Nights Like Last Night

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Dennis Kucinich" <reply@kucinich.us>
Date: Jun 6, 2012 6:37 PM
Subject: Nights Like Last Night
To: "Daniel Stafford" <aquarianm@gmail.com>

Stop Corporate Control of our Politics: Sign the Petition to support H.J. Res 100.   Daniel, I was in Wisconsin in the winter of 2011. I marched with the protestors and stood with the thousands fighting to ensure all workers have a right to join a union, to collective bargaining, to decent wages and benefits, and to a secure retirement. It was the birth of a movement where we stood up together to reclaim our democracy. Last night, the result of the Wisconsin recall was not what we wanted. This movement will lose elections and we'll lose political battles. That's democracy. But what makes last night especially difficult is how we lost. This wasn't a debate over ideas or even a test of political skill. It was a corruption of our democracy, when unregulated and shadowy corporate money drowned out everything. Corporate money once again prevailed in its takeover of our democracy. We have had too many nights like last night since the Supreme Court, in the Citizens United decision, opened the doors to undisclosed, unlimited corporate spending in our elections. As we have come to know too well, the funding of our electoral contests has a direct effect on who controls our political process -- and the legislation that comes out of it. Citizens United invalidated a century old law in Wisconsin banning independent expenditures. Governor Walker and his allies spent over $45 million dollars - 3 out of every 4 dollars spent on the race. Citizens United allowed more money to be spent in 2010 than any prior midterm election, and will allow even more money to be spent in 2012 than any prior presidential election. Corporations are buying our elections and buying our government, while the rest of us -- the poor, the middle class and main street -- get left behind. Never has it been more necessary to overturn Citizens United and restore our democracy. Earlier this year, I introduced a Constitutional Amendment which would require that all federal campaigns be financed exclusively by public funds and prohibit expenditures from every other source. My amendment, H.J. Res. 100, would change the way we finance the elections of our Presidents, Senators and Representatives, and return control of the political system to the people. Please join me today in signing the petition today to support H.J. Res 100 and overturn Citizens United. Make no mistake about it -- we're witnessing a sad turning point in our democracy, and we need to come together and do everything we can to reverse this destructive corporate takeover. Forward, Dennis unsubscribe PO Box 110475 | Cleveland | OH | 44111 | 216-252-9000