Free Speech For People President John Bonifaz recently appeared on Outside The Box to discuss political equality and the importance of a Democracy For All Amendment. During a debate with James Bopp, Jr., John outlined how the 28th Amendment would overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision and related rulings and would end the system of unlimited campaign spending in our elections.

“We have to get to the bigger question here, which is whether or not we want our elections to be up for the highest bidder or whether we want to have a level playing field…There are serious equal protection problems with a system in which those who have access to money are effectively able to block out everyone else from equal political participation,” said Bonifaz.

Free Speech For People was founded on the day of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling in January 2010 and has worked for a decade to guarantee a democracy in which all people can participate equally and meaningfully in the political process. Grassroots movements across the country have succeeded in key initiatives combating the influence of big money in politics and paving the way for sweeping campaign finance reform. Last year New Hampshire became the twentieth state to call for a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United.

“This is not a panacea to the problem of big money in elections. It is a way to create a legal framework that restores the First Amendment and restores the promise of political equality for all and allows for other reforms such as public funding of elections to get passed to level the playing field,” said Bonifaz.

Watch the entire debate here.