anti-war initiatives. The CED helped Hayden shift his radical left image more to the center, to reduce opposition and allow him to win his political campaigns.[1] At the same time, pressure from the CED was intended to move the Democratic Party to the left.[2] The CED successfully passed rent control laws in 1979 in Santa Monica, and they backed the 1986 California Proposition 65 to reduce toxins discharged into public water sources.[3]

Tom Hayden in 2007

Another goal of the CED was to support Hayden's hard-fought 1982 bid for a seat on the California State Assembly, in which he was victorious.[4] That same year, the CED helped to elect 60 California state politicians.[2]

The CED was funded at first by money from Fonda's film career, then increasingly by the growing Jane Fonda's Workout media franchise, including three exercise studios in 1979–80, the best-selling Jane Fonda's Workout Book in 1981, and in 1982 a Platinum-certified exercise record and the hugely popular home video, which developed into a series.[5] In early 1982 before the LP and video were released, Hayden said the PAC was receiving $30,000 each month from Fonda's workout studios and book.[6] In 1984, Fonda reduced her contributions to the CED in order to fund her own political interests, such as abortion rights and ending apartheid in South Africa.[2] Even so, the CED reported that Fonda's Workout franchise had donated about $800,000 in 1986 – half of their annual budget.[3]

Fonda gradually pulled back from the CED, reducing her visibility due to the persistent political backlash against her 1972 visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, when she rashly posed for photos on an enemy anti-aircraft artillery unit.[7][2] Hayden saw poll results showing that negative feelings for Fonda among voters were probably holding back his political rise.[4] The CED disbanded in July 1986 to be replaced by Hayden's Campaign California using the same headquarters and staff, but widening to state and national aspirations.[3]

References

  1. ^ Judd, Richard W. (1998). "Hayden, Tom". In Mari Jo Buhle; Paul Buhle; Dan Georgakas (eds.). Encyclopedia of the American Left (2 ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 295. ISBN 0-19-512088-4.
  2. ^ a b c d Ross, Steven J. (2011). Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics. Oxford University Press. p. 260. ISBN 9780195181722.
  3. ^ a b c Citron, Alan (July 24, 1986). "Hayden's New Group to Continue CED Work". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Anderson, Christopher (July 26, 1990). "Before The Breakup, Tom And Jane Were Political Royalty". Seattle Times. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  5. ^ Ferrise, Jennifer (September 18, 2018). "Jane Fonda on Her Biggest Regret – and How She Got Past It". InStyle. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  6. ^ Lindsey, Robert (May 2, 1982). "Jane Fonda's Exercise Videos Aiding Her Husband's Candidacy". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  7. ^ Brownstein, Ronald (September 25, 1990). "Name of Jane Fonda a Trusty GOP Weapon". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
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