Kucinich Announces ‘Game Changing’ Constitutional Amendment to Publicly Finance Federal Elections

[midnight]

http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=275443




Washington, Jan 19 -

On the eve of the second anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling known as Citizens United, which opened the floodgate of unlimited, shadowy corporate spending in public elections, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has introduced H. J. Res. 100, a constitutional amendment to rescue American democracy from corporate money’s corrupting influence.

“Because of the decision by the Supreme Court majority in the Citizens United case, more money was spent on campaigns in the 2010 election than has ever been spent in a mid-term election.

“Because of the Citizens United case, more money will be spent in the 2012 elections than has ever been spent in an election in the history of our country.


H.J. Res.100 would require that all federal campaigns –all campaigns for President, Vice-President, Senator and Representative – be financed exclusively with public funds and prohibit any expenditures from any other source, including the candidate. H. J. Res. 100 would also prohibit any expenditures in support of, or in opposition to, any federal candidate, so that interest groups will not be able to influence elections. It will maintain the First Amendment “freedom of the press” and preserve the traditional role that the media have played in our electoral process.

[Nye Bevan]

1. Would DU qualify as "the press"?

If not, under this amendment it would seem that DU would have to shut down in the run-up to an election. As an LLC, expenditure by DU on bandwidth in support of the Democrat, or against the Republican, would be prohibited.

[arcane1]

4. I don't think so

"Democratic Underground LLC" would not be able to run ads or donate to campaigns, but I think we would still be free to post news items and discuss things just like we do now.

[Nye Bevan]

9. It's not just "donating to campaigns". Independent expenditures are prohibited, too.

Like DU LLC spending money on bandwidth to promote Democratic candidates.

If not, then we could see "Koch Brothers Underground" set up to spend huge amounts of money to promote Republicans, and the new amendment would be meaningless.

[edhopper]

13. Who would want to visit such a website for discussion?

[Warren Stupidity]

2. gets right to the point.

remove money from federal elections. Period. Full stop. No more millionaires club. Get the global corporations out of politics.

No chance in hell this will pass.

[superpatriotman]

3. Bernie Sanders brought up amending the Constitution last night on Real Time

The U.S. electoral process is broken. It must be fixed.

[tritsofme]

5. So if I spend my money to print out ten thousand fliers supporting my candidate, the speech police

will come get me? No thanks. This amendment sounds dangerous.

[vanbean]

11. Do you think the system we have now is not dangerous?

[tritsofme]

12. Do you want to lock me up for printing fliers?

I think that system is a little worse.

[Nye Bevan]

14. Agreed. There is a reason that the ACLU supports the Citizens United decision (nt)

[Robb]

6. I was with him until he mentioned the press.

I'm all about freedom of the press, but that's a fucking truck-sized loophole right there, one that should be obvious to anyone who realized that for the last ten years THE GOP HAS OWNED ALL THE GODDAMN PRESS.

I can see it now. "...What, the 'Newt News Network' isn't a legitimate news source?!?"

[Nye Bevan]

10. That "loophole" allows the New York Times to endorse a presidential candidate.

Seriously, do you want to prohibit newspapers from endorsing candidates and editorializing on campaign issues in the run up to an election?

[superpatriotman]

7. Link to Petition for a Constitutional amendment:

https://secure3.convio.net/change/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=775

from the Public Campaign Action Fund:

Since the Citizens United Supreme Court Decision two years ago, big money is playing a bigger role than ever in our political system. The voices of ordinary voters are being drowned out like never before.

We need bold action to fight back against big money influence.

Please sign the petition urging President Obama to support a constitutional amendment to get big money out of politics.

Sign it.

[Egalitariat]

8. His "Reasonable Profits Committee" could determine which candidates were legit and deserving of

funding as well.

Or we could let everybody who wanted to run a campaign have the same amount of money. For fairness reasons, of course.