Tag Archives: Citizens United

Money, Politics and Overturning Citizens United

  By Matt Murray | April 26, 2013 - 8:59 am | , ,
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UNH Poll supporting overturning citizens united

For as long as I can remember, the amount of money involved in politics has been an issue.  Even before the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United, there was ‘soft money’ for campaigns from the political parties.

However, the landmark decision in Citizens United didn’t just change the rules of the game – it fundamentally changed the game.

Citizens United gave individuals the ability to donate unlimited amounts of money to political campaigns.  The ruling also gave corporations the same rights as people, therefor allowing corporations to donate unlimited funds.  The worst part of the Citizens United ruling is how it allowed donors to remain essentially anonymous.  Billionaires like the Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson could literally donate a billion dollars without anyone knowing.  This would be true if they did not tell everyone they did it.

We all agree that money is power in politics.  In political campaigns, money is everything – that is why the day after each election, they start begging for money for the next election. Money allows you to buy airtime on TV and radio.  Money allows candidates to send out post cards to every person in their district (my friends at the USPS thank you for that, by the way).  Without money, candidates cannot even get their names out there to the people. Money is everything in a campaign.

Once again, we are at the point where we need to reform our political contribution system.  The money in politics is giving more weight to the corporations and lobbying groups than the actual people that candidates are elected to represent.  Take the recent Senate vote on common sense gun reforms and universal background checks.  Many of the Senators who opposed background checks are also in tight with the NRA, who is a massive lobbying group for the gun manufacturers.  Even though between 80-90% of Americans believe that we should have universal background checks on all gun sales, 46 US Senators voted it down.  Why? Because they do not want to lose the financial backing, or face the wrath of the uber-rich NRA.

We must fix this system, or our democracy will completely fall apart.  This is why New Hampshire Legislators have introduced HCR2. HCR2 is a resolution urging US Congress to amend the US Constitution to overturn Citizens United.  Simple, right?

In a recent UNH poll, 72% of Granite Staters believed this we should overturn Citizens United.  This is 72% of all Granite Staters – Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike.

“These numbers make it clear that the political will exists to reclaim democracy from corporate and special interest spending – in New Hampshire and around the country,” said Marge Baker, executive vice president of People For the American Way. “Voters across the state are speaking out to insist that our democracy is truly of, by and for the people.”

UNH Poll supporting overturning citizens united

So why haven’t you heard about this resolution? Because it has no chance of even being debated in the NH Senate right now.  Recently Senate President Peter Bragdon changed the rules of the Senate to say that a ‘super majority’ would be required before the Senate would even consider House resolutions.  If this sounds vaguely familiar and highly dysfunctional, think: US Senate Filibuster on a smaller scale. This change means that the NH Senate is not even going to discuss the resolution.

“New Hampshire voters, like most Americans, are fed up with the Citizens United anything-goes approach to money in politics. Six in 10 New Hampshire Republicans, nearly three out of four independents, and nearly eight in 10 Democrats support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. That’s why 10 Republican Representatives joined Democrats in passing HCR2 at the state House last month, and why the state Senate should now also heed the will of the voters,” said Peter Schurman, campaign director at Free Speech For People.

These Senators are elected to represent us. When the people overwhelmingly agree that this needs to change, something should change.  The Senate should stop hiding behind this arbitrary parliamentary rule.  Bring the resolution to the floor and let’s discuss it.

Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer of Democracy Is For People at Public Citizen sums it up perfectly:

“The only question is: Are the politicians ready to follow the will of the people, rather than the giant campaign spenders?”

