Bipartisan Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United Introduced

[Seedersandleechers]

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 Court’s 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]

1. YES!!!

[SWBTATTReg]

2. About time and YES! nt

[PeeJ52]

3. IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!

What took so long? Oh.. Republicans. Gotcha...

[LisaM]

4. Good.

Every dire prediction about Citizens United came true and was actually worse than even the grimmest forecasts.

[lagomorph777]

11. Maybe Citizens United will actually unite citizens against it.

And some good will eventually come of that shameful ruling.

[yonder]

32. +1. How ironic

[allgood33]

5. Our Congress is at work, damn it!

They can walk and chew gum.

[red dog 1]

6. K&R

McTurtle will never allow a vote on it in the Senate, because he's as evil as Spanky.

[lagomorph777]

12. McTurtle will soon be in the Minority. Or gone.

[red dog 1]

16. Well, he'll still be there in the Senate blocking votes for at least 2 more years

After that, hopefully, he'll be gone.

[lagomorph777]

18. Right. America can survive two more years - now that we have adults in the House.

[onenote]

43. It won't even succeed in the House.

It takes a 2/3 vote in both houses to move a Constitutional amendment.

[jalan48]

7. Great to see.

[Shanti Mama]

8. Glad to see an R in on this.

Still unlikely, but one can hope.

[BigmanPigman]

10. He has a little more courage and self respect

than his GOP pals.

[pangaia]

36. Not much. He is in a district not far from me.

Not as bad as Collins but still a repuke.. believe it..

[ailsagirl]

9. This is GREAT!!! Go Dems!!

[thesquanderer]

13. Based on the comments, I think some don't realize it's a proposed constitutional amendment

and is much harder to pass than just getting house and senate majorities.

[onenote]

44. +1

[Sherman A1]

14. Superb

It has to start somewhere

[Perseus]

15. Perfect, now I want to see an ammendment to abolish the Electoral College

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]

41. It will be easier to get The National Popular Vote Law passed

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]

46. It MIGHT be unConstitutional though

Article 1 Section 10

"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]

17. Bitchy Mitchy would rather give up his Ping May loot than allow it though.

Still, you never know. This might just succeed.

[czarjak]

19. President Coulter will have a say about that...

She's a big fan.

[defacto7]

20. Do we have the states necessary of an amendment?

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

21. Not even close

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]

45. Sadly, we don't even have the votes to get it passed in either the House or Senate

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]

22. Just do a Google search on the Montana Copper Kings.

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]

29. My Grandfather worked in the mines in Butte in the 30's and 40's.

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]

30. You got that right! nt

[DBoon]

34. I'm sure there are some Chileans who have stories about Anaconda

The ones who weren't murdered by Pinochet that is

[jalan48]

37. Yes, Anaconda said Allende had to go and Henry Kissinger made it happen. The United States

Last edited Fri Jan 4, 2019, 09:02 PM - Edit history (1)

fascist tendencies were on full display.

[onenote]

23. Finally, someone has crafted a carefully worded amendment

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]

24. I hope it goes far enough

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]

38. In this world of social media and Youtube we don't need massive advertizing anyways

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]

25. Alright R's this is your chance to prove to your base that you are serious about draining the swamp

Why do I think they won't jump at the chance?

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

26. Now were talking turkey...

[saidsimplesimon]

27. This is wonderful news.

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]

28. Kick and recommend. I love this!!!!!

[zentrum]

31. Ray of Hope.

Thank God it's finally on the table.

[UpInArms]

33. The difference one day makes

[Blue1963]

35. I know how to sell it to the cult...

Endless commercial spots saying how this will finally get George Soros money out of politics.

[JudyM]

42. Yep.

[BumRushDaShow]

39. Finally

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]

40. good news. would like to see the media promoting this more since it is SO needed

Citizens United was one of the words decisions in Supreme Court history. It has undermined the very fabric of our democracy

[Grins]

47. THIS is the kind of things they should be doing!!! Not B.S. talk about impeachment!

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]

48. OK, that's the subject of this week's calls to my Rep and Senators.

Best thing we could ever do.

[Stuart G]

49. k and r...no text

[Scurrilous]

50. K&R