Forum Post: The one demand we all agree on

Get money out of politics. To this end, here is a proposed bill to do that.

112th CONGRESS 1st SESSION

H. J. RES. _

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies or other corporate entities established by the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The CITIZENS of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, through _ introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on _

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JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies or other corporate entities established by the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state and to expressly exclude corporations, limited liability companies or other corporate entities established by the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state from the rights given to natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations and to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures.

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Resolved by the CITIZENS of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and presented to the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within twelve [12] months after the date of its submission for ratification:

“ARTICLE—

“SECTION 1. We the people who ordain and establish the rights protected by the Constitution of the United States to be the rights of natural persons and do not extend to corporations, limited liability companies, or other private entities established for business purposes or to promote business interests under the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state.

“SECTION 2. The words people, person, or citizen as used in this Constitution do not include corporations, limited liability companies and other private entities established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state.

“SECTION 3. Such corporations, limited liability companies and other private entities established under law are subject to regulation by the people through the legislative process, through their elected State and Federal representatives so long as such regulations are consistent with the powers of Congress and the States under this Constitution and do not limit the freedom of the press.

“SECTION 4. Such corporations, limited liability companies and other private entities shall be prohibited from making contributions or expenditures to any candidate for public office or publicly elected official, any legislation before the Congress, the Senate or the people.

“SECTION 5. Congress and the States shall have the power to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate’s own spending, and to authorize the establishment of political committees to receive, spend, and publicly disclose the sources of those contributions and expenditures.

“SECTION 6. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the people’s rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, free exercise of religion, freedom of association and all such other rights of the people, which rights are inalienable.”.