 

Advocacy Group Pushes For NH Constitutional Change To Overturn Citizens United

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 18, 2013 - 3:00 pm |
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Democracy in Motion Speaking Tour Comes to New Hampshire to Rally Support for Constitutional Amendment Against Money in Politics

After the New Hampshire State House Passes a Resolution to Overturn Citizens United, Citizens Organize to Demand That Senate Does Same

The “Democracy in Motion” tour featuring the Coalition for Open Democracy and Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People Campaign will visit libraries, churches, parks, law offices and living rooms in nine towns in New Hampshire – New London, Plymouth, Hooksett, Tamworth, Derry, Hanover, Manchester, Concord and Nashua – to mobilize support for a constitutional amendment that would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. At public forums in the first six towns, a rally in Manchester, a private event at a retirement home in Nashua, and a breakfast for state senators in Concord, organizers will meet with community members and provide guidance to help pass a state resolution protesting the court’s decision, which disregarded a hundred years of legal precedents and made money the corporate equivalent of free speech.

On March 20, in a widely applauded move, the New Hampshire House of Representatives, with bipartisan support, and in a 189-139 vote, passed a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. The bill, House Concurrent Resolution 2, calls on Congress to adopt a constitutional amendment declaring that corporations and other artificial entities are not people with constitutional rights, and that the expenditure of corporate money to influence the electoral process is no longer a form of constitutionally protected speech.

The Democracy in Motion speaking tour will rally local support for a similar resolution to pass in the New Hampshire Senate. Should the effort succeed, New Hampshire will become the 13th state to issue a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

Get more information about the tour at: http://www.democracyisforpeople.org/democracy_in_motion_nh.

New London
When: 10 a.m., Saturday, April 20
Where: New London House Party, 142 Job Seamans Acres, New London
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
Jane Armstrong, treasurer for the Coalition for Open Democracy

Plymouth (two events)
When: 2 p.m., Saturday, April 20
Where: Peace Public Library, 1 Russell St., Plymouth
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
Olivia Zink, program director for the Coalition for Open Democracy

When: 5 p.m., Saturday, April 20
Where: The Hebert Room, Hooksett Library, 31 Mount Saint Mary’s Way, Hooksett
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
Olivia Zink, program director for the Coalition for Open Democracy

Tamworth
When: 12 p.m., Sunday, April 21
Where: Tamworth Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 30 Tamworth Road, Tamworth
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
New Hampshire State Representative Bob Perry
Dick Pollock, organizer for the Coalition for Open Democracy

Derry
When: 4 p.m., Sunday, April 21
Where: Milan Legal, 78 West Broadway, Derry
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
Olivia Zink, program director for the Coalition for Open Democracy

Hanover
When: 4 p.m., Monday, April 22
Where: Dartmouth College, Room 3 of the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College, 2 Webster Ave, Hanover
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
Contact Mason.L.Cole.13@dartmouth.edu for more details on this event.

Manchester
When: 7 p.m., Monday, April 22
Where: Veterans Memorial Park, 889 Elm St, Manchester
or in case of rain, the Manchester Main Library, 405 Pine St., Manchester
Who: Jonah Minkoff-Zern, senior organizer for the Democracy Is For People campaign
Olivia Zink, program director for the Coalition for Open Democracy
Hosted by New Hampshire State Representative Jeremy Dobson

This event will have free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Conway Voters Approve Ballot Initiative To Overturn Citizens United

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 12, 2013 - 11:52 am |
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Conway Is Applauded for Approving Ballot Initiative Calling for a Constitutional Amendment Opposing Corporate Money in Politics

With the passage of Warrant Article 33, Conway joins nearly than 500 local governments in calling for a constitutional amendment to end the corrosive influence of corporate money in politics and to restore constitutional rights to the people.  The resolution specifically calls on the U.S. Congress to pass an amendment that would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee.

