Corporate campaign donations must stop
Perhaps the greatest danger facing our democracy today is the excessive infusion of corporate money into our election process.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. the Federal Elections Commission has demonstrably tilted the playing field in favor of corporate interests by allowing unchecked, unlimited, unaccountable corporate cash into political campaigns. This out-of-control use of corporate wealth not only discourages honorable citizens from seeking public office but also chillingly influences the policy and decision-making of existing elected officials.
The resulting fundamental damage to our democracy is obvious and must be corrected by amending our U.S. Constitution.
The Saving American Democracy Amendment in the Senate, (S.J. Res. 33) and its companion proposal in the House of Representatives (H.J. Res. 90) would establish that constitutional rights belong to real people, not for-profit corporations.
The amendment would prohibit corporations from making election-related expenditures. It would clarify that Congress and the states have the power to regulate campaign spending, overturning the doctrine that corporations are people and election contributions constitute First Amendment-protected speech. And it would affirm that nothing in the amendment limits freedom of the press.
The proposed amendment to our U.S. Constitution is reasonable, necessary and achievable. Please contact and implore each of your Congressional representatives to co-sponsor the Saving American Democracy Amendment. And ask your family, friends and co-workers to do the same. Together we can reduce the damage caused by the super rich corporate elites and restore greater balance to our democracy.
John R. Clark
Fox River Grove