Support anti-big money proposal

Today, wealthy corporations and special-interest groups can spend limitless sums of money to influence our elections. It’s not surprising that more than 7 in 10 voters believe our elections are “biased in favor of the candidate with the most money,” and a whopping 9 in 10 want our elected leaders to help lessen money’s influence on elections. The size of your wallet shouldn’t determine the strength of your voice.

There is a proposed amendment moving its way through Congress to get “big money” out of politics called the “Democracy for All” Amendment. We are grateful to Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, for cosponsoring this important legislation. We are proud to have a representative that stands up for the voices of everyday Americans in a political system often dominated by corporations and billionaires. We hope that soon all U. S. senators and representatives will add their support as well.

Political speech is for all of us, not just those who can give thousands to Super PACs. The enormous influence of corporations and billionaires is deeply troubling: it allows weapons manufacturers to force the government to continue to spend billions of tax dollars on excessive nuclear weapons when we already have the capacity to destroy all life on Earth several times over. It allows billionaire fossil-fuel giants to get legislators to vote against critically needed climate-change legislation. It allows mega-conglomerate food producers to control laws protecting our food systems. It allows self-promoting industry groups such as the NRA to prevent life-saving gun-violence-prevention programs from being enacted.

Laura Anderson

Marketing Director

Franciscan Peace Center