Corporations are not people. Writing a check is not speech. And the Founding Fathers never intended the First Amendment to permit the ultra-wealthy and giant corporations to take over our elections. This summer, the Senate will vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn 'Citizens United' and 'McCutcheon' -- the overreaching Supreme Court rulings that allow billionaires and Big Business to spend virtually as much money as they want, much of it undisclosed, trying to install candidates of their choosing in office. With these disastrous rulings, the Supreme Court shredded long-standing, commonsense policies that defend our democratic ideals from a plutocratic invasion. And it made a mockery of First Amendment protections that were meant for actual, everyday Americans. The only way we can preserve our democracy and prevent turning the First Amendment upside down is by passing a constitutional amendment that restores the ability of We the People to do something about the problem of money in politics. Make sure your senators know that you are counting on them to take a stand for democracy when they vote this summer.

Corporations are not people. Writing a check is not speech. And the Founding Fathers never intended the First Amendment to permit the ultra-wealthy and giant corporations to take over our elections. This summer, the Senate will vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn 'Citizens United' and 'McCutcheon' -- the overreaching Supreme Court rulings that allow billionaires and Big Business to spend virtually as much money as they want, much of it undisclosed, trying to install candidates of their choosing in office. With these disastrous rulings, the Supreme Court shredded long-standing, commonsense policies that defend our democratic ideals from a plutocratic invasion. And it made a mockery of First Amendment protections that were meant for actual, everyday Americans. The only way we can preserve our democracy and prevent turning the First Amendment upside down is by passing a constitutional amendment that restores the ability of We the People to do something about the problem of money in politics. Make sure your senators know that you are counting on them to take a stand for democracy when they vote this summer.

RUN FOR PRESIDENT 2016 JAMES

Michigan's roads are in dire need of repair. Potholes are causing damage to our cars, but conservatives in Michigan would rather vacation than fix them. This is unacceptable. Sign our petition demanding Governor Snyder call a special session to fix Michigan's roads and bridges.

Mystery groups have already spent over $1 million in the primary election for just one seat on the NC Supreme Court. More money for nasty ads is coming into the state every day. The US Supreme Court opened the floodgates for Super PACs and outside groups in its Citizens United decision. It argued that big money would be held accountability through "modern disclosure" - rapid, electronic reporting of who's behind the money. But we don't even have that tool of accountability in North Carolina! Candidates are also raising millions of dollars and a majority only submit paper reports disclosing information about the donors. The State Board of Elections is swamped in paper. Fortunately, a bipartisan coalition in the NC House passed two bills to improve all this and now it's up to the NC Senate to pass them. H918 requires rapid, electronic disclosure of outside groups spending big money; H919 requires candidates raising over $10,000 to submit detailed, electronic disclosure reports. That's a good start! If you live in North Carolina, please support these measures by signing the petition.

I am shocked that Scott Peters has been saying lately that he might support Fast Track of TPP. It is likely that Obama will try to push Fast Track legislation through Congress again during the upcoming lame duck session of Congress. It will be disastrous if the TPP passes as is, so we must stop any Fast Track legislation by targeting its potential supporters like Scott Peters.

I am starting this petition because I am shocked that Susan Davis has been saying lately that she might support Fast Track of TPP. It is likely that Obama will try to push Fast Track legislation through Congress again during the upcoming lame duck session of Congress. It will be disastrous if the TPP passes as is, so we must stop any Fast Track legislation by targeting its potential supporters like Susan Davis.

The Confederate battle flag: It should be completely removed from all public places and prohibited from being displayed in public on clothing tattoos, automobiles, boats license tags, etc. Place the flag and all CSA items of any sort in a museum. The flag is of a renegade nation that tried to destroy the USA and implement aparthied. The heritage ideology is pathetic.

To keep democracy true.

Our greatest enemy today is the increasingly Extreme Weather brought about by runaway Global Warming. Yet, we continue to build battleships, nuclear missles, and bombs that will not protect our nation from our biggest threat. The Pentagon has never been audited and is believed to be filled with massive waste, duplication, cost-overuns and the like. Let's start there to begin really protecting our national security from real existential threats !

Governor Bobby Jindal recently signed an executive order declaring a "religious freedom" act that allows businesses to discriminate against people on the basis of religious beliefs only hours after the Louisiana legislature shot down a bill that attempted to do the same thing, House Bill 707. The act particularly targets the LGBT community in the state of Louisiana and is a veiled attempt to allow open bigotry in the state. Jindal also passed a legislative bill which prevents Louisiana public entities from suing oil and gas companies. He has sold out his own state for personal interests. While this petition is mostly symbolic, please sign in order to send a clear message to Governor Jindal that this state will not be held hostage for his political grandstanding and personal ambitions.

Move to Amend does not go far enough, because money in politics operates not just by corporate giving but also because of the impact of the wealthy in giving, and most powerfully by the ability of corporations to threaten to move their assets if local, state or national legislation requires environmental responsibility or adequate pay for workers or adequate safety and health protections, etc. That threat is sufficient to make even the most liberal Democrats back down and modify their attempts at environmental sanity, a carbon tax, a living (not just a "minimum") wage, and other humane and earth-preserving legislation. That's why the Network of Spiritual Progressives is launching this campaign (read the full legal language of the Amendment at www.spiritualprogressives.org). This ESRA may never pass, but the campaign for it will have a dramatic impact in changing consciousness and opening up energies to challenge corporate environmental irresponsibility and the power of money in politics.