The People's Email Network Last 25 Messages Transmitted Log Go Back Amend The Constitution To Declare Money Is Not Equal To Speech ********** [202748:110114] E.B., Seattle, WA Even a child knows that corporations aren't people and money isn't speech!! Why don't the 5 wrong wing wackos on the Supreme Court know this? ********** [142820:062214] J.B., Lacey, WA Our Republican government is a mess and are causing a lot of heart break for a lot of people who don't need it. I don't think they understand what election to office or work really means. They just listen to the big donors. People need to get wise or smart and get them out of office. Pay attention to what is really going on in D.C. ********** [231928:060814] A.P., San Diego, CA Arlene R. H. Pincus ********** [094538:052414] K.F., Greenfield, MA The massive amounts of money allowed into the political discussion as "Speech" is destroying our political process. Politicians are not answerable to us, only to their donors. This must stop. ********** [163712:050814] N.W., Iola, KS It is simply not fair to have wealthy persons able to donate and control elections. I hope this will change, soon. ********** [152215:050514] C.S., Clarkston, MI Citizens United is OUTRAGEOUS and must GO!!! ********** [153430:050414] J.J., Columbia, IL Democracy declares 1 person 1 vote. The supreme court has wrongly viewed that companies are people. People often make their opinions from ads on TV or news shows. When corporations are giving so much money to increase their profits, it conversely - and silently - is advocating ending environmental protection, ending job security and pensions, reducing taxes for the top 1% and raising it on the rest of us. Money is NOT free speech, just a complete Travesty. ********** [195921:042814] R.W., Boise, ID $ is NOT equil to speech, not in a " FREE" country. ********** [235215:042714] M.C., Bothell, WA I think this is going to be a very important petition and action to reverse the influence on our elections. ********** [154741:042714] J.L., Martinsburg, WV The government has abused its authority in passing humongous deficit budgets. They should have to balance spending and revenues just as I and several states do. ********** [160317:042514] P.M., Glen Ellyn, IL Money is not equal to speech. Saying that money does equal speech effectively makes the speech of a person with a lot of money more valuable than the speech of someone without much money. This was not the intention of our country's founders. No, money is not speech, and corporations are not people! ********** [095913:042514] S.L., Pleasantville, NY Wealth ought not dictate how our country is run, it is still a country for the people and run by the people, not just cash ********** [092405:042414] R.K., Flushing, NY I am a Vietnam-era veteran concerned about the future of our democracy, which is being subverted by big corporate money. ********** [151122:042314] G.B., Springfield, OR Corporations ARE NOT PEOPLE. What twisted logic lead to this absurd ruling? Nothing like crazy people being in charge of countries. ********** [132830:042314] L.D., San Francisco, CA My income should not affect the weight of my opinion. ********** [114545:042214] C.l., San Diego, CA Please help make America better for our children and our future. ********** [114230:042214] k.s., Independence, OR Though I agree it is about time to adopt a constitutional amendment to stop special interests from hijacking the people's elections the proposed suggestion above does not go far enough. Elections belong exclusively to the people who can vote in them not some secret-super PAC or other such perversions of democracy, for example some corporation or rich fat cat from Texas using their resources to influence the election of candidates, or the passing of initiatives, referendums, etc. in another state. What we need is a constitutional amendment whereby it is a crime to try and influence the election of a candidate, or the passing of an initiative, referendum, etc., unless one has the legal right to vote for the same. Here's my rough draft of how a constitutional amendment to eliminate the influence of special interest in U.S. elections should read: Section One. Only United States citizens as defined in the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution of the United States have the legal right to donate, give, participate in or otherwise supply resources to influence the election of a candidate or the of passing of referendums, initiatives etc., that appear on a ballot that they can legally cast. Section Two. All organizations whose purpose is, in whole or in part, to influence the outcome of an election shall be composed of individuals who can legally vote in said election, this includes the employees of said organization. In addition, said organizations can only legally accept resources from U.S. citizens who have a legal right to vote in said elections that the organization is trying to influence. Section Three. No individual shall accept, or otherwise receive any type of resources from any individual or organization for the purpose of then using said resources, in whole or in part, to influence an election in which they can legally vote, unless the individual or organization supplying the resources complies with the requirements of sections one and two of this constitutional amendment. Section Four. The transfer of any type of resources by individuals or organizations that do not comply with sections one and two of this constitutional amendment to a U.S. citizen for the purpose that said U.S. citizen then uses said resources to influence an election in which they can legally vote is strictly prohibited. Section Five. The willful violation of sections one through four of this constitutional amendment by any individual shall result in mandatory imprisonment for twenty years without the possibility of parole and a mandatory fine of $100,000 USD or five times their net worth, whichever is greater. Section Six. The inadvertent violation of sections one through four of this constitutional amendment by any individual shall result in mandatory imprisonment for five years without the possibility of parole and a mandatory fine of $20,000 USD or two times their net worth, whichever is greater. Section Seven. The willful violation of sections one through four of this constitutional amendment by any organization shall result in, a. the mandatory dissolution of said organization b. And the mandatory forfeiture the gross assets of the organization as of the day of the violation or upon conviction, whichever is greater, to the state government(s) in which the organization was incorporated. c. All outstanding debts as of the date of the violation or day of conviction whichever is greater shall be the personal responsibility of the organization's owners, members, board of directors, trustees, and shareholders. d. All said organization's owners, members, board of directors, trustees, and shareholders shall be prohibited from being owners, members, part of a board of directors, trustees, and shareholders of any type of organization the can legally carrying out business in the United States for twenty years. Section Eight. The inadvertent violation of sections one through four of this constitutional amendment by any organization shall result in, a. The mandatory dissolution of said organization. b. And the mandatory forfeiture of fifty percent of the gross assets of the organization as of the day of the violation or upon conviction, whichever is greater, to the state government(s) in which the organization was incorporated. c. All outstanding debts as of the date of the violation or day of conviction whichever is greater shall be the personal responsibility of the organization's owners, members, board of directors, trustees, and shareholders. d. All said organization's owners, members, board of directors, trustees, and shareholders shall be prohibited from being owners, members, part of a board of directors, trustees, and shareholders of any type of organization the can legally carrying out business in the United States for ten years. Section Nine. For purposes of this constitutional an organization is defined as any legal entity duly incorporated under state or federal law, or other countries laws. What do you think? Kevin Gershom Sicard ********** [214227:042114] G.K., Lakewood, OH Out Nation is not for SALE ********** [090247:042114] J.B., Urbana, IL Allowing corporate entities to donate to political campaigns without limit and without disclosure of sources and amounts is absolutely unacceptable. I urge you to support efforts to undo this terrible decision by the Supreme Court. ********** [210441:042014] C.E., Louisa, VA Amend The Constitution To Declare Money Is Not Equal To Speech. ********** [103113:042014] C.L., Potsdam, NY Please reverse this undemocratic trend of abusing the concept of "free speech." ********** [082750:042014] E.W., 0100:7511:Doris O. Matsui, Since activist justices have rewritten the Constitution to give corporations the rights of citizens, we must change the Constitution to restore its original intent, including the clear statement of the Bill of Rights that "all men (humans) are created equal". ********** [181237:041914] J.J., Oakdale, CA Let's try to bring our democracy back. It has disappeared. ********** [145929:041814] J.E., Gig Harbor, WA Corporations were never intended to be included in the Constitution and are not people and shouldn't have the same rights!!! ********** [145654:041814] T.D., Phoenix, AZ It's a sad state of affairs that we need a Constitutional amendment to respect the power of the people, but so be it! ********** Go Back