Resolution to be voted on at the January 9^th meeting of the BCDC on the Saving American Democracy Amendment

Resolution:

Whereas on the 21^st of January 2010, The Supreme Court of the United States did rule by a 5/4 decision that corporations were individuals protected by the guarantees of the First Amendment and,

Whereas that decision allows unlimited corporate expenditures in our elections and,

Whereas this money may at times be anonymous and,

Whereas this money may at times be from a foreign, anonymous source and,

Whereas President Obama has asked that legislation be passed, “that helps to right this wrong,” and;

Therefore Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America to remedy this most undemocratic Supreme Court Decision.

Resolved That we the Butler County Democratic Committee do support the passage of the Saving American Democracy Amendment as proposed by Senator Sanders of Vermont.

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to expressly exclude for-profit corporations from the rights given to natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations and to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

‘‘ARTICLE—

‘‘SECTION 1. The rights protected by the Constitution
of the United States are the rights of natural persons and
do not extend to for-profit corporations, limited liability
companies, or other private entities established for business
purposes or to promote business interests under the
laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state.

‘‘SECTION 2. Such corporate and other private entities
established under law are subject to regulation by the
people through the legislative process so long as such regulations
are consistent with the powers of Congress and the
States and do not limit the freedom of the press.

‘‘SECTION 3. Such corporate and other private entities
shall be prohibited from making contributions or expenditures
in any election of any candidate for public office
or the vote upon any ballot measure submitted to the
people.

‘‘SECTION 4. Congress and the States shall have the
power to regulate and set limits on all election contributions
and expenditures, including a candidate’s own spending,
and to authorize the establishment of political committees
to receive, spend, and publicly disclose the sources
of those contributions and expenditures.’’.

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