“Yesterday in Conway warrant article 33 passed 704 – 520.  The article includes a requirement that the Conway Board of Selectmen write to our state and federal legislators informing them of the wishes of Conway voters.  You can read the article at http://www.wethepeople-mwv.org/Resolutions/YourResolution.html.  Citizens of Conway stood up for the Constitutional rights of real people, now it’s time for our state legislature to hear the voices of their constituent” said Joe Bagshaw, Conway voter.
Momentum is building nationwide for a constitutional response to the flood of money from corporations and the ultra-wealthy that has inundated elections since the court’s disastrous Citizens United decision. Since this ruling, 11 states and the District of Columbia have called for a constitutional amendment. More than 125 members of Congress and President Barack Obama have expressed support for an amendment.
A 2010 Peter Hart poll revealed that 68 percent of Republicans, 82 percent of Independents and 87 percent of Democrats support an amendment. In 2012, an AP poll showed that 81 percent  of Republicans, 78 percent  of Independents and 85 percent of Democrats want to limit corporate, union and other outside spending.
New Hampshire has seen the devastating effects of the 2010 Citizens United decision.  For example, in the 2012 New Hampshire gubernatorial race, estimates show that outside groups spent $19 million (spending almost five times what the candidates spent). Meanwhile, outside spending in the 2012 federal elections was more than $1.25 billion.

 

On March 20, 2013 and with bipartisan support, New Hampshire’s House of Representatives passed a resolution by a 189-139 margin calling for a constitutional amendment. While passage in the House was a huge step in formalizing New Hampshire’s opposition to Citizens United, the Senate stands as the last obstacle preventing New Hampshire from joining the 11 states that have already called for an amendment to repeal Citizens United. This win in Conway sends a strong message to the Senate as well as Senate’s Majority Leader, Jeb Bradley, whose district includes Conway.
“Conway voters have reaffirmed what we have seen every time this issue has come to a vote, that people across party lines want a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United ruling, take democracy off the auction block, and preserve constitutional rights for people – not corporations,” said Jonah Minkoff-Zern of Public Citizen. “We encourage the New Hampshire Senate to follow the lead of Conway residents and the bipartisan vote in the House and pass House Concurrent Resolution 2 calling for an amendment.”

Voters Vote To Overturn Citizens United

  By New Hampshire Labor News | November 12, 2012 - 8:00 am | ,
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Sen Bernie Sanders

Did you get enough of the political ad, flyers, mailers, and radio spots this election? I did (see post), and I do not think I was alone.  Everyone is complaining that money, especially the corporate money, involved in this years election process.   Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been leading the charge against the Citizens United ruling.  Sen. Sanders is the sponsor of the Saving American Democracy Amendment.

“Amazingly enough, we withstood the assault. We withstood the hundreds of millions of dollars that came in from these billionaires,” Sanders said after the election. The money spent by billionaires to influence the election was not enough to topple President Obama. Others in Congress survived the financial onslaught too. But he said a constitutional amendment still is needed.” Sen Bernie Sanders

This year voters voiced their agreement with Sen Sanders in elections across the country.  The two biggest amendments were:

  • Montana’s Initiative 166, Stand with Montanans, establishes an official Montana policy that corporations are not people with constitutional rights and charges Montana’s elected officials with supporting a constitutional amendment to create a level playing field in campaign spending.
  • Colorado Amendment 65 instructs Colorado’s congressional delegation to propose and support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that allows congress and the states to limit campaign contributions and spending that allow all citizens, regardless of wealth, to express their views to one another on a level playing field.

Both of these amendments were aimed at limiting campaign contributions and ‘corporate personhood’. While this is good for the people in these states, we need more.  We need to craft legislation to overturn Citizens United ruling.  Sen Sanders fears that Congress will not have the strength to stand up to the corporate money.

“I worry very much what it does on the floor of the House and the Senate. How many people are going to have the guts to stand up to big money when they know that the airwaves in their states are going to be flooded with negative ads if they vote against Wall Street or vote against coal or oil? So I would say that one of the major issues that we’ve got to deal with is Citizens United. I think we need a constitutional amendment to overturn it. I think it would be a wonderful rallying point for folks all over this country.”

I completely agree with Senator Sanders. We need to reverse Citizens United and remove the corporate money in our political system.  We need all of elected representatives to stand up for the ‘real’ people and reject the ‘corporate’ people.

Watch Senator Bernie Sanders as he proposes his Constitutional Amendment to reverse Citizens United. Then take one minute to sign his petition. 

