Sen. Sanders and Rep. Deutch press for New Democracy Amendment

[red dog 1]

Source:
The Center for Media and Democracy's P.R. Watch
March 20, 2013
By Brendan Fischer

SEN. SANDERS and REP. DEUTCH PRESS for NEW DEMOCRACY AMENDMENT


Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) have introduced a new constitutional amendment to overturn the damage done by Citizens United, Buckley v Valeo, and other judicial decisions that have diluted the role of ordinary people in American Democracy.

"The Democracy is for People Amendment will stop corporations and their front groups from using their profits and dark money donations to influence our elections while reaffirming the right of the American people to elections that are fair and representatives that are accountable, " Rep. Deutch said in a statement.


The proposed amendment has two parts:

Section 1: ONLY HUMAN BEINGS MAY SPEND ON ELECTIONS

Section 1 declares that only human beings -- "natural persons" -- can spend money to influence the outcome of elections on the federal, state and local levels
(Including ballot measures)


Section 2: THE PUBLIC HAS A POWERFUL INTEREST IN FAIR ELECTIONS

Section ll of the "Democracy is for People" amendment clarifies that Congress has broad latitude to regulate elections and campaign finance -- and most notably,
that their authority is not limited to the narrow interpretation of "corruption" described by the Supreme Court in Citizens United.


Read more:
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/03/12022/sen-sanders-and-rep-deutch-press-new-democracy-amendment/

[longship]

1. The text of the amendment as presented at above link.

Section 1

Whereas the right to vote in public elections belongs only to natural persons as citizens of the United States, so shall the ability to make contributions and expenditures to influence the outcomes of public elections belong only to natural persons in accordance with this Article.

Section 2

Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to restrict the power of Congress and the States to protect the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, limit the corrupting influence of private wealth in public elections, and guarantee the dependence of elected officials on the people alone by taking actions which may include the establishment of systems of public financing for elections, the imposition of requirements to ensure the disclosure of contributions and expenditures made to influence the outcome of a public election by candidates, individuals, and associations of individuals, and the imposition of content neutral limitations on all such contributions and expenditures.

[CK_John]

2. Pure "pixie dust". nt