Bipartisan Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United Introduced
Source: teddeutch.house.gov
Washington, January 4, 2019
On Thursday, the first day of the 116th Congress, Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Congressman John Katko (R-NY) introduced a bipartisan constitutional amendment to get big money out of politics and restore democratic power to the American people.
The Democracy for All Amendment affirms the right of states and the federal government to pass laws that regulate spending in elections, reversing the concentration of political influence held by the wealthiest Americans and large corporations capable of spending millions of dollars in our elections. This legislation comes days before the ninth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts disastrous ruling in the Citizens United case.
For more information on the amendment, click here for a background summary and click here for a section-by-section and answered FAQs.
Years after the Citizens United decision, election spending has exploded into billion-dollar races that corrupt our elections by drowning out the voices of American voters," said Congressman Deutch. "Meaningful political participation cannot be reserved for individuals with extreme wealth and special interests, and we cannot continue to allow those who spend the most to dictate public policy that is out of step with our country. From climate change to gun violence, the issues that are most important to the American people are dominated by the will of the bottomless pockets that fund elections rather than the will of voters. We need to overturn Citizens United to get big money out of politics, strengthen our democracy, and restore power to the American people.
Read more: https://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399461
Drum
(9,154 posts)SWBTATTReg
(22,112 posts)PeeJ52
(1,588 posts)What took so long? Oh.. Republicans. Gotcha...
LisaM
(27,802 posts)Every dire prediction about Citizens United came true and was actually worse than even the grimmest forecasts.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)And some good will eventually come of that shameful ruling.
yonder
(9,663 posts)allgood33
(1,584 posts)They can walk and chew gum.
red dog 1
(27,792 posts)McTurtle will never allow a vote on it in the Senate, because he's as evil as Spanky.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)red dog 1
(27,792 posts)After that, hopefully, he'll be gone.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)onenote
(42,694 posts)It takes a 2/3 vote in both houses to move a Constitutional amendment.
jalan48
(13,859 posts)Shanti Mama
(1,288 posts)Still unlikely, but one can hope.
BigmanPigman
(51,584 posts)than his GOP pals.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)Not as bad as Collins but still a repuke.. believe it..
ailsagirl
(22,896 posts)thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)and is much harder to pass than just getting house and senate majorities.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)It has to start somewhere
Perseus
(4,341 posts)Please, lets get rid of the useless electoral college, it serves no purpose but to allow republicans to cheat. It should be part of the conversation about voter suppression, because that is what it is, just in a more grandiose scale. How can 3 million people be defeated by a few people? That is what happened in 2016 (not counting the cheating Russians did, plus voter suppression, etc.).
Think about it, 538 people defeated the wishes of millions, they themselves overturned what the American people had voted for. Each member of the electoral college defeated 5,576 extra people who voted for Hillary, and that is only the 3 million more than the orange buffoon got...Think about it!, if you do the math, then each electoral college member overturned the wishes of 122,388 voters, how can that be, in whose mind is that justifiable? Who gives these people so much power, and I say that is also treason. And it really gets worst because of course that not all members of the EC voted for the buffoon.
Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)than to remove the Electoral College. So far, 12 jurisdictions (11 states and DC), comprising 172 Electoral Votes, have passed The National Popular Vote Law. This is the winner-take-all outcome you are looking for. When states comprising another 98 Electoral Votes pass the law, it will become the law of the land.
Those states that have passed the law are: CA, CT, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, RI, VT, WA.
So, if you live in a state that has NOT passed The National Popular Vote Law, you might want to investigate getting it on your state ballot before 2020. Why are you still reading this ? Get off your butt. Get moving. NOW !
Polybius
(15,385 posts)"No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay."
It would certainly wind up at the SC.
sandensea
(21,624 posts)Still, you never know. This might just succeed.
czarjak
(11,266 posts)She's a big fan.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)DetroitLegalBeagle
(1,922 posts)The GOP still have total control of just under half the states.