The Wealthy Have Stolen Our Democracy by One Angry American

  By Bill Brickley | August 8, 2012 - 12:00 pm |
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PATCO Strikers Ohare

The wealthy elite and their corporate proxies have stolen our democracy. We live in a country where the middle class is being squeezed to the point of extinction. The top 1% has increased their wealth by 275% in the past few decades while the rest of us are going downhill. With this extreme new money coming their way they have bought most politicians and have now destroyed our democracy. They have replaced it with a plutocracy. We are all to blame.

While Americans spend their time glued to TV sets the GOP and some corporate owned Democrats have given the wealthy all the tax breaks they could ask for. From 2008-2010 General Electric, Dupont, Verizon, Boeing, Wells Fargo and Dupont to name just a few  paid $0 in US taxes. Corporate owned media spins it that our corporations and wealthy are over taxed while the facts show they are misleading us.

Since the monumental mistake of electing Ronald Reagan President the middle class has given away everything previous generations fought for. The vibrant union movement of the early 20th century has been replaced by apathy. The Gilded Age, which concentrated wealth in a few hands much like today was the triggering economic catalyst, which gave the union movement energy that, served America so well until the Reagan election. Reagan broke the Professional Air Traffic Controller Organization (PATCO) strike and fired them, early in his Presidency and that began the anti-union mantra we have heard by the corporate media for the last 30 years.

Reagan changed the national conversation in ways that have destroyed our country. Reagan started the dangerous  mixing of religion and politics which never happened in our society previously. Suddenly the “God Bless America” nonsense was considered acceptable for politicians to sprout incessantly. Really, God Bless America? What does God think of the other people in the world?

The United States Armed Forces send working class kids overseas to fight battles that only benefit corporate interests. How does the $2 Billion a week we spend on the war nobody wants in Afghanistan  help the middle class? Poor working class kids sign up for the military because often it’s their only hope for a job. Then they give up their lives and limbs to preserve an economic system that just benefits the wealthy?

Now we have a sense of hopelessness that is quite new in our history. With NAFTA and other Free Trade Agreements shipping our jobs overseas the possibility exists that manufacturing jobs may never come back under the current economic policies.

The anti union and conservative rampage has left America workers with little or no alternative but to cave in to corporate America. They ship our middle class jobs overseas daily to increase corporate profits. Union busting king Mitt Romney has taken the Reagan revolution to a new extreme. Romney as a CEO shipped jobs overseas to benefit his wealthy board members, then says he is a “job creator” Reagan actually believed in federal unions while Romney is proudly campaigning to dismantle them.

It took longer than expected for a counter movement to rise up considering the growing economic inequality in our country.  Well almost a year ago it started at Zucotti Park. The energy and enthusiasm of the Occupy Wall Street movement is what the Labor movement needs as we confront the many challenges we are now facing. OWS has had its struggles since being evicted and have had a difficult time getting the corporate media to give them fair press coverage. The media always plays up the few people in the crowd that get arrested but they somehow ignore the thousands of people marching for economic justice. That does not diminish the fact they are fighting the battles against the entrenched corporate and government alliance that has sold out ordinary working people for the benefit of the privileged few.

Private wealth controls public power like never in our history. This is shown by the fact that a majority of Super Pac money comes from just 47 people. We are supposed to pretend this is a democracy?

Prosperity For All part Three: Saving Our Democracy

  By Matt Murray | August 5, 2012 - 8:02 pm | ,
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american-airlines-unamerican

This is the third part in a three-part series taking an in-depth look at the Prosperity For All recommendations.

To refresh, Prosperity for All is a list of recommended policy changes that would help bring our nation out of financial ruin, lifting up the middle class and restoring the American Dream to everyone.  The Prosperity for All campaign is broken into three main parts: Growth, Security, and Democracy. In this section we will look at the Democracy recommendations.

Democratic voice, inclusively and accountability – “in Washington and the workplace Democracy means we have a strong system of checks and balances both in our government and in the private sector that empowers citizens, guarantees more inclusive decision making and creates strong mechanisms of accountability“.

