We the People, Not We the Corporations

The Movement for a Constitutional Amendment to Defend Our Democracy

Tuesday, May 22

6:30pm-8:00pm

First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque

3701 Carlisle Blvd. NE

Albuquerque, NM 87110

Please join us for a public forum on the growing movement in New Mexico and across the country for a constitutional amendment to reclaim our democracy.

In January 2010, the United States Supreme Court, in its ruling in Citizens United v. FEC, swept away a century of precedent barring unlimited spending in elections, unleashing a torrent of corporate, private and union money into our political process. In response to that ruling, people throughout the nation are rising up, demanding a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling and make it clear that money is not speech and only people are people.

In February of this year, the New Mexico legislature passed a resolution calling for an amendment, making New Mexico the second state in the country to issue such a call. The City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are considering similar resolutions, and other municipalities and counties across New Mexico have already passed their own resolutions. This public forum will feature national and state leaders engaged in this movement to defend our democracy.

Guest speakers include: New Mexico State Senator Steve Fischmann; John Bonifaz, Free Speech For People; Jeff Clements, Free Speech For People and author of Corporations Are Not People; Viki Harrison, Common Cause New Mexico; and Dick Mason, League of Women Voters of New Mexico.

Event is free and open to the public.

Sponsored by: Common Cause New Mexico, Forum Committee of the UU Church, Free Speech For People and the League of Women Voters of New Mexico.

2012 Legislative Update

During the 2012 legislative session, Common Cause NM helped orchestrate several key victories. Governor Martinez declared all election-related bills to be germane, so Common Cause was busy from the first day to the last working to protect New Mexico citizens from the kind of opaque government and influence-buying that undermines our republican democracy! Our two biggest victories were helping defeat three bills that would require photo identification to vote in elections in New Mexico and becoming the second state in the nation to oppose the Citizens United decision and call for the U.S. Congress to send the states a constitutional amendment to overturn it.

Common Cause NM and our numerous coalition partners, along with millions of Americans, were stunned by the 2010 Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United overturning decades of law by granting corporations the same free-speech rights as people and invalidating all legal restrictions on fundraising by PACs and other independent campaign participants. We strongly supported House Memorial 4 sponsored by Representative Mimi Stewart and Senate Memorial 3 sponsored by Senator Steve Fischmann to amend the U.S. Constitution to reverse Citizens United and end the false doctrine of corporate personhood. The Citizens United decision enunciates a view of our Constitution that frontally attacks hard-won campaign finance reforms and threatens the very concept of government by, of and for the people. Passing these memorials means that the state of New Mexico has taken a stand for our nation's democracy. This legislation is significant because it puts our nation on record in support of a Constitutional amendment that will eventually require ratification by 38 states.

Common Cause NM also worked side-by-side with Senator Peter Wirth to pass a measure requiring the disclosure of corporate and other independent money spent to influence elections in our state. Senate Bill 11 was designed to require this disclosure, dramatically increasing transparency over money in New Mexico politics. Even though it was a 30-day session, the bill passed two Senate committees and the Senate floor on a 40-0 bipartisan vote. Entering the House during the last few days of the session, we were hopeful to make it to the House floor for debate. While the bill passed its one House committee, it ran out of time waiting to be heard on the House floor.

We are deeply grateful to Senator Wirth, who tirelessly worked with both Democrats and Republicans to ensure that his fellow legislators understood this complex issue and the dire need for disclosure in New Mexico. Along with our amazing partner organizations, legislators in the House and Senate and numerous New Mexico citizens, Senator Wirth truly did everything possible to see the bill pass during a short session. He worked the bill hard and was available non-stop throughout the session to meet with interested and affected parties. Common Cause NM is excited to continue work this year to ensure that this bill will pass during the 2013 session.