CA Pols Calling For Change To U.S. Constitution
Katy Grimes: California Democrats are pushing for Congress to amend the United States Constitution, and impose limits on political corporate contributions. Really.
At issue is the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision.
In January 2010, the United States Supreme Court reached the landmark decision which reaffirmed that the First Amendment did in fact, prohibit the government from restricting political expenditures by corporations and unions. The Court stated that political contributions are a form of free speech, and should not be regulated or narrowly tailored by the government for its own interest.
One of the outcomes of the Citizen United decision was the creation of Super Committees and SuperPacs, which may accept unlimited contributions from individuals, unions, and corporations.
Despite the Supreme Court stating that the First Amendment “must protect corporations and individuals with equal vigor,” California Democrats passed a resolution this week urging Congress to amend the Constitution, and limit corporate contributions to political PACs.
Out of the Ashes…
Thursday, the Assembly voted 48 to 22 to pass Assembly Joint Resolution 22 which calls on Congress to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
However, arguments and floor speeches by Democratic legislators only addressed corporate contributions – Democrats in the Assembly never mentioned union contributions. Democrats said that AJR 22 wasn’t just a resolution, but was part of a national movement to limit and control corporate political contributions.
AJR 22, by Assemblymen Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, and Michael Allen, D-Santa Rosa, is one of 13 resolutions seeking to overturn Citizens United. Wieckowski said that with his resolution, California will be part of a “grassroots movement that believes corporations are not people and money is not speech,” a quote made famous by David Kairys, the civil rights law professor who warned that the decision would unleash “a new wave of campaign cash and adds to the already considerable power of corporations.”
A recent favorite phrase of Democratic Assembly Speaker John Perez is similar: “Corporations aren’t people until Texas executes one.” Perez made the statement at a labor caucus meeting at the recent Democratic convention.
All of the other 13 resolutions seek to overturn the decision in different ways. Some of the resolutions also claim that corporations are not humans; others would seek more Congressional power to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures more narrowly.
Wieckowski stated that the ruling opened a floodgate for unlimited corporate donations, which he said he opposes. “We’ve had a distortion of the political process because of all the money flowing into politics,” said Allen.
The bill analysis states: This measure would memorialize the Legislatures disagreement with the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and would call upon the United States Congress to propose and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and to restore constitutional rights and fair elections to the people.
Republicans who opposed the resolution said that the opposite should happen – that government imposed restrictions should be removed from political campaign contributions, and complete disclosure and transparency about who is contributing should be required instead.
“What is a corporation? A corporation is an assembly of people,” said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Hesperia. “If you’re regulated by the government, don’t you have the right to address your government?”
MAR. 23, 2012
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“Corporations aren’t people until Texas executes one.” Well, Mr. Perez, seems that California has executed PLENTY of corporations through taxes and counterproductive regulations. Doesn’t THAT count?
California politicians (or any other modern American politician) are too stupid and corrupt to be let anywhere near a Constitutional Convention. The Founding Fathers created the greatest document ever put to paper; protect it from incompetent meddlers.
Citizens United is one of the worst SCOTUS decisions of the last 100 years. BOTH corporations AND unions, especially PUBLIC unions, need to have limits on the money they can give-it is corrupting the entire system.
BTW-there has not been a constitutional amendment for 20 years, and that one took 200 years to raitfy. Will never happen. Too much money.
Let’s propose a constitutional amendment to eliminate the legislature of California. I think that would do more good than anything else. We would be better off without any legislative body.
They’ve essentially turned this nation into one big house of ill repute. The ones with the biggest wallets get serviced first, even if it is in direct conflict with the best interests of America and violates the sacred words of our US Constitution. If the SCOTUS upholds Obamacare we are done. At that point we would know that the US Constitution has been rendered worthless and is only appropriate for use alongside our household toilets. I pray the system has not been corrupted to the point that the SCOTUS nine turn their backs on the law of the land and give their one finger salute to the sacred rules that made this country the beacon of freedom and prosperity to the rest of our global neighbors.
Sorry Mr. B, but I’m glad to see you are starting to get the picture. It goes all the way back to 1891 when Pope Leo the XIII issued his encyclical RERUM NOVARUM which called for the support of labor unions and their right to collectively bargain. With the majority of justices now pledging allegiance to the holy father you can not expect them to put the U.S. first and uphold a protestant and republic document such as our constitution, allowing liberty of conscience. It’s not a Catholic document and it is in direct contrast to the churches teachings.
“Sorry Mr. B, but I’m glad to see you are starting to get the picture”
Everything is religion to you, David H. That’s where you miss the boat. The world is much more diverse than religious doctrine. You need to broaden your horizons then you too will begin to get the picture. Religion is only one mere piece to the puzzle.
The ones who hold the keys to the world’s treasures are the ones who rule. The church is but one member of that elite group.
The church is used to indocrinate the masses and maintain control. But it takes both the CROSS and the SWORD to dominate and maintain total control. And of the two, the SWORD has always been most effective.
And the U.S. Constitution is the document in the way of the church using the sword against heretics in this country. The elements of religious liberty in our constitution are Protestant principles. But that is changing as Bible prophecy predicted it would, the sword will come after economic boycott. That no man might buy or sell except he has the mark of the beast, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. I do look at things from a spiritual perspective, true. Because I believe it’s a bigger picture, giving the details of cosmic conflict greater than just politics and waring nations. We are in a battle between Jesus Christ and Lucifer the fallen angel. Every one is a servant of whom they obey. Popery has proven itself to be the most deadly enemy to civil and religious liberty, and Protestants are asleep at the switch and have developed into a likeness of the exact thing they once protested. An image to the beast is being developed right before our eyes, and all America wants is “give me my MTV.”
David H,
You’re a one-note band, my friend!
But I know you mean well. 🙂
Here we go again…..bashing the rich.
Lenin loves ya!!!!!!
Apparently, Assemblymen Wieckowski, and his fellow Dems have no qualms about allowing either union dues, or contributions from environmental organizations, knowing that they are in fact, both, “People” 🙂
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”
Calif the economic slug is over….a mature economy wrecked by AB32, high taxes, energy, high transportation and distribution costs and a huge willing depedency class.
SCOTUS and the Citizens United decision was perfectly logical from their perspective. Are they not the Corporations, and are they not Human? Bought and paid for.