Last Tuesday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker kept his job, but with a high price tag. In a state of only six million people, $60 million was poured into the race, $50 million of which went to Governor Walker. And almost half of that was spent by outside groups -- most of them not based in the state of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin was not an isolated event. Since 2010, Super PACs and corporations have spent record amounts of money in elections nationwide. Corporate spending soared during the 2010 election cycle to over $290 million, four times more than the previous mid-term elections in 2006.
Most of this spending would not have been possible without the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission decision. Before Citizens United, individuals could not contribute more than $10,000 to Wisconsin candidates and political committees (PACs) -- corporate entities or groups of people that contribute to political campaigns. But this all changed when the Supreme Court allowed anyone to spend an unlimited amount on PACs and let corporations and wealthy individuals spend unlimited money on political campaign advertisements. Due to a loophole in state law, Walker could also raise unlimited amounts from individual donors while his opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, had a limit on the dollar amount of contributions.
So how do progressives move forward? The Wisconsin election shows that we will not have a government of, by and for the people as long as we have politicians who are bought and paid for by special interests. Powerful corporations and wealthy donors spent millions on the Wisconsin race because they benefit most from the system: tax loopholes for corporations, tax handouts for the rich, while America's heroes -- cops, firefighters, and teachers -- pay the tab.
We need to put power back in the hands of the people. That's why this week, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which I Co-Chair with Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, is partnering with local governments across the country for Resolutions Week, a nationwide effort to get money out of politics. Throughout the week, local leaders will introduce resolutions supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. I am proud to announce that in my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the City Council will adopt its own resolution on Friday, June 15.
We are not the only ones -- more than 100 state and local governments have already introduced similar resolutions. In March, the Alaska Senate passed an amendment proposing that Congress and the president pass a constitutional amendment to stop limitless independent expenditures to influence elections, and the California State Assembly passed a similar resolution. Montana is acting to overturn Citizens United with a petition on their ballot in November.
Several members of Congress have introduced constitutional amendments to overturn Citizens United. While protecting the freedom of the press, my own Get Corporate Money out of Politics Amendment clearly states that corporations are not people. They do not vote, they do not serve in office and they should not be able to buy our elections.
If we learned anything from Wisconsin, it's that money should not be able to drown out the voice of the people. But by working together, we can restore a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Follow Rep. Keith Ellison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/keithellison
A, fed fund election--6 months--3 primary 3 general--free equal tv time--debate a week=12=adequate to evaluate candidates---no personal--$$ --contibutions limited tight/ Kil corporate person
B.Since no need Campaign funds--Ban all government employees from accepting anything with a financial value----current or promised byebye Kstreet bribery. No more payoffs
C. ProgressiveFlat Tax By group.---burn tax book start anew. Under clear headlights
BurnTax book yields almost enough revenue to eliminate the deficit
So before you start launching in the ultimate cliche on this website (blaming citizens united for crying babies and every other bad thing) you might want to do some more research. Citizens United had zero influence in this recall.
Corporate money alone, that's unconstitutional.
Did the guy commit a crime
Did the guy do any miss deeds we know of
Did the guy have policies some did not like, yea and I think this was reason for re call
Obama has policies many do not like maybe we need a Presidental Re call in the Constution, what do you think.
Or was it the Jay walking charges from 10 years ago
Come on something concrete other than he was a repug,
He won a second time people stop and think; it was like 56 to 43 not enough for the lossers to see he won again..And the cavate is Wi is a Dem State has been for years... I think many in the State were not happy the way things were going and voted him in or he would not have won plain and simple truth. Corporations do not vote people, nor do Unions except when spending your money.
So the Majority In Wi said yes to Govoner Scott Walker...
Was everything tried to over turn the laws he pased, like going to court, thrown out, trying to re call state supreme court, aslo failed, so finally recall.
The point in all this is for each of us to sit down and reflect why this was done. I know why it was done; but it seems many posters before me do not..
Lets change a few words and this applies. Powerful Unions, Tax Loop holes for Unions,Tax hand out for Unions, not so poor. Oh and Scabs pay taxes also more so than the ones in your post who live off the tax paying public.. The open donation of money needs to go away bot talk about both sides if you are going to talk. Now how many Millions was donated to the OBAMA campaign by Public service Unions/ But this seems to be OK?????? Not to me it is not ok none should be able to donate like this, just john doe public the politicos would get the message run on your record not media lies....
But as long as the Progressive sugar daddies are more generous than their horrid conservative counterparts, then we should not suppress freedom of speech!
Keith, I once was a supporter of yours because you were honest but it seems Washington is getting the best of you.
I don't remember anything coming from you regarding outside money when Al Franken here in MN took in 85% of his take from other places.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/geog.php?cycle=2010&cid=N00029016&type=I