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San Diego Joins Growing Movement to Overturn Citizens United
'We have to say enough is enough when it comes to money dictating the direction of democracy,' says councilwoman.
Dec 05, 2012
The San Diego City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday a resolution to overturn Citizens United, adding the city's name to a growing, national movement to undo the 2010 ruling that unleashed unlimited corporate spending in elections.
"While it's not binding, it is an important message to send from the people of San Diego to Congress," KPBS reports Councilwoman Marti Emerald, who introduced the resolution, as saying. "At some point, we have to say enough is enough when it comes to money dictating the direction of democracy."
Emerald added that 23 cities in California and 13 state legislatures have already passed similar legislation, KPBS reports.
San Diego's resolution means over 300 communities have now called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, according to advocacy group Public Citizen, and in July California became the largest state in the nation to urge Congress to draft a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling.
"These state efforts show how people can reclaim the people's rights by pursuing a constitutional amendment to ensure our democracy isn't for sale," Mark Hays, campaign coordinator for Public Citizen's Democracy Is For People campaign, stated earlier this year. "They are pulling out all the stops to make it clear that democracy should be for people, not corporations and superwealthy political donors."
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The San Diego City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday a resolution to overturn Citizens United, adding the city's name to a growing, national movement to undo the 2010 ruling that unleashed unlimited corporate spending in elections.
"While it's not binding, it is an important message to send from the people of San Diego to Congress," KPBS reports Councilwoman Marti Emerald, who introduced the resolution, as saying. "At some point, we have to say enough is enough when it comes to money dictating the direction of democracy."
Emerald added that 23 cities in California and 13 state legislatures have already passed similar legislation, KPBS reports.
San Diego's resolution means over 300 communities have now called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, according to advocacy group Public Citizen, and in July California became the largest state in the nation to urge Congress to draft a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling.
"These state efforts show how people can reclaim the people's rights by pursuing a constitutional amendment to ensure our democracy isn't for sale," Mark Hays, campaign coordinator for Public Citizen's Democracy Is For People campaign, stated earlier this year. "They are pulling out all the stops to make it clear that democracy should be for people, not corporations and superwealthy political donors."
The San Diego City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday a resolution to overturn Citizens United, adding the city's name to a growing, national movement to undo the 2010 ruling that unleashed unlimited corporate spending in elections.
"While it's not binding, it is an important message to send from the people of San Diego to Congress," KPBS reports Councilwoman Marti Emerald, who introduced the resolution, as saying. "At some point, we have to say enough is enough when it comes to money dictating the direction of democracy."
Emerald added that 23 cities in California and 13 state legislatures have already passed similar legislation, KPBS reports.
San Diego's resolution means over 300 communities have now called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, according to advocacy group Public Citizen, and in July California became the largest state in the nation to urge Congress to draft a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling.
"These state efforts show how people can reclaim the people's rights by pursuing a constitutional amendment to ensure our democracy isn't for sale," Mark Hays, campaign coordinator for Public Citizen's Democracy Is For People campaign, stated earlier this year. "They are pulling out all the stops to make it clear that democracy should be for people, not corporations and superwealthy political donors."
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