Encouraging News: New Hampshire Moves Closer to Calling for a Constitutional Amendment to Return Elections to the People
March 20, 2013
Encouraging News: New Hampshire Moves Closer to Calling for a Constitutional Amendment to Return Elections to the People
Statement of Jonah Minkoff-Zern, Senior Organizer, Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People Campaign
The New Hampshire House of Representatives should be commended for passing House Concurrent Resolution 2, a resolution that asks Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to help end the corrosive influence of money in politics and restore constitutional rights to people – not corporations. The resolution will now go to the New Hampshire Senate for its approval.
The infamous U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling poses a deep threat to our democracy. For example, in the 2012 New Hampshire gubernatorial race, preliminary estimates show that outside groups outspent candidates by $15 million (spending almost five times what the candidates spent). Outside spending in federal elections nationally in 2012 was more than $1.25 billion.
When the full Legislature approves the resolution, New Hampshire will be the 12th state to echo a call being heard nationwide for a constitutional response to the flood of money from corporations and the ultra-wealthy that has inundated elections.
Public Citizen will continue to support local activists in their fight to defend democracy.
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