Most Americans would agree that we live in the greatest Democracy.  The problem is that currently forces are trying to break down our democracy.  This is happening in many ways and on many levels.  In our voting rights, in our workplace, and even in our banks.

Prosperity for All recommends

1. ”Protect the right to vote to ensure every voice is heard in the political process. Repeal disenfranchisement and voter ID laws and adopt same‐day voter registration, provisional voting and other measures to maximize voter participation and access“.

VOTER ID has been one of the most contested issues in our State Houses in the last five years.  The radical right has been telling everyone that there is ‘fraud’ being committed in the voting booth and Voter ID will fix that.  The problem is that by instituting a policy like Voter ID you are making it harder or almost impossible for some people to vote.  Voting is a fundamental right and which should be working to make it easier to vote not harder.  ”Studies show that as many as 11 percent of eligible voters do not have government-issued photo ID“.  This means one out of every ten voters would be turned away from voting because they do not have a valid ID.

While other states are still battling the Voter ID in court (PA – Voter ID Law Goes To Trial)  New Hampshire has already started to enact policies around our new law.  The big thing is that this year you will not be turned away from voting as in other states.   NH will allow you to vote, but those restrictions get tighter next year and for future elections.  Just like in the workplace everyone needs to have a voice in what policy is effecting them.  Their ability to vote it that voice.

2.  ”Guarantee every worker has a voice in the workplace, including a quick, fair process for workers to choose union representation and have the power to bargain collectively. Enforce stronger penalties on companies that violate labor laws.”

Just as in part one of this series, the collective bargaining process vital to a healthy workforce, the ability to choose your representation is just as important.  Over the last year there have been many cases of employers violating labor laws and deterring the union election process.  One good example of this the fight to unionize the service agents at American Airlines (see also Judge blocks CWA election).  The Communication Workers of America have been working to help unionize the service agents for many years and now they are being blocked changes to legislation.  We need to have a more streamline process to elect for union representation.  To me this also means severely harsh punishments to companies who try to interfere with the election process.

3.  & 4. “Free government from corporate interests by reinstating the firewalls between investment and banking” and “Improve consumer protections against unfair credit card fees and practices, predatory lending and bankruptcy rules biased in favor of creditors“.

The collapse of the stock market in 2007 had disastrous effects that we are still trying to overcome.  Some of this was caused by repealing the Glass Steagall Act. Even the former president of CitiGroup blamed the financial crisis on the repeal. He said: “To some extent what we saw in the 2007, 2008 crash was the result of the throwing off of Glass-Steagall“.   The financial crisis has also led more people to rely on credit cards to pay their bills.  These cards then began raising the interest rates on people who were trying to stay a float in the tumultuous economy.  These fees would end up adding more costs, like throwing an anchor to a drowning man.   We need to work to help these people get out from these high interest credit cards and shady mortgages that they could never have really afforded.

5. ”Rein in the power of corporations and the rich by empowering shareholders through greater corporate disclosure and transparency and input in setting executive pay. Corporate power is not reigned in simply by empowering shareholders. Democracy also requires a counterweight to corporate power:  Strong unions and community organizations are needed to ensure that workers, and the public more broadly, have an organized voice in our political process“.

This is really a well worded way of saying we must overturn the Citizens United ruling or place new legislation to counter balance the effects of the Citizens United decision.  Our democracy is being bought and paid for by corporations pushing millions of dollars into election campaigns.  The Koch Brothers and corporate funded organizations like ALEC are using their money as power to make sweeping changes in legislation that in turn boosts their profits.   There is also legislation that would make it mandatory for corporations to get shareholder approval before they donate to political campaigns.  This seemingly simple change could have dramatic effects on our election process.  Without a fair election process what would be left of our Democracy.

So as you can see we are not that far away from taking our country back from the corporations.  We need to work together to make policy changes that will lead to Prosperity For All.

Read the full report and learn more about how you can join the growing Prosperity for All movement at www.prosperityforamerica.org.

