To: The Illinois State House and The Illinois State Senate

Overturn Citizens United

I support a state resolution calling on the US Congress to overturn the Citizens United decision because corporations are not people and money is not speech. Because of Citizens United corporations have an undue influence on our elections and legislation. We must get big money out of politics in order to restore our democracy.

Why is this important?

A coalition of Illinois organizations (MoveOn, Move to Amend, Common Cause, Illinois PIRG, Public Citizen, the Coffee Party and others) have been successful in passing resolutions to overturn Citizens United in numerous cities, counties and townships including the City of Chicago, Oak Park, Kane County, Northfield, Warren, and Avon Townships. Ballot measures passed by margins of 70% or higher.

Now we are turning our attention to the Illinois State Legislature. We have drafted a resolution (and we have a sponsor) that calls on the US Congress to pass and send to the states for ratification an amendment to the Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" decision. This decision allows unlimited indirect contributions by corporate PACS and wealthy individuals to campaigns of those who work in their best interest rather than ours, the voters.

This resolution also states that money is not equivalent to First Amendment free speech rights, and that rights spelled out in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments apply ONLY to human beings and not corporations or other artificial entities.

Only voters can make the difference by huge numbers of people pushing back against money in politics and changing the way elections are funded at every level of government.

Join with us to get this resolution passed in the Illinois State Legislature by signing the petition below to show your support.