Press Release May 12, 2016 – For Immediate Release – PassMassAmendment
press contacts: Gina Sonder & Nick Bokron, pasmassamendmentpsa at gmail dot com; 781-715-7822
A grassroots group attempting to get BIG MONEY OUT of our elections is very close to getting the Massachusetts Legislature to pass the first of two votes which could bring a state constitutional amendment clarifying that “Corporations Are Not People. Money Is Not Speech.” to the State ballot; however, PMA has been told that a subset of the membership currently “lacks the political will” to take the bold action required to address these fundamental issues.
PassMassAmendment [PMA], a statewide grassroots citizen group, has just learned that neither the MA Senate Bill No. 531 nor the MA House Bill No. 933,2 which are proposed companion Legislative Amendments based on the Citizen Ballot Initiative Petition that the group has been advancing for the past three years, will be heard during the reconvening of the MA State House JOINT SESSION OF THE TWO HOUSES this coming WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016.
On Wednesday, May 11th, PMA discovered that an Order (see H41763) was adopted right after the April 6th joint session had been called into recess, LIMITING the May 18th session to consider the Fair Share Amendment H_39334 ONLY. Although the Legislature voted to exclude all bills other than H_3933 from the May 18th Constitutional Convention, it remains feasible – although highly unlikely – to reconvene another joint session before August 1st if enough voters demand, before next Wednesday, that these two BIG MONEY amendments addressing corporate rights and political spending are taken to a vote within this 189th session.
The members of PMA believe that, without renewed public pressure, the likelihood of the MA Legislative Leadership calling for a reconvening of the Constitutional Convention, once H_3933 goes to a vote, is extremely slim, despite having dozens of sponsors in the MA House and Senate Chambers, as well as clearly having widespread support by the voters (as shown by the strong statewide passage of the MA Democracy Amendment in 2012- 2014.)5
Beacon Hill must act before August 1st for the PMA Bills to appear on the 2018 ballot; otherwise, the soonest The People could vote on this critical issue would be in 2020.
Both S_53 and H_933 have been on the State House Calendar for consideration at a Joint Session since May of 2015, and both had been laid aside by their Lead Sponsors this February. With the understanding that early agenda items such as these would be taken up for consideration by the JOINT SESSION OF THE TWO HOUSES directly after H_3933, both were placed at the end of the Convention Calendar. Absent significant public outcry to continue the Joint Session and approve these specific proposals, the bills are destined to expire, quietly.
PMA members and supporters urge the MA Legislature not to miss this opportunity to show exemplary leadership. By choosing to take up this pivotal issue at this time, a time when the entire NATION is crying out, requesting that government prevent enormous sums of money from corrupting our political process, Massachusetts could – once again – bring the Nation back to The People.
1 (Senate, No. 53. Donnelly) Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to corporate rights and political spending <https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/S53>
2 (House, No. 933. Rogers-Mark) Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution to declare that corporations are not people, money is not speech <https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H933>
3 <https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4176>
4 (House, No. 3933. F Marven-Rhode Hyppolite et al.) Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution An Initiative Petition for an Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth to Provide Resources for Education and Transportation through an additional tax on incomes in excess of One Million Dollars <https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H3933>
5 <http://www.commoncause.org/states/massachusetts/take-action/pdf-resources/dacma-208-communities-pass-list.pdf>
Note: If passed by the joint session in two consecutive sessions and then approved by voters in a November election, the Senate Bill S-53 would lead to the first mention of the word “woman” in the MA State Constitution.
PassMassAmendment is an all volunteer statewide citizens ballot initiative committee, registered with the OCPF, working to amend the Massachusetts Constitution based on “Corporations Are Not People, Money Is Not Speech.” More information can be found here: www.PassMassAmendment.org
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that Clinton is ipso facto corrupt — no need for a shred of evidence — because she refuses to show up at a gunfight with a paperclip.
Let’s get the SC, then overturn “Citizens United,” then amend all 51 constitutions.
This is not a partisan issue. I dumped tea into the harbor with a bunch conservative activists opposing big money in government with the cross partisan Represent.Us group. There are overwhelming majorities of Americans who want to restore public financing and sverelt curtail private financing of our elections. Republicans from Teddy Roosevelt to John McCain to Ben Sasse have condemned the status quo and pushed for solutions to overcome it.
So a constitutional amendment process ensures CU is overturned for all time and could galvanize the population in red and blue states alike to restore our republic from the money changers who do business in our temples of government.
This is an issue way bigger than the primary. I believe HRC when she says she will make it a priority, but the right has hoped to use he court to overturn Roe and it’ll never happen. I’d rather fight for the fifth justice and fight for amendments in all 50 states to build this movement. Let’s do both. Saying “elect Hillary solves this problem” leaves too much to chance. Elect her sure, but let’s back this movement too.
I agree with the sentiment here, but I’m irritated by the fact that the identity of people behind this initiative are obscured. I looked up the domain. It’s registered with a proxy.
I found Terra Friedrich’s name on the site. Is she a primary person for this movement? Why not talk about who you are?
http://terraforacton.com/Who_Is_Terra_Friedrichs_.php