Right now, there is an epic battle raging over whether America will be a democracy governed by the people or a plutocracy ruled by corporations and the ultra-rich.
An overwhelming majority of Americans oppose the toxic influence of money in politics. But a conservative majority on the Supreme Court has systematically eroded barriers to the 1% buying elected officials.
Now we have a major opportunity to fight back.
On September 8, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a constitutional amendment to overturnCitizens United and other toxic Supreme Court decisions that have opened the floodgates to unlimited political spending by corporations.1
Fifty Democratic senators are currently signed on as co-sponsors of this incredibly important amendment — just one shy of a majority — but not senators Tim Kaine (VA), Mark Warner (VA), Joe Donnelly (IN), Mary Landrieu (LA) and Mark Pryor (AR).
Tell these five holdout Democrats: Co-sponsor the constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.
The proposed amendment is a crucial chance to get our senators on record before the midterm election either supporting an amendment to kick big money out of politics or shilling for their corporate donors.
We have enormous momentum in this fight. Sixteen states and roughly 600 communities have formally demanded that Congress vote to pass a constitutional amendment making it clear that corporations are not people and money is not speech. 2
Amending the Constitution is not easy, nor is it a decision that should be made lightly. But it’s clear that if we don’t organize to amend the Constitution, the Supreme Court will go even further in allowing unlimited spending by corporations and rich donors.
In Citizens United, the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to unlimited spending on elections by corporations. And in McCutcheon, the court struck down limits on how much individual mega-donors can give to candidates during a single election cycle. Worse, it’s clear that the court’s conservatives aren’t likely to stop there, but will continue tearing down campaign finance protections that prevent corporations from drowning out the voices of ordinary Americans.
We expect every Republican to oppose this amendment. With control of the Senate in the balance as people go to the polls in November, we need to make it clear that Democrats in the Senate are unanimous in opposing Citizens United — and that Senate Republicans are owned by corporations. But we can’t do that unless we get holdout Democrats on record in support of this vitally important amendment.
Tell the holdout Democrats: Co-sponsor the constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.
Online: www.act.credoaction.com/sign/holdout_dems_citizens_united?t=3&akid=11478.3323273.cUiH_Z
1. Ramsey Cox, “Reid schedules vote in September on amending the Constitution,” The Hill, August 1, 2014
2. John Nichols, “The Senate Judiciary Committee Just Backed an Amendment to Overturn ‘Citizens United’” The Nation, July 10, 2014
