Why the US Chamber of Commerce Is Wrong on Citizens United

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http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/25535-why-the-us-chamber-of-commerce-is-wrong-on-citizens-united



US Chamber of Commerce press conference with President and CEO Thomas Donohue on the left, May 4, 2011.

Why the US Chamber of Commerce Is Wrong on Citizens United
Friday, 15 August 2014 10:25
By Jeffrey D Clements, Truthout | Op-Ed

On July 12, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a 28th Amendment that would overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and once again allow the states and Congress to enact fair election spending rules. The amendment protects the freedom of speech of all, as well as the integrity of elections and the time-honored principle of one American, one vote.

But the vote gave Washington-insiders like the US Chamber of Commerce a serious case of dyspepsia. A statement from the Chamber's president, Thomas Donohue, accused Congress of "play(ing) political games with our Constitutional protections." Donahue is dead wrong.

With a similar measure in the House, Congress is not playing games; they are finally recognizing the widespread demand from Americans of diverse political viewpoints across the country who worked to win 28th Amendment resolutions in more than 600 cities and towns and 16 states so far. Montana's 28th Amendment ballot initiative in 2012 was typical: The same voters who preferred Mitt Romney to Barack Obama by 54 percent to 45 percent approved the 28th Amendment resolution to overturn Citizens United by 75 percent to 25 percent. And according to a late-July poll, 73 percent of Americans continue to favor such an amendment, with overwhelming cross-partisan support in every region in the country.

The Chamber claims the 28th amendment runs counter to the original intent of the "founding fathers." Wrong again.