Sponsored by: Kathleen Jackson & Deb Whitcomb Approved: 09/12/2010
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
WHEREAS the First Amendment to the United States Constitution was designed to protect the free speech rights of people, not corporations;
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC overturned longstanding precedent prohibiting corporations from spending their general treasury funds in our elections;
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC is now unleashing a torrent of corporate money into our political process that presents a serious and direct threat to our democracy by drowning out the voices of ordinary citizens;
WHEREAS, the people of the United States have previously used the constitutional amendment process to correct egregiously wrong decisions on the part of the United States Supreme Court that threaten our democracy and self-government;
WHEREAS, there is growing awareness in Congress of the urgent need to address the harm to Democracy of the Citizens United v FEC decision via amendment to the U.S. Constitution;
WHEREAS, Congressional concern about the negative impact of the Citizens United v FEC decision has led to the introduction of three separate bills, including one by Oregon’s Rep. Kurt Schrader, which would amend the U.S. Constitution to allow Congressional regulation of corporate political speech and thereby allow the voices of ordinary Americans to be heard;
NOW THEREFORE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON:
1 – Commends Rep. Kurt Schrader’s initiative in introducing HRJ 84, which would start the Constitutional amendment process to roll back the negative effects of the Citizens United v FEC decision;
2 – Calls upon the Oregon Congressional Delegation to co-sponsor and support the effort to pass and send to the states for ratification a Constitutional Amendment to restore the First Amendment and fair elections to the People;
3 – Calls upon the entire Congress to take all necessary and appropriate actions to amend the Constitution to give individual states and Congress the authority to regulate campaign finance and limit the influence of special interests in our elections.
Resolution reviewed in the PRC Sept 7th meeting with a unanimous vote recommending passage.
Adopted by the Democratic Party of Oregon on the 12th day of September, 2010.
