We must not allow the Supreme Court of the United States to legislate from the bench. Citizens United vs. FEC must be made ineffective if we are to have true and equal democracy in the United States. Corporations are NOT people and should not be allowed to influence the outcome of elections by spending unlimited amounts of money under the guise of 'Free Speech'.

Let Congress and the President know that you support Bernie Sander's Amendment. After signing this petition each party listed will receive an email from you right in their inbox. Even if you have already signed a petition for a Constitutional Amendment, please sign this as well. We need to have our voices heard LOUD and CLEAR.

*Note: I included the States in this petition because it will most likely entail a Constitutional Convention and our state elected officials should know what we want them to do. I also intentionally included many senators that are up for re-election hoping that this can make it's way into being a campaign issue.

Watch Sen. Bernie Sanders speak about the Amendment [VIDEO]

Constitutional Amendment Facts

Why shouldn’t corporations have the ability to influence our elections?

Our Constitution was written by the people, for the people. Corporations are entities formed in accordance with state, local, and federal laws that were all written by the people. These for-profit enterprises are established for business purposes and their rights and obligations only extend to their business purposes.

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision gave corporations the ability to drown out the will of the people by using the profits in their general treasury funds to influence elections. Now, corporations can use millions of dollars to defeat candidates that may threaten their bottom line. Everyday Americans simply cannot compete with the virtually limitless resources of corporations.

The Saving American Democracy Amendment states:

~ Corporations are not persons with constitutional rights equal to real people.

~ Corporations are subject to regulation by the people.

~ Corporations may not make campaign contributions.

~ Congress and states have the power to regulate campaign finances.

“There comes a time when an issue is so important that the only way to address it is by a constitutional amendment,” Sanders said. He had previously described the Citizen United ruling as “basically insane. Nobody that I know thinks that Exxon Mobil is a person,” Sanders said in November.

Sanders is accompanied in his endeavor to restore fiscal sanity to the political system by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), who has introduced a companion measure in the U.S. House.

Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Michael Bennet of (D-CO) have also introduced a similar constitutional amendment that would essentially defeat Citizens United by granting Congress and the states the authority to regulate the campaign finance system. Udall and Bennet hope that by emphasizing states’ rights, they’ll gain the support of a few Republicans.

The Saving American Democracy Amendment:

112TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION

S. J. RES. ll

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to expressly exclude for-profit corporations from the rights given to natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations and to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

Mr. SANDERS (for himself and Mr. BEGICH) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to expressly exclude for-profit corporations from the rights given to natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations and to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

‘‘ARTICLE—

‘‘SECTION 1. The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons and do not extend to for-profit corporations, limited liability companies, or other private entities established for business purposes or to promote business interests under the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state.

‘‘SECTION 2. Such corporate and other private entities established under law are subject to regulation by the people through the legislative process so long as such regu-lations are consistent with the powers of Congress and the States and do not limit the freedom of the press.

‘‘SECTION 3. Such corporate and other private entities shall be prohibited from making contributions or expenditures in any election of any candidate for public office or the vote upon any ballot measure submitted to the people.

‘‘SECTION 4. Congress and the States shall have the power to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate’s own spending, and to authorize the establishment of political committees to receive, spend, and publicly disclose the sources of those contributions and expenditures.’’.