23 states have total GOP control.
14 have total Democrat control.
The remaining 13 are split with Dem gov/GOP legislatures or vice-versa.
38 states are need to ratify.
onenote
(42,694 posts)Moving a Constitutional amendment requires a 2/3 vote of both houses.
But I'm glad it was introduced and can be the subject of hearings. And if it passes the House with a majority, but is prevented from getting to 2/3 by Republican votes, that's a good campaign issues against the Repubs that vote no.
Delmette2.0
(4,164 posts)In the late 1800's through the early 1900's Montana was dominated by the Copper Kings in Butte, MT. The Berkley Pit in Butte is the legacy that was ultimately left behind.
The shenanigans used during the turn of the century are what our Governor Bullock understood when he protested as Attorney General when Citizens United came into effect. Of course, he lost at the SCOTUS.
The wonton abuse and disregard of employees and citizens in surrounding area 100 years ago lead to environmental poisoning that could destroy Butte and the rivers that flow downstream today.
There isn't much difference between them and today's corporations that use their extreme profits to pollute, lobby and destroy our country.
How many other Superfund sites do we have around this country? How many corporations are putting poison in our medications, food, water and even our houses because of their lobbying and Citizen United Super PACS?
jalan48
(13,859 posts)Growing up I heard the stories about Anaconda Copper and how it treated the workers and the environment. Cut and run was the term used, exploit the resources and then leave the state high and dry. Corporations aren't people, they are soulless entities designed for the simple purpose of making a profit.
Delmette2.0
(4,164 posts)DBoon
(22,356 posts)The ones who weren't murdered by Pinochet that is
jalan48
(13,859 posts)Last edited Fri Jan 4, 2019, 09:02 PM - Edit history (1)
fascist tendencies were on full display.
onenote
(42,694 posts)So many of the proposed amendments that have been floating around since the CU case were way overbroad. This one is very well done.
Leith
(7,809 posts)I think that political contributions should be limited to registered human voters only. The annual limit from each person should be $1,000 per year and may be split among candidates that the voter can legally vote for only.
No corporations. No contributions to candidates in other states. No contributions in someone else's name. No billionaires buying DC servants. No nonaffiliated advocacy groups mailing out shredder food about why they hate the other party.
Money in politics has gone way too far and it has done way too much damage.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,173 posts)For one, Sanders proved that you can raise almost as much with small contributions spread over a lot of people. For another candidates are increasingly using the cheaper youtube messaging, Facebook, and even more so, amateurs are crafting a lot of material on their candidates behalf voluntarily to fill in the gaps on YouTube etc. Of course it goes both ways. And we have to put up with their fake news vids as well.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,173 posts)Why do I think they won't jump at the chance?
Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)I am willing to support this amendment. We must overturn this decision. Corporations are not people.
SCOTUS made a big mistake when ruling for Citizens United. President Obama has stated this in the past.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)zentrum
(9,865 posts)Thank God it's finally on the table.
UpInArms
(51,280 posts)Blue1963
(77 posts)Endless commercial spots saying how this will finally get George Soros money out of politics.
BumRushDaShow
(128,852 posts)It has taken 8 years and taking back this chamber to get the ball rolling. It will be a slog but you gotta start somewhere!!!
Takket
(21,560 posts)Citizens United was one of the words decisions in Supreme Court history. It has undermined the very fabric of our democracy
Grins
(7,212 posts)Kill Citizens United.
Kill the hiding of ALL political donations!
Kill the electoral college!!!!
Kill Gerrymandering.
Protect (FORCE) election integrity.
End Trump's tariffs.
Begin the planning for decade or two of MASSIVE infrastructure rebuilding.
You can add to this your own favorites, but dammit - NOT impeachment BS that will go NOWHERE, at least until Mueller has laid out undeniable proof.
PatrickforO
(14,570 posts)Best thing we could ever do.