Dear Friend, 

January 21 marks the one-year anniversary of the US Supreme Court’s notorious Citizens United decision declaring “corporations are people” and allowing corporations and billionaires to spend unlimited sums of money, without disclosure, in political campaigns.

We have seen the results. Since then a grassroots movement has grown across the country to reverse the decision including by amending the US Constitution.

This is a fundamental battle for democracy. Karl Rove’s American Crossroads has already pledged to spend at least $240 million in the elections of 2012. The extreme right-wing billionaire Koch brothers and other Wall Street corporations will spend hundreds of millions more to influence election outcomes.

The ruling laid out for all to see the corruption of the US Supreme Court and the ruthless goal of the top 1 percent: put a stranglehold on legislative bodies at every level to elect candidates that rubberstamp pro-corporate and rightwing policies. 

The anniversary of the Citizens United ruling is a day for the 99 percent to stand up to Wall Street and big money!  Take action with millions to undo the damage, including building the movement to amend the Constitution. 

Move to Amend is planning a National Day of Protest to Occupy the Courts on January 20 at Federal courthouses in 100 cites. Find a local protest here.

United for the People is also organizing demonstrations across the country. Find a local protest here. 

Common Cause is one of many groups organizing to “pass advisory initiatives or referendums condemning the decision in as many states as possible, slowly creating a groundswell for a constitutional amendment that would make it clear corporations are not people and that congress has the authority to limit campaign spending.” They have tools to get started here.

City councils are already passing resolutions and efforts are being made to get initiatives on state ballots in 2012. The campaign initially will target three states — Colorado, Massachusetts and Montana. Recently, the Montana high court challenged Citizens United and upheld ban on corporate cash in elections. Read Peoplesworld.org coverage here.

People united can take back our country!

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