To the Editor:
The January 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC found that restrictions on independent corporate spending in political campaigns were unconstitutional under the First Amendment. This decision overturned much of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (usually referred to as McCain-Feingold), and threatened the legality of state level campaign finance laws in more than 20 states, many of which have now been overturned.
The Citizens United decision expanded the doctrine of “corporate rights” and, along with last year’s McCutcheon v. FEC, has resulted in a flood of corporate and wealthy individuals’ money into independent election campaigns.
To overcome the threat that unrestricted use of money in election campaigns poses to our representative form of government, a bill called “We the People Act” #H3127 (formerly HD 1988) was filed and will be voted on by the State legislature this coming year to amend the U.S. Constitution.
An article in the warrant for Mattapoisett’s Annual Town Meeting to be held May 11 (and possibly May 12) will ask that the Town vote in support of this bill which, if passed by the state, will call on Congress to amend the Constitution so that all the people, not just the moneyed interests, gain back control of our election process.
Jack W. Dean, Mattapoisett
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