I trust that most of you will agree that Citizens United is the worst Supreme Court Amendment since Dred Scott. Several bills are circulating in Congress to mitigate the damage done by this unconstitutional decision, but even if they pass, there is nothing to stop the five Republican Injustices from overturning them. Long term, we need a Constitutional amendment to undo the damage. Yesterday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced that amendment.
Warning that “American democracy in endangered,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today proposed a constitutional amendment to overturn a Supreme Court ruling that allowed unrestricted and secret campaign spending by corporations on U.S. elections. The first constitutional amendment ever proposed by Sanders during his two decades in Congress would reverse the narrow 5-to-4 ruling in Citizens United vs. the Federal Elections Commission. In that controversial decision almost two years ago, justices gave corporations the same First Amendment free-speech rights as people.
“There comes a time when an issue is so important that the only way to address it is by a constitutional amendment,” Sanders said of the effort to override the court decision that he labeled “a complete undermining of democracy.”
Sanders’ Saving American Democracy Amendment would make clear that corporations are not entitled to the same constitutional rights as people and that corporations may be regulated by Congress and state legislatures. It also would preserve the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press. It would incorporate a century-old ban on corporate campaign donations to candidates, and establish broad authority for Congress and states to regulate spending in elections… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Common Dreams>
Here is Bernie introducing it on the Senate floor.
I fully support this amendment and urge you to do so too.
President Obama lashed out at Congress on Thursday for blocking his nomination to head a consumer financial watchdog agency, saying Americans are frustrated with legislators for holding up critical appointments to win concessions on other matters.
As some Republicans, including Majority Leader Eric Cantor (VA), are growing worried that opposing a payroll tax cut extension will undercut their message as anti-tax zealots, other Republicans have opposed the extension at every turn. Despite their staunch opposition to raising taxes on millionaires, these Republicans have cycled through the reasons to avoid providing a tax cut to the middle class that would allow the average family to pocket an extra $1,000 a year.
Senate Republicans on Wednesday showed no signs of backing down from their threatened filibuster of President Barack Obama’s nominee to head a new financial watchdog agency, even as Democrats framed the fight as a stark choice between Wall Street and Main Street.
