‘Democracy for All’ Constitutional Amendment Would “Wipe Clean the Dark Stain Citizens United Has Left on Our Democracy”
“The basic principle of democracy is one person, one vote – not one dollar, one vote.”
Washington, DC – Today, Senate Democrats introduced the Democracy for All Amendment, a proposed Constitutional amendment that would overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC among other key court rulings concerning money in politics. The amendment, led by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), would affirm the right of Congress and state legislatures to regulate campaign financing and set rules and limits on corporate spending in public elections.
Morris Pearl, former Managing Director at Blackrock, Inc. and Chair of the Patriotic Millionaires, issued the following statement in response to the amendment’s introduction:
“Citizens United has wreaked havoc on American politics by allowing deep-pocketed corporations and powerful special interests to spend unfathomable amounts of money on political campaigns. The ruling, among several other key court cases addressed in this proposed amendment, has transformed our political system into a pay-to-play scheme where only the wealthiest among us can make their voices heard while average Americans are hung out to dry. The basic principle of democracy is one person, one vote – not one dollar, one vote.
If we continue to allow corporations and the rich to keep a stranglehold on American politics, our democracy will increasingly only reflect the interests of an elite few and reach an untenable point. That’s why we welcome today’s introduction of, and encourage swift action on, the Democracy for All Amendment. The Patriotic Millionaires have long taken the position that everyone in this country should have the same political influence as us wealthy folks, and we are thrilled to support this amendment with that mission in mind. It’s time for this country to wipe clean the dark stain that Citizens United has left on our democracy. The Democracy for All Amendment sends a timely and powerful message that democracy is not for sale.”
For further comments or questions, please contact Sam Quigley at sam@patrioticmillionaires.org.
###
About the Patriotic Millionaires
Proud “traitors to their class,” members of the Patriotic Millionaires are high-net worth Americans, business leaders, and investors who are united in their concern about the destabilizing concentration of wealth and power in America. The mission of The Patriotic Millionaires organization is to build a more stable, prosperous, and inclusive nation by promoting public policies based on the “first principles” of equal political representation, a guaranteed living wage for all working citizens, and a fair tax system. You can find out more at https://patrioticmillionaires.org/about/
The Patriotic Millionaires have appeared on hundreds of media outlets here and abroad, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the PBS NewsHour, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and many others. You can find more coverage at https://patrioticmillionaires.org/media
###