"Our democracy is not for sale. We must stop the flood of dark money from drowning out the voices of everyday citizens," the California Democrat said in a statement on Twitter. He said such an amendment would "restore power to the American people."
By a 5-4 ruling, the high court in 2010 swept aside a ban on independent spending by corporations and unions in candidate elections, saying the restrictions amounted to censorship. Outside spending in federal elections has soared from $338 million in 2008, the last presidential election before the ruling, to $1.4 billion in 2016, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Overturning the blockbuster ruling has become a rallying cry for many progressives in the Democratic Party, and other lawmakers have introduced a similar measure this year. But efforts to revise the Constitution have failed to gain traction. Two-thirds of the House and Senate must approve the change. Then, three-fourths of states must ratify it.
Two-thirds of states also can call a constitutional convention to propose amendment, under Article V of the US Constitution, but that option has never been exercised.
No comments:
Post a Comment