Big Money in Politics...In or Out?

Today's Supreme Court decision regarding campaign financing and political contributions is an interesting one…because I find myself agreeing with both Justices Kennedy and Stevens.

Justice Kennedy states, ""Because speech is an essential mechanism of democracy -- it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people -- political speech must prevail against laws that would suppress it by design or inadvertence."

Justice Stevens, dissenting, states, "The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court's disposition of this case."

Last Summer, I wrote a piece on this…and I include it below for your consideration.  Considering the volatility of the political environment right now, perhaps it has a chance of passing.

Let me know what you think...

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If I have written this correctly, and I doubt it, then the following proposed amendment to the Constitution would have the following effect:

1. Citizens could only contribute to their candidate for Representative, their candidates for Senator, and their candidates for President or Vice President (or more precisely, their "Electors").
2. Citizens could contribute as much of their own money as they wanted to said candidates.
3. Citizens could not contribute as part of an organization, union, PAC or other such group...only individual contributions would be possible.
4. Vast, non-individual person sums spent on campaigning would be a thing of the past.
5. Politicians could concentrate on legislation, not campaigning for funds.
6. Campaigns would be more courtly, less denigrating to all involved, and less insulting to the citizenry.

We elect individual people...it's time they were restricted to individual contributions...and ONLY from those whom they propose to represent.

I present, for your consideration, an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Section 1

The right of individual citizens of the United States to contribute, financially or otherwise, to any candidate in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall be restricted to those candidates providing direct representation.

Section 2

The right to contribute, financially or otherwise, is restricted to individual citizens.  No organization, private or public, may contribute to any candidate, nor may individual citizens act in conjunction for the purpose of contribution.

Section 3

Primary residency is to be considered authoritative in determining a citizen's candidates providing direct representation.