Thursday, February 11, 2010

Challenge Conventional Wisdom


The recent US Supreme Court decision, Citizens United, has been called a "Pearl Harbor for American Democracy" by a coalition seeking "to overrule the decision and amend the Constitution to restore the power of people over corporations, beyond election law."

The coalition, Move to Amend, takes its name from the right that we have, but rarely use; we can move to amend our constitution. Recall these words you've probably heard or read. The Tenth Amendment states:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people."

The people can call, or move, to amend the Constitution through their states:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments,... [Article 5, US Constitution]

The active members of this coalition are not alone in their thinking, as is expressed in a blog post that questions the sanctity of the US Constitution. This thought-piece is a spring board to consider The Case Against Judicial Review, by David Cobb.

READ MORE
- (Referral to full post @ GDAEman blog)

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