Constitutional Amendment Introduced in Congress Ensuring Rights for People, Not Corporations

FOR RELEASE: We the People Amendment Introduced in 114th Congress Today

This morning, members of the U.S. House of Representatives joined Move to Amend by announcing their sponsorship of the “We the People Amendment,” which clearly and unequivocally states that:

Rights recognized under the Constitution belong to human beings only, and not to government-created artificial legal entities such as corporations and limited liability companies; and

Political campaign spending is not a form of speech protected under the First Amendment.

This is the next logically ordered amendment to the US Constituiton. The "We the People Amendment" is absolutely necesary for shrinking and contracting the field of influence by the corporate elite, thereby minimizing the tendency to harmful actions by our industries.

Proposed 28th Amendment

Section 1. [Artificial Entities Such as Corporations Do Not Have Constitutional Rights]

Section 2. [Money is Not Free Speech]

a reply to: Boomorangatangarang

This is why I am so apprehensive about a constitutional convention with the current crop of children in both houses of congress.

a reply to: Boomorangatangarang

Definitely needed ASAP in America.
I will follow this locally and petition for local measure on this.

Nice find!
S&F's!

a reply to: Boomorangatangarang

An Article V convention would be ok. This limits the convention to discussing/voting only on amendments that the states calling for the convention agree to before the convention is convened. i.e., it isn't an actual constitutional convention which would allow them to rewrite the constitution.

I don't like the wording in Section 2 of the proposed amendment. There are no dollar values actually stipulated. Is it going to be $1000 or $1000000.

End Corporate Rule, Legalize Democracy...?
Um, I want the Republic restored. If you need a reason how about the Hillary Clinton and John Kerry are pushing democracy all over the world?

That aside, yes! get money out and the public back in!
Corporations are not people and have allowed many crimes to occur under their protection.
It encourages lawlessness by it's anonymous nature since you can't put a corporation in prison.

Who would wager that these provocateurs will, swimmingly, fall to blindsiding "tribulations", in lieu of support and lintel of such forward-thinking?

What will be their omen? Anthrax? ISIS? Child pornography? Accidental fatal overdose of prescription meds? Copulation with the criminal element? Tax fraud?

Boxes anyone?

/cynicismoff

a reply to: Boomorangatangarang

What's wrong with the Constitution the way it is, sans the non-ratified 16th amendment. The present Constitution only needs to be enforced and the rule/statute concerning corporations as people and money as freedom of speech, repealed or struck down as law.

The real problem with a constitutional convention is that it allows all those representatives who are not representing the public's interest to really screw up the constitution and put the boots to everyone, to the benefit of their corporate and international banking masters.

Cheers - Dave

originally posted by: trifecta
Who would wager that these provocateurs will, swimmingly, fall to blindsiding "tribulations", in lieu of support and lintel of such forward-thinking?

What will be their omen? Anthrax? ISIS? Child pornography? Accidental fatal overdose of prescription meds? Copulation with the criminal element? Tax fraud?

Boxes anyone?

/cynicismoff

Is that you Monsanto?

a reply to: Boomorangatangarang

So this could really be something good? Please don't nobody
burst my happy bubble!( Calls for wife loudly and goes skipping like
a school girl out of his man cave ).

About freaking time.

I don't know how many of you will agree, but I see that they way society is heading we are on the regressive path toward becoming little more than serfs and peasants ruled over by the greedy landholders (aka modern corporations) just like back in the bad of days of English society.

a reply to: fltcui

This FAQ was written in 2010 or 2011 I think.
Move to Amend FAQ

What is Move to Amend's position on a Constitutional Convention?

The Move to Amend coalition is focusing our efforts on building a grassroots movement capable of successfully shepherding ratification of a Constitutional Amendment to abolish corporate constitutional rights and the doctrine of money as speech.

Article V provides two mechanisms to amend the US Constitution—2/3 of Congress make a specific proposal, or 2/3 of the states call a convention. Ratification requires 3/4 of the states. In other words, it will take a massive political, economic and cultural shift to win, in either scenario.

We believe the demand for an amendment must come from a mass movement that is multi-racial, intergenerational as well as broad, deep, conscious and educated. So all our work aims to help nurture and build such a movement.

While Move to Amend coalition does have some concerns about a Constitutional Convention, we will not “take it off the table” either. At this early stage we think it is smarter and more strategic to focus on building the movement demanding the amendment rather than choosing one or the other mechanisms. Frankly, we think it it is too early in the process to proclaim with certainty which will be most effective.

Because in either case, the bulk of the work remains in building a grassroots movement strong enough to force the U.S. Congress or State Legislatures to act.

