Thirteen Communities Vote for Constitutional Amendment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: wisconsin@movetoamend.org

Thirteen Communities Vote for Constitutional Amendment

Madison, WI (April 1, 2014) – On Tuesday, April 1, 13 communities voted in favor of amending the U.S. Constitution to make clear that corporations are not people and money is not speech. These two ideas were the basis of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates to big money in elections.

All 13 referenda passed with solid majorities: Waukesha (69%), Wauwatosa (64%), Whitefish Bay (65%), Shorewood (76%), Waunakee (79%), Edgerton (87%), Lake Mills (73%), Elkhorn (69%), Delavan (76%), Belleville (85%), De Forest (70%), Windsor (71%) and Waterloo (61%). This brings the total number of communities in Wisconsin that have called for an amendment to 41. In the country as a whole, 16 state legislatures have voted for an amendment, as well as over 500 towns, cities and other organizations.

“An amendment saying that corporations aren’t people, money isn’t speech, and political expenditures can be regulated is common sense,” said Scott Trindl of Waukesha, “I think our founding fathers would agree.”

Polls have shown widespread disapproval of Citizens United among Democrats, Independents and Republicans, and strong support for an amendment to reverse it.

“The citizens of Edgerton know the difference between corporations and humans and the difference between money and speech,” said Margie Jessup, a Move to Amend volunteer in Edgerton. “Anyone who works for a living and get paid with a speech could tell you what the difference is.”

“The call for an amendment grows stronger with every passing election,” said George Penn, Volunteer Coordinator for South Central Wisconsin Move to Amend (SCWMTA). “People are not happy with the current system. It’s time to reverse the Citizens United decision, and to limit the influence of money in politics.”

For more information:

Associated Press-National Constitution Center poll on campaign spending limits (see page 21):
https://ap-gfkpoll.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/AP-NCC-Poll-August-GfK-2012-Topline-FINAL_1st-release.pdf

Half in U.S. Support Publicly Financed Federal Campaigns and 79% of Americans Would Limit Campaign Fundraising:
https://www.gallup.com/poll/163208/half-support-publicly-financed-federal-campaigns.aspx

Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle:
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports/citizens_united.php

South Central Wisconsin United to Amend:
https://wiuta.org/scwuta

Wisconsin United to Amend:
https://wiuta.org/

Wisconsin communities (before April 1) that have passed Amendment resolutions and referendums:
https://wiuta.org/resources/wisconsin-ready-to-amend/

Photo:
https://wiuta.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wauwatosa-April-1st.jpg

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