January, 24 2012, 12:35pm EDT
Kucinich Speaks to the Urgency of Getting Private Money out of Politics
WASHINGTON
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today took the House floor, urging fellow Members of Congress to support a constitutional amendment to rescue American democracy by publicly funding federal elections.
See video here:
Full text follows:
"One of the biggest stumbling blocks to America's economic recovery is corporations can legally buy elections and then influence policies which move millions of jobs out of America, which escape taxation by off shoring profits, which cash in on wars, which press military industrial spending through the roof.
"While we pledge allegiance to the Red, White, and Blue, corporations, whose only allegiance is to green, are selling out America and they are becoming ever more powerful because of a Supreme Court decision in Citizens United which effectively turns this government into an auction where policies may go to the highest bidder.
"House Joint Resolution 100 is a constitutional amendment which aims at taking all private money out of elections and returning government to the people.
"I urge my colleagues to support H.J.Res. 100 so that we can break the golden shackles which are imprisoning this government right now and get rid of corporate influence once and for all.
"No private money in elections. Support H.J.Res. 100."
Dennis Kucinich is an American politician. A U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013, he was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008.
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