After all these years, it looks like they're shfting gears with the momentum they've built up.

I don't like the wording in Section 2 of the proposed amendment. There are no dollar values actually stipulated. Is it going to be $1000 or $1000000.

Since the value of the dollar is itself in constant flux, I believe leaving that open to circumstantial interpretation of the present is prudent. The primary contention of section 2 should be the word "prohibit." In the context stated-"...to ensure that all citizens, regardless of economic status, have access to the political process..."


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a reply to: bobs_uruncle

The present Constitution only needs to be enforced

Part of the problem we are facing in the world today is the vastly unprecedented grip multinational corporations have on the direction of worldly development.

One way we can begin to try to bring about a solution is to define into the constitutuion exactly what this massive powerhouse really is, in the hopes of clarifying a meaningful and helpful role for the corporate model in the world that so desperately needs meaningful and helpful roles to be created and filled.

It puts the word Corporation in a context the founding fathers would have apporved.

Given the current oligarchical/espionage status the corporation is enjoying, the founding fathers could only have fleetingly imagined the all-pervasiveness of espionage, infiltration and control of the course of human history the corporation has steadily developed into since the Constitution was signed.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Restoring the democratic process would restore the Republic. You guys get so frickin hung up on that word.

This is a great thing... needs to happen.

What constitutes an "artificial entity"?

I'm sure beyond a doubt GE and Koch Industries count as such, but what about the UAW, Teamsters, or other Unions?

originally posted by: Boomorangatangarang
a reply to: fltcui

a reply to: bobs_uruncle

The present Constitution only needs to be enforced

Part of the problem we are facing in the world today is the vastly unprecedented grip multinational corporations have on the direction of worldly development.

One way we can begin to try to bring about a solution is to define into the constitutuion exactly what this massive powerhouse really is, in the hopes of clarifying a meaningful and helpful role for the corporate model in the world that so desperately needs meaningful and helpful roles to be created and filled.

It puts the word Corporation in a context the founding fathers would have apporved.

Given the current oligarchical/espionage status the corporation is enjoying, the founding fathers could only have fleetingly imagined the all-pervasiveness of espionage, infiltration and control of the course of human history the corporation has steadily developed into since the Constitution was signed.

You're swimming in dangerous waters, a couple/few of the laws need to be repealed and the balance enforced. A Constitutional Convention will be the death nel of the US. Your bought and paid for "alleged" representatives will f'you and every other citizen over, something serious. Because you know that they'll have to pass it, just to maybe see it LOL.

ETA: I have to ask, why just corporations? There is a lot of lobbying "creep" going on, but the biggest killers are the FED and Wall Street (international bankers and too-big-to-fail other garbage). Nationalize the FED and reign in the bitches in Wall Street. Then simply outlaw lobbying and speculation (free market casino's). All this crap falls under RICO, what's going on? And if you say everybody's paid off, well French Revolution 2.0 I guess might be a possible answer the this stupid situation.

Cheers - Dave

It will never, ever pass.

Constitutional Amendments require 75% approval, and too many politicians have been bought off by the corporations.

Any politician in the pocket of any corporation (which pretty much covers all of them) will vote against this.

It's time to overturn Citizens United (never should have been passed) and reform campaign finance law.

Campaigns should have a hard spending limit, which would show everyone how well they manage their money. Campaigns should not be allowed to go into debt. Campaigns should not be tax free.

a reply to: bobs_uruncle=

True the Banks should be nationalized but hasn't it been the US that has gone after nations with National banking to turn them to the IMF system ? Like you I think this could go really bad and be the death nail for the States ."They" will not let go of the power "They" have easily ,seeing they control the political powers,the judiciary,and the military industrial complex .

It has to pass before it does anything. I doubt if it will pass.

When it goes through all sorts of modifications that give all power to corporations, then it will pass.

You see, this is exactly why the Founding Fathers established this country as a republic, because under a republic all people must abide by the same laws. For they knew, in a democracy with a free market; eventually in time; much like in England. These massive business owners would come to control vast majorities of the economy and end up controlling the system, so to speak. And democracy is fundamentally broken, if you have 51% of people for a certain law and 49% against it. Then those 49% of people get screwed. Under a Republic all people follow the same laws and no person, especially government official, could break these core laws. That's why Republics don't last very long. Hence the quote by the wise Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy? A Republic, if you can keep it."

How about we make corporations three-fifths of a person, therefore being afforded some legal protections (in the interest of commerce) but yet denied those rights which best find expression through humanity?

Haven't figured out what a human being is in 200-odd years. Maybe we need an amendment just to define what it is we're actually talking about.

This country is ridiculous.