Be Careful of What You Ask For: The California Constitution Convention

CERDAFIED-My mother always warned me to be careful of what I asked for because I just might get it. This bit of wisdom certainly applies to the California Assembly Joint Resolution 1, which heads to the senate for consideration. Passed by a vote of 51-20, the resolution is focused on an issue most Americans can see the wisdom of, namely the need for a constitutional convention to “limit corporate personhood for purposes of campaign finance and political speech and would further declare that money does not constitute speech and may be legislatively limited…” 

Article V of the United States Constitution allows amendments to the constitution whenever two thirds of both Houses deem it necessary, through a constitutional convention. Amendments must be ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof. Amendments are limited to protect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate. 

Middle America certainly has paid a hefty price due to the broad interpretation of corporate personhood. American politics has not been the same. It has been one big slippery slide into the corporate biased system we have now. In fact, nothing good has come from this poor interpretation of law. 

It only seems rational to go to the drawing board and fix it. But we are talking about the SAME buffoons who got us into this mess and eagerly took advantage of its implementation. The same people who are OWNED by corporate America and who are morally bankrupt will be entertaining changes to the constitution. (Read the rest here) 

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(Lisa Cerda is a CityWatch contributor. She is the editor of American Outrage, an activist and VP of Community Rights Foundation of LA.)

 

 

 

 

 

CityWatch

Vol 12 Issue 30

Pub: Apr 11, 2014