Beautiful video of 1,000+ people spelling out “Dump Citizens United” with their bodies on Saturday Posted on October 18, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments Here’s a beautiful, heart-warming video of how 1,000 people got together on Saturday to spell out "Dump Citizens United" with their bodies, on a beach in San Francisco. We’re proud to have helped make it happen. Read More
Excellent CNN radio piece: “The Biggest Election Fight You’re Missing” Posted on October 16, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Defending Key Reforms Here’s an excellent story on CNN radio about how Montana’s upcoming vote on I-166 ties into so many values Americans everywhere hold sacred. It’s well worth your 10 minutes to listen: http://soundcloud.com/cnn/cnnradioreportsa10-12-2012-mp3 It’s dated October 12th, and it’s called "The Biggest Election Fight You’re Missing", by Lisa Desjarins of CNN. Free Speech For People is helping to support the campaign for I-166 in Montana. Read More
Republican former Congressman: Citizens United = Dred Scott; corporate personhood = oligarchy Posted on October 14, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments Post originally appeared on Corporations Are Not People Jeff Clements October 14, 2012 Read More
Senator John McCain says Citizens United is Supreme Court’s “worst decision ever”. Posted on October 12, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments Senator McCain (R-AZ), raised his criticism of the Citizens United decision to a new level, calling it the Supreme Court’s "worst decision ever" in a speech at Oxford University on October 10th. Below are excerpts from Huffington Post and Oxonian Globalist reports. — Read More
Reformers Applaud Temporary Reinstatement of Montana’s Campaign Money Limits Posted on October 10, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Defending Key Reforms Note Need for I-166 to Bolster Permanent Protection HELENA – Campaign finance reform advocates welcomed action by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to stay a lower court ruling that struck down limits on campaign contributions to Montana state candidates just days before Montana’s ballot were mailed. The action means that the limits will be reinstated through the election. Read More
The New York Times calls for a constitutional amendment to overrule Citizens United. Posted on October 9, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments An editorial in the Sunday New York Times called for a constitutional amendment. Here are a few quick excerpts: The Cacophony of MoneyEditorial, The New York Times, Sunday October 7th, 2012 This is only the first presidential election in the Citizens United era of unlimited spending… Read More
A Foreign Corporation Makes $1 Million Contribution to Influence U.S. Presidential Election (via Center for Public Integrity) Posted on October 5, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Challenging Super PACs When Citizens United opened the door to corporate funding of elections, many people expressed concern that there would be no way to prevent foreign-owned corporations from exercising influence over U.S. elections. (Campaign contributions from people who are non-U.S. citizens are illegal.) Read More
Ahead of Obama-Romney Debate, Over 40,000 Americans Urge Moderator To Raise Issue of Money in Politics Posted on September 28, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments Our joint news release today, with Avaaz and unPAC: 41,161 signatures hand-delivered to Jim Lehrer on Thursday Moderator urged to ask candidates, “if elected would you call on Congress to study and propose a Constitutional Amendment designed to reduce the influence of money in our political system” Read More
Movement To Overturn Citizens United Targets 2012 Ballot Measures Posted on September 28, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments Derek Cressman Alternet September 20, 2012 From America’s earliest days, states have sent instructions to Congress on constitutional reforms. As we head into the home stretch of the 2012 campaigns, from coast to coast voter frustration with negative campaign ads — and the big money behind them — is more than palpable. Read More
Romney agrees: “We’ve got to get the money out of the teachers unions going into campaigns.” Posted on September 26, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Democracy Amendments It’s being widely reported that Mitt Romney yesterday called for limits on campaign spending by teachers’ unions. A blog post at The Nation puts this succinctly in perspective. The constitutional amendments we support would even-handedly enable the elimination of politcal contributions from for-profit corporations, incorporated non-profits, and incorporated labor unions alike. (For more on this, see our analysis of various bills here.) Read More