Rep. Rick Nolan introduces 'We the People' amendment to overturn Citizens United

Activists in Seattle, WA Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN) (whose candidacy Daily Kos endorsed in our Orange to Blue efforts) is making good in Washington. On Monday, he introduced, along with Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court decision that gave corporations free rein in our elections.

In making the announcement, lead sponsor Rep. Rick Nolan (DFL-Minnesota), said: 'It's time to take the shaping and molding of public policy out of corporate boardrooms, away from the corporate lobbyists, and put it back in city halls'back with county boards and state legislatures'and back in the Congress where it belongs.'

Representatives from the grassroots organization Move to Amend joined Nolan to announce the legislation. You read the text of the legislation at their site. The essentials of the bill are:

• Rights recognized under the Constitution belong to human beings only, and not to government-created artificial legal entities such as corporations and limited liability companies; and
• Political campaign spending is not a form of speech protected under the First Amendment.

A constitutional amendment won't be easy to achieve, but since the Supreme Court ruling came down, grassroots organizers across the country have been getting their communities on the bandwagon. This proposed amendment is one part of keeping up the drumbeat to overturn this disastrous ruling.

Stand with Daily Kos and CREDO by signing our petition urging your members of Congress to pass a constitutional amendment overturning the Citizens United decision and ending corporate personhood.