Colorado and the Federal Heavy Hitters

Senator, Congressman, Congressman, State Senator, City Councilwoman and Colorado Common Cause Executive Director Elena Nuñez. Yep, Colorado rocks.

At a panel discussion in Washington D.C. this week, it was clear the movement to amend the Constitution to bring corporations and other nonhuman entities to their knees is being built brick by brick by tough activists, organizers, and public officials. And everyone is working together.

Marge Baker from People for the American Way reminded us that more than 60 organizations have come together under the United for the People banner to overturn Citizens United.  The work of these organizations has moved voter awareness about the Supreme Court decision from 20% to 54%. There have been 12 bills introduced in Congress this session calling for a Constitutional amendment. “We the people, all the people, not just the powerful and privileged,” she said.

Senator Tom Udall from New Mexico has 20 cosponsors for his bill to amend. He says that once you explain to people that corporate treasuries are now open to be spent on our elections, people want to get involved. Exxon’s $80 Billion dollars can be spent on Super PACs in every state if they want, dominating every policy issue that could affect them. He said 100 years ago we banned corporate involvement in our elections – it’s time to do it again.

Elena told the panel and audience about why we’re involved. Colorado Common Cause has worked to pass several statewide ballot initiatives over the years to curb the influence of money in politics, but now, piece by piece, all that work is being dismantled by Supreme Court decisions and hostile public officials. It became apparent there was a need for a response much more profound. When working on the campaign to pass a resolution in the city of Boulder directing its lawmakers to amend the Constitution to say corporations are not people and money is not speech, it was easy to get local activists on board. As soon as you bring up the problem and offer a solution, they’re reminded ofall the other issues they work on and how they are consistently beat back by corporate financial influence. They jumped on a chance to do something about it.

Congressman Keith Ellison from Minnesota said he’s working on this issue, because he wants to live in a democracy, not a plutocracy. He went on to say that profit has a place in the country, but it cannot dominate the public square. Citizen voting rights are being taken away at the same time that corporations are winning influence in our elections. He told a story about how in Texas, some student ID’s are not accepted as proper identification for voting, but statute specifically says that conceal and carry gun permits can be used. It isn’t a grassroots movement pushing those changes, its ALEC and its corporate backers making that model legislation for the states, he said.

Jamie Raskin, a State Senator from Maryland, said of corporations, “We want them to prosper and succeed, but we don’t want them to govern.”

Other panelists included NYC Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito and Congressman Ted Deutch from Florida.