Part 1: Economic Growth

Part 2: Economic Security

Prosperity for America Part Two: Our Economic Security

  By Matt Murray | August 5, 2012 - 8:00 pm | ,
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Obama Green Energy

This is the second part in a three-part series taking an in-depth look at the Prosperity For All recommendations.

To refresh, Prosperity for All is a list of recommended policy changes that would help bring our nation out of financial ruin, lifting up the middle class and restoring the American Dream to everyone.  The Prosperity for All campaign is broken into three main parts: Growth, Security, and Democracy. In this section we will look at the Democracy recommendations.

In this section we will look at the Economic Security recommendations.

Economic Security: “Security for workers and their families, the environment and government finances“.

Ever since we were in grade school we have been taught about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This is the theory that before we can become the ‘self-actualized’ person we have to meet the our other needs first.   The most basic of all of these needs is the physical.  This would be food, water, breathing, and sleep.  The second level is ‘safety / security’.  This is security in employment, finances, health, and property.

With our economy so unstable many people have been concerned about just meeting these most basic human needs.  People have been forced out of work. People have lost their homes.  Some have lost their health care due to being laid off or being forced to change jobs.  This creates a mountain of uncertainty in their lives and we need a solid foundation if we plan to build.

Property for All has come up with some policy recommendations to help with this area.

1. “Build on the Affordable Care Act by adding a public option with the clout to push back against insurance companies so everyone has access to affordable, quality health care“.

Healthcare is a must.  While millions of American are lucky enough to receive healthcare from their workplace, there are millions who go without.   The Huffington Post reported that only 44.6% of Americans get health benefits from their employer. The worse part is that this number continues to decline every year.  This leaves 17.1% of Americans with no healthcare at all. Millions are one broken bone away from financial bankruptcy.  To add to this stress, most of the people without healthcare avoid seeking medical advice due to the cost leaving them more apt get preventable diseases.

2. & 3. “Increase public investment in research and development for clean energy technologies by $15 billion per year” and “Take action to reduce carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases to mitigate climate change.”

I am not expert on the environment or greenhouse gases however I do believe the research that global warming is real and we need to work to reduce our carbon based emissions to slow these effects. By investing in ‘green’ energy we will put people to work and help save the planet at the same time.   The Obama for America website says the current investments in solar energy alone have helped to create 12,500 jobs and power 1.3 million homes.

4. “Provide a simple, universal mandatory pension for all that would guarantee a lifetime benefit to provide real retirement security to workers, and strengthen and expand Social Security.”

Retirements and pensions have become one the biggest fights between workers and business owners in the last few decades.  People want the security of a defined benefit plan and companies are pushing people to a defined contribution (401k) style plan to save money.  For example in 2007 only “21 percent of all private-sector workers were offered traditional pensions” while “70 percent of private-sector union workers successfully negotiated for solid retirement benefits“.  Once again the process of collective bargaining works to help employees.

The problem with 401k style retirements is that there is no guaranteed monthly income and there is a risk in losing your retirement.  401k plans take your savings and invest in the stock market in hopes of a huge reward.  However as we have seen in the last few years the wall street gamblers are not always right. This could lead to you losing your retirement savings in a stock market crash.  The combination of a strong social security program would benefit everyone.  For those millions who are not even offered a retirement it allows them to retire with dignity.   Add that to the your 401k savings and rest assured your needs will be met for as long as you live.

The rest of the Economic Security recommendations talk about changes to the financial markets and tax structure.

5. & 6. “End the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. The Bush tax cuts are the largest single contributor to our current revenue shortfall” and “Implement a financial transaction tax to discourage short‐term speculation and reduce the chance of financial crises. The tax would be invested publicly and fund job creation.”

Both of these are currently being evaluated in Congress. The Bush Era Tax cuts just passed the US House and will move to the Senate where it will likely fade away under the Democrats control.   These Bush Era tax cuts do offer some relief to middle class families however the ultra wealth are the ones who are reaping the benefits.  To help pay for all of these things we must do to move our country forward we must end these tax cuts to the top 2%.  By ending the tax cuts to the top 2% the middle class would be protected from a significant tax increase.

