To hand power 'back to the people,' House Dems propose amendment to reverse Citizens United (www.commondreams.org)

submitted 4 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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Summary

House Democrats, led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, introduced the We the People Amendment to overturn Citizens United, aiming to curb corporate influence in elections.

The constitutional amendment asserts that constitutional rights apply only to individuals, not corporations, and mandates full disclosure of political contributions.

Jayapal cited Elon Musk’s massive campaign spending and subsequent financial gains as proof of the ruling’s harm.

Advocacy groups praised the move, calling it necessary to combat corporate power and dark money in politics, but Republicans have not backed the proposal.

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[-] leadore@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Nice idea, but you're a decade late and billions of dollars short.

OTOH, it has always been important to keep introducing bills showing what you stand for even when they have no chance of passing, which (theoretically) builds public support over time (by getting press coverage and talking about it in interviews and on the campaign trail). For example Repubs have introduced bills to kill all or parts of the ACA over 50 times since it was passed, and they do that with lots of other issues--they just push and push and push their agenda regardless of whether it can pass.

But Dems don't. It's hard to take this effort by Dems seriously when the first time they've attempted to do this is only after the effects of the Citizens United ruling have come to full fruition. I know the only time they've had the majority again since the ACA was passed was the first half of Biden's term and they did get some good things done during that time. But the idea is to relentlessly try to do what you're sent there by your voters to do. So I guess it's a ... start?

[-] shaggyb@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago

Yes. Suture up that corpse.

[-] Guidy@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago

Yep, now that it's far too late and the damage is done and they don't have a majority.

[-] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee 0 points 4 months ago

Do the people in these comment sections not grasp how Constitutional amendments work?

It requires two thirds of the Senate. Which Democrats have not had in the past half century.

That is why Democrats didn't try it when they had a majority. Because it would not work.

People really just want an excuse to blame Democrats for everything.

[-] TempermentalAnomaly@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

It's far more complicated than that to get an amendment passed including a route that doesn't require Congress.

Second, there is value in trying things that will fail. It sends a signal to the citizenry that this isn't acceptable. This can be a good just as much as it can damage their reputation. In my opinion, the Dems need to rebuild a reputation that is connected to the people in some meaningful way. I don't get the sense that Democratic leadership see that as the core issue

[-] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee -1 points 4 months ago

We didn't have 4/5 of state legislatures when we had Congress.

If they don't get that it isn't acceptable now, nothing is going to convince them.

I don't get why failing even more would make the Democratic Party look good.

[-] TempermentalAnomaly@lemmy.world -1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Doing something that resonates with your base and, frankly, most Americans, could help. I can't help you beyond that.

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[-] Tronn4@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago

Now they ask for this? After having zero majority in either house? Acter letting a nazi waltz into the white house?

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[-] inbeesee@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Seems like they realize repubs are winning the 'get rich taking bribes' game so hard it's erasing America. Seems like it's bad enough to alienate donors? Edit: a word

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[-] fbn@slrpnk.net 0 points 4 months ago

would have been more useful when you had any kind of power to get a bill passed, but thanks anyway i guess

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[-] VeryVito@lemmy.ml -1 points 4 months ago

Good, but why the hell didn’t they do this when they had control of Congress?

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[-] Kalysta@lemm.ee -1 points 4 months ago

Wouldn’t it be nice if they did shit like this when they were actually in power?

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this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2025

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