Until something is done at the federal level about the awful Citizens United ruling, there’s not much states can do about it. One thing they can do is tell the feds that they want them to take action against this ill-considered expansion of corporate power. State Sen. Rodney Ellis has filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 to do just that. Here’s the key bit:
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to propose and submit to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution that overturns Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, clearly establishing that the spending of money to influence elections shall not be construed as speech under the First Amendment and may be regulated by federal, state, or local government, and clarifying that only natural persons are protected by constitutional rights and that corporations, limited liability companies, and other artificial entities derive their rights through the legislative deliberations of Congress and the states and remain subject to regulation by the people through federal, state, or local law.
Like Rep. Brandon Creighton’s idiotic secession resolution from 2009, this carries no force of law – it’s basically a legislative petition, saying this is what we believe. Unlike Rep. Creighton’s resolution, this one is worth getting behind. You can do that by signing this petition, and of course by calling your Senator and Representative to tell him or her that you support this and would like them to do the same. It sure would be nice for Texas to send a useful and constructive message to Washington, wouldn’t it?