Opening Plenary The Supreme Court Decisions: Fixing the Problem at its Roots with the 28th Amendment
Ellen Weintraub, Vice Chair, Federal Elections Commission
- To date the top 1% (largely white, male and rich) has given more than $348M on this upcoming election, and the total may go to $750M
- 36% of eligible voters voted in 2014; 23% of 18-34 year olds voted; almost 60% of those 65 and older voted
- We need to raise voter turnout, force voters to consider, speak up, show up and vote! Demand action, demand accountability.
Michele Jawando, Vice President of Legal, Center for American Progress
- The Supreme Court has historically favored moneyed interests over and over. In our society we the people don’t have the same value as moneyed interests. However, we have the power as citizens to change this.
Richard Painter, vice-chair of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and candidate for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota (former 30 year Republican, now running as a Democrat)
- Corporations dominate decisions of both parties and the Supreme Court
- Angry voters make very bad decisions
- We need to keep the 28th Amendment narrowly crafted on money in politics or it will not get broad support