 

Prosperity For All Part One: Economic Growth

Continue to part three: Protecting Our Democracy

Together We Can Fight Back Against Citizens United

  By Matt Murray | July 31, 2012 - 5:00 pm | ,
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CC DBKING
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By DBKING CC

Last month the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) announced its ruling against SEIU 1000.  This was a very complex case. It all boiled down to a ruling that members must ‘Opt-in’ to allow unions to money collected from non-members for political fights.  (for more on the SEIU 1000 decision read: Supreme Court attacks union political power)

After this ruling many organizations include labor unions started a new campaign to have corporations have an ‘Opt-in’ clause from their shareholders.  This is because the Citizens United ruling allows corporations to dump any amount of money into political campaigns.  Many of the United States Congress members disagree with Citizens United and believe that it is wrong to allow companies to dump millions into campaigns.

The people at the Daily Kos have began to push back against Citizens United by helping to push new legislation that would make it law for shareholders to ‘Opt-in’ before corporations spend money on politics.  The bill is called the ‘Shareholder Protection Act of 2011′ (S.1360, H.R.2517).  These bills were submitted “To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization before a public company may make certain political expenditures, and for other purposes”.

Currently S.1360 has 12 co-sponsors in the Senate and H.R. 2517 has 49 co-sponsors in the House. We need to make this legislation a priority. We need to reverse Citizens United but until that happens this legislation is a step in the right direction.  Take a moment to send a letter to your elected officials in Washington.  The letter reads

Please become a co-sponsor of S. 1360, “The Shareholder Protection Act.” This much needed legislation would empower shareholders to vote on whether to allow corporate executives to spend corporate money on political campaigns.

Shareholders—not the CEO and not the board of directors—are the real owners of any publicly traded corporation, and this important decision should be up to them.

With your help we can start to reverse the effects of Citizens United and the unfair advantage the corporation are using to destroy our democracy.

SIGN THE LETTER HERE

The Supreme Court Takes Another Swing At Organized Labor

  By The New Hampshire Labor News | June 22, 2012 - 4:41 pm | ,
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Photo by DBKING

By Matt Murray

There has been a lot of buzz circling the internet about the new Supreme Court ruling against the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  The case is very complex and the ruling seem to fall right in line with the Citizens United ruling.  Before we get in too deep, let me say this up front. This Supreme Court decision does not mean that agency fees are unconstitutional.  No matter what the Fox news stations are saying, this decision does not change the negotiated right of the union to charge a fee for the service they provide to non-members.

This is why the case seems to fall more in line with the Citizens United ruling.  The case was more about what money the union could spend as part of the political process.  This is just another attack on unions.  “It should be noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the right of corporations to put millions of dollars into the political system,” said Jim Herron Zamora, spokesperson for SEIU Local 1000. “Yet shareholders currently have no right to object to the spending of that money against their political or ideological beliefs.”.

The AFL-CIO also released this statement:

“We are disturbed – but unfortunately not surprised in the wake of Citizens United and similar rulings – that the Court’s activist conservative majority went out of its way to make broad statements about issues not raised or argued in the context of the highly unusual facts of this case.  Likewise, we are disturbed but not surprised that the conservative majority places special burdens on public sector unions in their efforts to represent working people’s economic interests through the legislative process that the Court does not apply to corporations when they spend shareholder money on politics.”

The reason that many news organizations are confusing this case with “agency fee’s” is due to the fact also that the court ruled that the SEIU did not give enough time to the non-members to “opt-out” of paying for an increased fee.  Once again, I want to confirm that the Supreme Court did not say that agency fee’s are unconstitutional.   “Nevertheless, the Court reaffirmed that in all ordinary circumstances public sector unions may continue to use the existing system for regular dues payment that has been in place and worked well for many years” (from AFLCIO statement).