Forum Post: Vermont News ~ Senators want constitutional amendment to override Citizens United
Posted 10 years ago on May 9, 2013, 5:36 p.m. EST by ZenDogTroll
(13032)
from South Burlington, VT
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Senators want constitutional amendment to override Citizens United
by Nat Rudarakanchana | May 9, 2013
A group of state senators has called for a constitutional convention to reverse the “corrupting influence of money in our political system” wrought by a U.S. Supreme Court decision on campaign finance.
Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden, alongside other lawmakers, unveiled a Senate resolution at a Thursday news conference, requesting that a national convention of state legislatures nullify the January 2010 Citizens United decision by amending the U.S. Constitution.
That decision overturned a longtime ban on corporate and union spending in elections, and eventually gave rise to Super PACs, controversial political groups who featured prominently in national and local elections in 2012.
read the rest here:
http://vtdigger.org/2013/05/09/senators-want-constitutional-amendment-to-override-citizens-united/
Tweet - Senators want constitutional amendment to override Citizens United http://shar.es/lBECa via @sharethis 4 People Government Share/Circulate
This issue is also being pushed in Minnesota. The state is a necessary place to start fixing government:
Hi,
Good news! The We the People Act (SF17), is scheduled to be heard by the MN Senate, this Thursday May 2nd!
Statewide, supporters just like you, helped successfully advance our Minnesota We the People Act, which says corporations are not people, money is not speech, MOVE TO AMEND the US Constitution! Now we aim to get our Act (SF17-HF276) passed by the state house and senate before close of session May 20th! This is an exciting chance for democracy. We especially invite new volunteers to our upcoming events! Forward this email, bring a friend.
May 2 Thursday 11am
MN Senate Vote Expected on our We the People Act
What: the We the People Act (SF17), is scheduled to be heard by the MN Senate
When: Senate is scheduled to convene Thursday at 11am! We have no way of knowing exactly when SF17 will be heard, but please join us
Where: Senate Gallery, third floor of the State Capitol.
RSVP requested on Fb to receive any updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/420231964679949/
More info on SF17: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF0017&ssn=0&y=2013
May 3 Friday 7-8:30am Highway Bannering
What: Meet for coffee and tea
Where: at the home of our SPA-MTA Field Director 1240 Thomas Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104
How: From there we carpool to the Snelling Ave. bridge over Hwy 94.
RSVP requested: https://www.facebook.com/events/375304989245002/
More info: bannering is the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month.
May 4 Saturday 2-5:00pm Petitioning at Cinco de Mayo
What: Petitioning for more MTA supporters, with MTA petition sheets and clipboards.
Where: We will base ourselves at S. Robert Street and Plato Boulevard, right near the parking lots, and work that general area.
When: Eileen will plan to be at that intersection at 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm with clipboards and supplies and, from there, we can fan out and ask people to sign the petition.
RSVP: on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/420231964679949/#!/events/463079630434381/
AND, more importantly, directly to
SPA-MTA Event Contact: Eileen Collard, SPA-MTA Petitioning Manager at efncollard@gmail.com, so she can reach you in case of rain. Yup, she speaks Spanish!
More info: Cinco de Mayo fest, parade, directions, and parking information http://www.cincodemayosaintpaul.com/.
May 10 Friday 7-9am AND 4-6:00pm National Day of Action: Highway Bannering
What: This year, on the 127th "birthday" of corporate persons, Move to Amend activists will be displaying freeway banners all over the nation. Meet for coffee and tea
Where: at the home of our SPA-MTA Field Director. 1240 Thomas Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104
How: From there we carpool to different overpasses with a banner on each, to share our MTA message with the Twin Cities..
7-9:00 am: https://www.facebook.com/events/536729449712463/
4-6:00 pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/319797108146497/
More info on this National MTA Day of Action: https://movetoamend.org/May10
May 17 Friday 7-8:30am Highway Bannering Please See May 3rd
May 25 Saturday 2:00pm Petitioning at the March Against Monsanto
What: Petitioning for more MTA supporters, with MTA petition sheets andpetition clipboards.
Where: “Move To Amend” table on the MN Capitol Grounds.
RSVP requested: https://www.facebook.com/events/463079630434381/SPA-MTA Event Contact: Ruth Lindh 612-374-5076
More info on the March Against Monsanto: http://www.mnagainstmonsanto.blogspot.com/
More events:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/St.PaulAreaMoveToAmend/events/
SAINT PAUL MOVE TO AMEND www.MoveToAmend.org/MN-saint-paul Saint Paul Move to Amend is a local affiliate of the Move to Amend Coalition
We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling and other related cases, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: PO Box 610, Eureka CA 95502 | (707) 269-0984 www.MoveToAmend.org
Another long convoluted message that no one will bother reading. More wasted effort. Bring it to the street! Step out of your house! Be an activist for one day!
Here is a short one 4 Ur feeble mind.
