Undo ‘money is speech’ ruling

It is obvious by now that the general public is upset with the political establishment. Both sides of the political spectrum are talking about a movement , a change, a revolution.

Whatever issue is discussed , there is always one thing that needs to be addressed before all the others are debated. To use a baseball analogy, you cannot get to second base without first going through first base.

It is no longer acceptable that a few wealthy individuals and powerful organizations can manipulate the politicians against the will of the majority of the people. Furthermore, it is no longer acceptable that corporations can claim to have the same constitutional rights as those of the people. The word “corporation” does not appear in the Constitution.

So here is our call to action: We are calling for a constitutional amendment which states that “money is not speech and corporations are not people.” We are asking Manatee County commissioners to approve a resolution authorizing the placement of a non-binding referendum on this November's ballot that gives you, the people of Manatee County, the opportunity to participate in this decision; 16 states and over 600 communities across our nation have voted to support this proposal.

If the undue influence of money is not taken out of our political process , the status quo and gridlock will persist. Private profit will continue to trump the common good. War without end will prevail and the have nots will cause mass global chaos.

At the June 7 BOCC regular meeting, we will introduce this resolution. Please come and support us during the public comment section after the proclamations at the beginning of the day. And wear red in support.

Change comes from the bottom.

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Undo ‘money is speech’ ruling."