"Move to Amend - The Case For and Against"
Hosted by Dana Kohlmeyer
Move to Amend
The Case For and Against
Background: In response to the proliferation of campaign spending and the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, Move to Amend groups in Appleton, Menasha and Neenah have submitted petitions and their resolutions will appear on the ballot in the November 2014 election.
The local efforts follow a broader movement. State-wide, 41 communities have passed resolutions with 61% to 87% approval. Nationally, 16 state legislatures have called for an amendment and 478 communities have passed a resolution or are considering one.
Purpose of the Presentation
- To explain why this grass-roots initiative is growing locally and nationally.
- To prepare residents to cast an informed vote in November, for or against the resolution.
The presentation consists of facts and statements from elected leaders that help participants understand:
- why the cost of getting elected has escalated and why it matters.
- the time and attention elected officials are allocating to fundraising for their next campaign and how this distracts them from their primary responsibilities.
- how campaign contributions can entice an elected official to vote appropriately on a bill.
- why the U.S. Supreme Court decided that corporations are people and why that decision matters.
- the key arguments for and against the Move to Amend resolution. Both perspectives are valid and residents need to understand them in order to cast an informed vote.
A list of sources will be made available to participants. For more information, contact Jim Bowman, james@jbassoc.biz.
