https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/text
H.J.Res.48 – Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only.
“Article —
“ Section 1. The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities, established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law. The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.
“Section 2. Federal, State, and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a candidate’s own contributions and expenditures, to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their economic status, have access to the political process, and that no person gains, as a result of that person’s money, substantially more access or ability to influence in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure. Federal, State, and local governments shall require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.
“ Section 3. Nothing contained in this amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.”.
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Take Action: Call to Ask Your Representative to “Co-sponsor HJR48 to End Corporate Personhood & Get Big $ Out of Politics” (directly above).
OR to support An Amendment to Center “We the People” in Our Constitution (directly below). Note that this amendment includes “ the integrity of the electoral process,” and additional proposal language, whereas HJR48 does not.
Find your Representative’s telephone number by state or name at: https://www.house.gov/representatives
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Proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution, February 25, 2021 – Brian Boyle, Republican: An Amendment to Center “We the People” in Our Constitution
Section 1: We the People have compelling sovereign interests in representative self-government, federalism, the integrity of the electoral process, and the political equality of natural persons.
- This section aims to create a constitutional self-consciousness with “the People” at the center, which is reinforced and enhanced through the four terms it mentions. It also uplifts the concept of group action for the common good.
Section 2: Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to forbid Congress or the States, within their respective jurisdictions, from reasonably regulating and limiting contributions and spending in campaigns, elections, or ballot measures.
- This section aims to end the era of Buckley v. Valeo, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that initially viewed political spending as free speech and invalidated campaign finance regulations — federally, at the state level and locally. It also would prompt a new constitutional look at Buckley and other cases.
Section 3: Congress and the States shall have the power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legislation, and may distinguish between natural persons and artificial entities, including by prohibiting artificial entities from raising and spending money in campaigns, elections, or ballot measures.
- The final section says Congress and states can enforce the amendment and potentially prohibit campaign spending by special interest groups, organizations, and non-human entities.
To realize these changes and restructure our relationship with government, Boyle writes, people across the country must take action for the amendment by contacting their elected officials to urge their support and realize the power we have to influence lasting, meaningful government reform. “The proposed amendment will not become part of our constitutional legacy without a supportive and mobilized American people.”