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New Mexico a Leader in Nation Calling for Amendment to U.S.Constitution to reverse Supreme Court's Citizens United Decision

from the New Mexico News Connection

Santa Fe, NM – Senate Memorial 4,sponsored by State Senator Steve Fischmann of Las Cruces, was just approved by a vote of 20-9 in the New Mexico StateSenate. Along with its companion bill, Rep. Mimi Stewart’s House Memorial 3 (approved 38-29 on January 31, 2012), the bill’s passage makes New Mexico the second state in the nation to call for the U.S. Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to reverse the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial decision in Citizens United v. the Federal Elections Commission (Hawaii was thefirst, in April, 2010).

The Citizens United ruling resulted in an explosion of unlimited, and often undisclosed, Super PAC spending, as we have seen in the current Republican presidential nominating process. The memorial is an important statement by the New Mexico State Legislature because the constitutional amendment process requires ratificationby a minimum of 38 states.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Fischmann, emphasized the legislation’srole in defending our nation’s democracy. "Voters need to know their opinions count as much as anycorporate entity, trade, or labor association. I'm proud that NewMexico's State Senate is willing to stand for this principle,” said Fischmann. Lead advocate Viki Harrison of Common Cause New Mexico praised the legislation’spassage as “a frank statement of the State of New Mexico’s intent to correct the egregiously wrong Citizens United decision that allowed corporations to spend millions on electing politicians who will do their bidding.”

The impactof HM3/SM4 was also touted by national partners who joined in advocating for the legislation. "Today's vote by the New Mexico State Senate marks a greatvictory for American democracy," said Maram Abdelhamid, national field director for Free Speech For People, a national campaign pressing for a 28th Amendment to the US Constitution to overturn the Citizens United ruling. "The State of New Mexico is helping to lead the way for the nation in this movement to ensure that people, not corporations, govern in America. We look forward to working with other state legislatures which will follow New Mexico's example and defend our democracy."

For further information contact Viki Harrison at VHarrison@commoncause.org.

Citizens United Ruling Protested in NM at Albuquerque Fed'l. Court

from the New Mexico News Connection - A statewide news service for New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A march in the Duke City on Friday is part of a national Day of Action that stretches from Bangor, Maine to San Diego, Calif. It marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court "Citizens United" decision and what it has come to represent. 

 

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The ruling has generated more than 100 grassroots challenges to the idea that corporations have the same free-speech rights as individuals. For some, the events are part of an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution. However, that is something Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, considers dangerous.

"Any time you talk about amending the Constitution, it's a perilous venture - but more so when you're talking about amending what is arguably the most important citizen right, which is that of free speech."

While Simonson acknowledges concerns about the influence of big money in the electoral system, he supports other methods for addressing the effects of "Citizens United." One he suggests is putting a more rigorous public financing program in place for political campaigns.

"There could be further requirements to disclose the sources of contributions. There are ways of expanding mass communications oversight."

Tom Dent, event coordinator for Albuquerque's "Occupy the Courts" day of action, says the march and open mic at the federal courthouse are part of an effort to educate the public.

"This is the start of work on the local level. We plan to work with Albuquerque city councilors to get a local resolution passed."

Dent says additional efforts are under way to convince members of the New Mexico Legislature to consider a similar resolution opposing the "Citizens United" decision.
The march on Friday starts from Robinson Park at 11:30 a.m. and ends at the Pete Domenici Federal Courthouse with a rally until 3 p.m.
Beth Blakeman reporting, nmnc@newsservice.org.

How Much is that Doggie on the Internet?

from the New Mexico News Connection - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Santa Fe, NM – Puppy mills are still pumping out dogs at thousands of locations around the U-S and selling directly to the consumer on-line without any regulations. One group is asking the Obama Administration to require that all large-scale commercial breeders be covered by the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act regulations, which would require minimum standards for humane treatment.

You can buy just about anything on-line now, but when that purchase is a brand new puppy, how much do you really know about where or how the puppy came to be? Thousands of puppies are bred and sold by large-scale commercial breeders often called “puppy mills.” Justina Calgiano, with the SPCA, says it's a situation where the humane treatment of animals takes a back seat to production and profit.

"The nature of it is just completely irresponsible and that's the reason shelters like us are in business."

Calgiano says a closer look at the issue shows one clear solution to the problem of puppy mills; if people don't buy from them, they won't stay in business.

"It's really getting out there that adopting a pet is really the only way to go and the only way to solve the problem of overpopulation."

The Humane Society currently has an on-line petition, gathering signatures to ask the Obama Administration to require commercial breeders to be covered by the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act regulations, which would require minimum standards for humane treatment.
Richard Alan reporting, nmnc@newsservice.org

 

Top Ten Petitions to the Whitehouse - Is Your Issue Among Them?

The Top Ten May Surprise You
Albuquerque, NM - The Obama administration pledged to make the government more open and accountable. So it's no surprise in an age of online petitions that the Whitehouse is asking people to create petitions about issues they care about and then recruit friends and acquaintances to sign them. And In one month over half a million signatures have been added to the 138 petitions currently at https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions

The numbers fluctuate as additional signatures are added. Here are the top ten petitions as of Early on October 4.

Signatures 10/04/2011*	Petition
48,956	Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol
26,777	Forgive Student Loan Debt to Stimulate the Economy and Usher in a New Era of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Prosperity
24,707	Abolish the TSA, and use its monstrous budget to fund more sophisticated, less intrusive counter-terrorism intelligence.
24,401	Call an Investigation into Allegations of Prosecutorial & Judicial Misconduct in the Case of Sholom Rubashkin
16,007	Edit the Pledge of Allegiance to remove the phrase "Under God".
15,295	Allow Industrial Hemp to be Grown in the U.S. Once Again
14,689	Legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana.
13,407	End the destructive, wasteful and counterproductive "War on Drugs"
13,146	Direct the Patent Office to Cease Issuing Software Patents
13,117	Stop Interfering With State Marijuana Legalization Efforts

* For current numbers go to https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions

For those who fear that the list is a little top heavy on lowering restrictions on drugs and related issues, fear not. The Whitehouse threshold for responding in terms of national policy is 25,000 signatures in 30 days. So the top four issues can look to receive serious policy review while those below need to push harder if they want consideration.  Petitions in the 10k to 20K range need to regroup and give their serious consideration to organizing more effectively, improving their marketing and creating alliances with other groups.

What about the folks who just came online to voice their own serious heart-felt concerns and found after a week that few had discovered and signed their petition? The significant lesson for them may be ‘Join – Share – Participate.’ Facebook, twitter and other social media remind us that humans are a social species and using the human ability to communicate, find common concerns and move others to action is a current hallmark of successful social change.