Saving American Democracy
| December 16, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Politics |
It is with great pleasure that I announce the introduction of a measure into the U.S. senate calling for a constitutional amendment that would limit the rights that corporations have to influence our elections. The amendment, referred to as “Saving American Democracy,” would nullify the Supreme Court decision (Citizens United vs. FEC) granting corporations unlimited rights to free speech (see video linked here). As sponsor Bernie Sanders (I-VT) points out, if this measure does not go forward, it “means the end to American Democracy as we know it.”
Cynical wiseguys may argue that there’s nothing left to save, but you won’t hear those words issuing from my lips….
Here’s Sanders’ speech, an excerpt from which reads:
In my view, a corporation is not a person. In my view, a corporation does not have first amendment rights, to spend as much money as it wants without disclosure, on a political campaign. In my view, corporations should not be able to go into their treasuries, spend millions and millions of dollars, on a campaign, in order to buy elections. I do not believe that that is what American democracy is supposed to be about. I do not believe that that is what the bravest of the brave, from our country, fighting for democracy, fought and died to preserve.
If anyone has a good argument counter to this, I’ll sure be impressed.
I shared Bernie Sanders’ speech with another good friend of mine, and his response likely typifies the feelings of a great many of our fellows in this fine and dying country:
‘Good. It won’t happen, but nice to see someone with some decency standing up. I am feeling quite dismal about things. It’s a mad dash at assuming as much control as they can/while they can right now for the powers that be. The new military spending bill that has passed (about to be signed) is making sure we can all be “held” [on] even the slightest suspicion of “terrorism”.’
I responded to him as follows:
“I strongly empathize with your position, my friend – we’re looking at a dictatorship of, by, and for the corporation, with ‘human’ ‘leadership’ that’s bought and paid for and all-empowered to crush any opposition by the people of the country, and of the world.
“However, I have not lost hope – one encouraging sign is that wide swaths of the military leadership spoke out against the NDAA as terrible legislation, and many who voted for it [even Republicans] are now against it – it may yet be overturned.
“Also, more and more of our people are waking up, now that the water is starting to boil.
“I agree that the path before us is fearsome, but the alternative is unacceptable.
“I know that you are also a person of decency. I respect that tremendously, and I fully realize how difficult it is – now more than ever. I also know that you will try to do what you can when you can.
“Truth. Non-violence. Direct action. Perseverance.”
[...] from the outside. The answer, of course, lies in radical campaign finance reform, including a constitutional amendment limiting the power of corporations to influence our elections. I use the word “radical,” derived from the Latin for “root,” because the [...]