SCWMTA: Wisconsin voters pass referenda in support of amending the U.S. Constitution

Madison, WI (April 6, 2011) - On April 5, voters in South Central Wisconsin approved two historic referenda by overwhelming margins. These referenda asked whether voters support amending the U.S. Constitution to make clear that corporations are not people and money is not speech. The City of Madison referendum passed with 84% of the vote, and the similar Dane County referendum passed with 78%.

These referenda are the first anywhere in the country to call for a constitutional amendment in response to the Supreme Court's Citizens United vs. FEC decision. Members of South Central Wisconsin Move to Amend (SCWMTA), the local group that pushed for the referenda, believe they will not be the last. "Amending the Constitution will not be easy, and to succeed people across the country will need to stand up and demand it," says Kaja Rebane, SCWMTA Co-Chair. "We hope our success will inspire others to organize their own efforts."

The 2010 Citizens United case declared that limiting the amount corporations can spend to influence elections would violate the "free speech rights" of corporate "people" under the First Amendment. National polls have shown broad opposition to the Citizens United decision (85% of Democrats, 81% of Independents, 76% of Republicans), and widespread support for a constitutional amendment to undo it (87% of Democrats, 82% of Independents, 68% of Republicans).

"This really is common sense. Even a small child can tell the difference between a corporation and a living, breathing human being. How can this be so hard for the Supreme Court to understand?" asks Madison resident Kevin Gundlach.

The idea that money is protected "speech" is also a major issue. "Have you ever been at a meeting where one loudmouth talks over everyone else? Then you understand the problem," adds Kaja Rebane. "In a democracy, citizens need to be able to hear different viewpoints in order to make informed decisions. But when the loudest are permitted to yell as much as they want, the rest of our voices cannot be heard."

These two referenda represent an important first step towards undoing the Citizens United decision and reclaiming American democracy, so that it once again serves "We the People" instead of "We the Corporations."

SCWMTA (scwmta.org) is a local affiliate of Move to Amend (movetoamend.org).