News on Overturning Citizens United:
a Massachusetts State Progress Report
by Paul Lauenstein and Leo Immonen – We the People Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs (VFA) held a public hearing in the State House’s Gardner Auditorium on September 24, on a proposed U.S. Constitutional Amendment that would end corporate use of Constitutional rights granted by the Supreme Court and place limits on financial campaign spending. Many citizens, some of whom had waited for over 3 hours before the Committee opened the hearing on this bill, gave individual testimony. Although each speaker was limited to 3 minutes, it took over 2 ½ hours for everyone to be heard.
Citizens shared with the VFA their feelings that our government is no longer responsive to its citizens, that the super rich and multinational corporations are controlling our government, and that decisions are being made that hurt real people and the real world. Citizens repeatedly told the Committee that the risks involved in doing nothing are far worse than any unintended consequences from acting affirmatively.
With the hearing now over, the Committee will decide what action to take on the bills, S.2163 & H.3208, presented by Senator Jaimie Eldridge, Representative Carmine Gentile, and Representative David Vieira. All calls and emails to your own legislators urging their support of this legislation will help. Ask your legislators to tell VFA Committee Chairs Senator Walter Timilty and Representative Linda Dean Campbell that they and their constituents want the VFA to recommend positive action on the bill.
