In response to the overwhelming support for a constitutional amendment overturning the Supreme Court’s disappointing Citizen’s United decision as displayed by Vermonter’s across the state on town meeting day, the VPIRG supported resolution at the state level (JRS 11) was given an extension from the crossover deadline.
Town Meeting Day in Vermont marked a milestone for the movement to take back our democracy. Sixty Vermont cities or towns passed resolutions calling upon Congress to amend the US Constitution to state that “corporations are not people” and “money is not speech.”
Democracy is alive and well in Vermont, demonstrated by the gamut of activity on municipal election ballots in cities and towns across the state. Read up on exciting issues and measures on the ballot.
Thanks to the statewide constitutional amendment passed last year, 17-year olds due to turn 18 on or before the general election on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 may now register and vote in Tuesday’s presidential primary election (though you are not eligible to cast your vote on municipal measures that may be listed on the same ballot).
Cities and towns across Vermont have taken up the call to ask Congress to begin the process of amending the Constitution – stating that corporations are not people and money is not speech.
Released on the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission case—which opened the floodgates to corporate spending on elections—this report takes a hard look at the lobbying activities of profitable Fortune 500 companies that exploit loopholes and distort the tax code to avoid billions of dollars in taxes.
Today, the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Vermont lawmakers and activists are holding a press conference in support of a state resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling and challenge the notion of corporate personhood.
On January 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court unleashed a flood of corporate money into our political system by ruling that, contrary to longstanding precedent, corporations have a first amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money to promote or defeat candidates. The decision in this historic case – Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission – overturned a century of campaign finance law and stands to deal a devastating blow to our democracy unless we act.
Our advocates are following these bills and we’ll keep you posted on opportunities to take action. Find the bill language by clicking the title.
Activists from around the state will be gathering in front of the State House steps in Montpelier to rally in support of Senator Ginny Lyon’s resolution calling for a constitutional amendment that says corporations are not people.
