MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan is bent on banning money from political campaigns through a constitutional amendment, which is about as likely as the Cubs winning the World Series the night lightning twice strikes a massive earthbound asteroid.



“Everyone in politics is wearing a suicide vest of money,” Ratigan tells POLITICO. “If anyone takes off the suicide vest of money, the other members of the tribe push the button and blow them to smithereens … There is a green curtain around Washington, D.C. It prevents debate on structural issues that are critical to how all others are dealt with. That’s what needs to change first so we can change everything else.”



Ratigan insists this isn’t a lark, publicity stunt or Stephen Colbert-esque political satire, even if the challenge that faces him is beyond monumental: to wit, Federal-level political candidates are primed to spend billions of dollars during the 2012 election cycle. Recent federal court decisions have made political spending considerably easier, not more difficult. And it’s the federal politicians themselves who’d ultimately have to agree — by supermajorities, no less — to push forward a constitutional amendment to be then ratified by three-fourths of the states.



Ratigan says MSNBC is fine with his campaign, which has the initial goal of getting 100,000 people to sign an online petition supporting the campaign. Eventually, he wants 10 million. (As of 5:40 p.m., it had 39,923 signatures.)



“Our first goal is to make this an issue in the presidential election,” Ratigan said. “Our goal is to tear down the green curtain … By myself, I’m a talking head. But with the power of people, I’m Dylan plus 100,000 or 1 million and beyond.”



The TV host has called on Icahn Associates LLC lobbyist Jimmy Williams, a regular guest of his, to draft his constitutional amendment language. The easiest way to get around the land’s law that spending money on politics is a 1st Amendment right is to undo that link. “We’re basically saying, ‘money isn’t speech,’” Williams said.



Hence, their draft amendment reads:

"No person, corporation or business entity of any type, domestic or foreign, shall be allowed to contribute money, directly or indirectly, to any candidate for Federal office or to contribute money on behalf of or opposed to any type of campaign for Federal office. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, campaign contributions to candidates for Federal office shall not constitute speech of any kind as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution or any amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Congress shall set forth a federal holiday for the purposes of voting for candidates for Federal office."

