Constitution v. Citizens United
Constitution v. Citizens United A 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United is within our reach, and Hillary Clinton could make it a reality.
By Jeff Clements | Contributor
Presumptive Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton recently announced, "In my first 30 days as president, I will propose a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and give the American people, all of us, the chance to reclaim our democracy."
This injection of what would be the 28th Amendment into the heart of the presidential race and the top of Clinton's agenda is much more significant than a bid for Bernie Sanders supporters or the checking another progressive agenda box. Instead, the constitutional amendment Clinton calls for is badly needed, has overwhelming cross-partisan support in the country and is much closer to passage and ratification than many realize.
The 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is the most well-known of a series of 5-4 Supreme Court decisions that invalidated limits on political spending and declared that spending money to influence elections and policy is a constitutional "free speech" right that may not be limited. Since Citizens United, more than $30 billion has been spent in elections, most of it from a relatively handful of wealthy people, global corporations and some large unions. Beyond election spending, corporations now are using Citizens United to challenge the validity of financial regulation, environmental and energy laws, health care laws, cuts in taxpayer corporate subsidies and more.
READ MORE: http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/201...
By Jeff Clements | Contributor
Presumptive Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton recently announced, "In my first 30 days as president, I will propose a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and give the American people, all of us, the chance to reclaim our democracy."
This injection of what would be the 28th Amendment into the heart of the presidential race and the top of Clinton's agenda is much more significant than a bid for Bernie Sanders supporters or the checking another progressive agenda box. Instead, the constitutional amendment Clinton calls for is badly needed, has overwhelming cross-partisan support in the country and is much closer to passage and ratification than many realize.
The 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is the most well-known of a series of 5-4 Supreme Court decisions that invalidated limits on political spending and declared that spending money to influence elections and policy is a constitutional "free speech" right that may not be limited. Since Citizens United, more than $30 billion has been spent in elections, most of it from a relatively handful of wealthy people, global corporations and some large unions. Beyond election spending, corporations now are using Citizens United to challenge the validity of financial regulation, environmental and energy laws, health care laws, cuts in taxpayer corporate subsidies and more.
READ MORE: http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/201...
When was the last time a Constitutional amendment passed?