Fail
ur
a
Failure
Let's say CU was overturned today. Wouldn't the wealthy, like Sheldon Adelson, just give contributions directly or fund commercials that favor his candidate?
I think the better solution would be an amendment that limits all entities, whether persons, corporations, or any organization, to a specific level of financial support for candidates or issues. I like 1% of median U.S. income, about $270 per person or entity per year. That way the argument that it violates freedom of speech is not an issue and it prevents the inevitable flood of money from the wealthy leaking past while leveling the political playing field for all.
This is the best and most concrete information I have seen on the forum for some time. It also reinforces my perception that what progress being made to forward the goals of this movement is being made in the political arena.
That is why, I believe, there has been a strong effort on the part of the 1% to push the idea that politics is useless. They do it exactly because it is currently proving to be the one area in which the ideals of this movement are making progress.
Thanks ZD. Great news!
you must be stuck on stupid. " It also reinforces my perception that what progress being made to forward the goals of this movement is being made in the political arena."????? what a load of horse shit.
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Excellent links, both.
We're starting to. But we gotta vote out A LOT more imbiciles.
In compliment - as to making progress in the states.
Great news -- the Clean Energy and Jobs bill, including the solar energy standard, passed the Minnesota House with a 70-63 vote on Tuesday night!
But the fight is not over yet. The Minnesota Senate is the biggest hurdle left and the vote will be close. Senators will debate the bill today and some are still on the fence about solar energy. We can't let up now!
Your senator could cast the deciding vote. Call Sen. Alice Johnson at (651) 296-2556 today! Click here for a script and to let us know you made the call.
With your help, we can get this bill to Governor Dayton's desk for a signature! This is our best opportunity yet to strengthen the state's renewable energy standard.
Here's what the bill's passage will mean for Minnesota: our state will become a solar energy leader, energy efficiency measures will save Minnesotans money, and local power provisions will support jobs across the state.
In short, this bill would be a game-changer. We can't do it without you -- call (651) 296-2556 and urge Sen. Johnson to vote yes for clean energy and jobs!
We could not have come this far without you and the thousands of Sierra Club supporters that have talked to their neighbors, made phone calls, attended rallies, and met with their legislators.
Our clean energy champions are working hard in the statehouse to bring this bill across the finish line. But utility lobbyists are not giving up -- using tired old arguments claiming that clean energy is too costly. We know better. Moving Minnesota beyond coal saves utilities millions of dollars, protects our air and health, and creates local jobs!
Make a quick phone call now to Sen. Johnson at (651) 296-2556. Then let us know how it went.
Thanks for all you do for Minnesota.
Sincerely,
Joshua Low Organizing Representative Sierra Club North Star Chapter
P.S. Want to hear how the debate is going? Like Sierra Club North Star Chapter on Facebook for updates from the Minnesota Senate.
Excellent.
I hope they raise serious hell on this and dont quit until it becomes a national story. Whatever it takes.
Don't forget, that among certain "BIG citizen's", it's unconstitutional to know what's in that food you're eating.
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20130421/THISJUSTIN/704219912
Isn't granting Monsanto citizenship a wonderful thing?
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Don't worry, what you don't know can't possibly hurt you, but only because you didn't know what you were eating and after all, all of their "researchers" said it was good for you.
A BIG citizen has a lot of "intellectual property" to protect, doncha know..
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Just wanted you to know, ALEC's made it to the great State of Vermont.
They'll be after Bernie next.
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Welp.
I hope he's keeping an eye on these guys.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Vermont_ALEC_Politicians
There's even one on the elections task force.
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(R)epelican'ts all smell funny, don't you think?
Even the ones on SCOTUS.
http://www.citizensforethics.org/blog/entry/supreme-court-strikes-a-blow-to-transparency-foia-mcburney-young
They're even smellier.
I don't agree with this labelling.
If a human can be taught how to tie shoelaces, they can be taught how to recognise a bad knot of people.
They just need to be shown.
I wouldn't say that, if they didn't constantly mess with my life, but they have and they still do.
I say this, not just from observation, but from experience.
One just messed with my life again today.
It's just what they do, and it smells very bad.
It reeks.
Ones that pretend to be libeRtaRian can stink the place up a bit for me.
Okay. Point conceded. ;-)
"Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood"
---The Animals---
Sokay. I get that a lot.
I don't hang my face right..................:)
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Vermont needs to know about preparatory amendment because reversing CU just takes us back to the point where they were working towards CU. we need a lot more amendment to make the nation constitutional.
Democracy
http://www.cusdi.org/index.html
People's National Initiatives
Preparatory amendment is a form of limiting a convention.
We have, I think, a dynamic chicken & egg scenario. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the limiting seems to be presented out of fear. Fear of a runaway convention.
Preparatory amendment prevents that directly by making the nation constitutional enough to be invulnerable to a runaway because constitutional intent has been properly defined by the people who will allow nothing else, once they know what it is.
change never comes from politics it comes from people. then the politicians catch up. this is a waste of time.
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there are other ways. you have to realize you can't use the system against the system.
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