Lake Worth approves Resolution for U.S. Constitutional Amendment

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Dave Hyde, Co-chair Move to Amend PB County

Last night the room was packed with supporters of the Move to Amend crowd.  Even Harriet Lehrman long-time Democratic politico who has her own radio show was there ready to speak on corporate personhood. They all came prepared to speak to the issue but that was not to be.

On January 21, 2010, with its 5/4 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons, entitled by the U.S. Constitution to buy elections and run our government. Human beings are people; corporations are legal fictions.

The City had a Resolution for a Constitutional amendment on the CONSENT agenda. Constitutional amendment!  Can you imagine that no one was allowed to speak to it?  The Constitution is the law of the land and what we ALL live under, not just 5 city commissioners-- and they want to amend it with NO public speaking.

It was obvious that the Commission did not want the public to tie up precious minutes listening to what the public had to say. It was not important...let's get rid of the entire thing...put it on Consent; let it go away.  Perhaps they were remembering the Arizona 1070 meeting that took hours; perhaps not--none of them were in attendance that night.

As someone who has always advocated a fair and balanced playing field when it comes to election contributions, I am for this resolution. However, when the commission got involved in Arizona’s states rights and voted in a resolution opposing Arizona 1070, that was clearly wrong and none of our business.  This resolution, however, affects every citizen of the United States and every election. Corporate big money can change the outcome of our Republic. Just to think that a foreign corporation that has a U.S. subsidiary could give millions to a candidate to promote their special interests is corrupt and undemocratic. Even Obama complains about super PACs and then got millions from his, Priorities USA Action, that out raised Romney's.

I will always remember Andrew Procyk years ago when he was running for Mayor. He advocated for fair elections and an even playing field with each candidate using the same amount of money. I still think he was right. But big money has taken over elections and the Move to Amend Crowd know that.

We know that money corrupts and power corrupts. Corporations that can write off their contributions are there to influence our elected officials.  That is their goal.  We have seen it in local politics with a certain company that ruined our landfill by dumping debris and candidates taking their contributions. On a larger playing field, until we take big money and corporate money out of politics and the loophole that allows them to form super PACS through their U.S. corporations or subsidiaries, our system will never be fair.

Limiting corporate contributions does not take away their 1^st amendment right. The Super PACs of today funded by corporations are, in many ways, controlling the outcome of our elections.