The Supreme Court decided in late January that giant corporations should be treated just like individual Americans when it comes to spending money in elections. Their ruling in the Citizens United case - which overturned decades of campaign finance legislation and previous court rulings - means that a company like ExxonMobil can spend an unlimited amount on attack ads, direct mail, and robocalls to support politicians who serve its interests and defeat those who stand in its way. The Court had its say, but now the American people are speaking.
People For the American Way has just released the results of a new national poll on Citizens United and the many ways in which Congress - and the American people - can undo the damage, culminating with an amendment to the Constitution.
Above all else, the poll shows that the Supreme Court is far out of step with popular opinion. Americans of all political stripes - including a majority of Republicans and conservatives - believe that corporations have too much influence in elections and should be limited by Congress in how much they can spend to support or oppose candidates. This isn't just a liberal or Democratic position - it's the American position, shared by majorities across the spectrum. Republican leaders who have rejoiced at the prospect of more corporate money in elections should take heed.
Specifically, our poll found that:
Support was equally high for reforms that would blunt, or entirely undo, the Citizens United ruling. For instance, we found that:
Democrats in Congress should act on the overwhelming public sentiment against Citizens United and pass meaningful reforms in time for the fall election. But it's going to take more than a legislative patch to fully mend the damage done by Citizens United. In fact, since the court struck down limits on corporate spending in elections on constitutional grounds, Congress is very limited in what it can do without running afoul of the court. Ultimately a constitutional amendment or a new Supreme Court ruling will be required. That's why we're encouraged that:
People For the American Way has launched a campaign to amend the constitution and is working to ensure that future Supreme Court Justices do not put corporate interests about those of the American people. We hope you'll join us.
You can find the full results of our poll, which was conducted by SurveyUSA, here.
Follow Michael B. Keegan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/peoplefor
The past decade has shown up, in stark relief, a number of flaws in our constitution.
The Founders never expected the Constitution to last 200 years, and they never anticipated the current, disproportionate influence of corporations, nor the extent that Presidential powers have been abused.
We don't need an amendment .... we need a new Constitutional convention.
If I want to spend all my own money telling printing up signs telling people to support (or oppose) a candidate, I think that's my right. I might feel really strongly about it! If ExxonMobil, on the other hand, wants to spend a billion dollars from its corporate treasury, I think that's different.
I'm a person. The CEO of Exxon is a person. We disagree, but we have a right to free speech. But the corporation itself is a profit seeking center, not a person. It can't vote. It can't run for office. And it doesn't deserve the right to spend unlimited money to influence an election.