I agree with President Obama's statements about the recent Supreme Court decision that lifted limits on corporate and union spending on political ads:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/us/politics/24address.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
We need to work to 1) pass legislation that can reduce the impact of the ruling, 2) change the balance of the court when the opportunity presents itself, and 3) ultimately pass a constitutional amendment that fundamentally changes the relationship between money, free speech, and politics.
In addition, and probably more importantly, I support sponsoring legislation that ends the treatment of corporations as persons. Read this letter by Ralph Nader:
http://www.nancho.net/corperson/cpnadrsa.html
I agree with this view. Here's an excerpt I would like you to read:
"The lesson that emerges from our 100-year-plus experience in treating corporations as persons for constitutional purposes is this: If corporations -- all of which are chartered by the government -- are given the same rights as human beings, human beings will not have the same effective rights as corporations. This is not only because of the massive financial and technological resources available to corporations, but the unique powers, privileges and immunities that are inherent in the transnational corporate form or accrete to it over time, and which allow corporations to overwhelm real persons' rights."
We are facing huge long-term problems: a real unemployment rate of 18%, dysfunctional banks that are "too big to fail", a regressive tax structure that's stifling economic growth, prisons that are bursting at the seams, urban schools that are struggling, a health care system that still needs major reform, the lack of a coherent national energy policy that will protect our economy and the environment, and a government that has been encroaching on our civil liberties. For decades we have lived with irresponsible public policies from career politicians in Congress who care more about increasing their party’s power and getting re-elected than they care about solving long-term problems. They haven’t been honest with us, and they have been lousy public servants.
I’m different. I do not want to be a career politician. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I’m a Problem Solver. I want to force members of Congress to be responsible, and implement sustainable solutions to real problems. Please read the positions I present on this website, and spread the word to friends and family.
Please email me at John@Mertens2010.com, and become a supporter on Twitter at @mertens4senate or Facebook: John's FB
