Friday, February 10, 2017

Bipartisanship existing in the present time of extreme partisan emotion. This post is as much for Tea Party Republicans as for Justice Democrats, and for each reader who is not a millionaire/billionaire or CEO of a giant corporation or union.

American Promise is a non-profit organization which has an advisory council and a staff, with some personnel overlap, board and staff, and with an aim toward enactment of a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Examples of persons associated with the effort: Democrat, Nina Turner; Republican Jim Leach; Republican Alan Simpson; and Democrat Mike Dukakis.

These are individuals presently outside of the current Party-against-Party DC contests; with a perspective focused on a need to reform the corrosive effect of money in politics; the aim being best stated through the Vision, Mission and Strategy parts of their Amendment page:

Vision
A healthy, just, and lasting American republic, in which Constitutional rights for human beings are secure, and all citizens are equal, with the right and the responsibility to govern effectively together.

A renewal of our national covenant of human liberty, equal citizenship, and responsible self-government.

Mission
To empower, inspire, and organize Americans to win the cause of our time: the 28th Amendment and historic reform to deliver our politics and government from the corrupting influence of concentrated money, corporations, trade groups, and superPACs over the rights of individual citizens and the interests of the nation.

Strategy
We unite the vast majority of Americans who agree that we need big reform now;

We give every American a way to participate by organizing, strengthening, and celebrating local action through American Promise Associations (APA);

We connect local APAs and AP Citizens together in a powerful and effective citizen network;

We sustain the national energy, engagement, and commitment it takes to win the 28th Amendment and historic reform;

We execute together, our winning strategy to pass and ratify the 28th Amendment within this decade.

Also, please note that bipartisanship entails recognition of curbing influence by organizations, in particular, regardless of which Party an organization may favor; as noted from the beginning, same online page;

Our Goal
American Promise is leading the charge for the 28th Amendment so we the people govern the United States -- not big money, not unions, and not corporations.

The Amendment process is well on its way to help set reasonable spending limits in our political elections, so that all Americans - regardless of net worth - can take responsibility for our lives, govern ourselves, and honor our national destiny.

Last, note that no confining specific Amendment text is presented; rather a sampling of three overlapping items are presented in sequence on that same Amendment page.

Moving to a separate internet site; but to a post there about American Promise effort to institute a Minnesota local advocacy branch, bipartisan in spirit (despite the site on which the info is posted being a progressive advocacy site), and stating in part:

American Promise, a national cross-partisan non-profit organization dedicated to winning a 28th Amendment that will overturn Citizens United v. FEC, set reasonable spending limits in elections, and secure the political equality of all Americans, will be launching a new American Promise Association (APA) in St. Paul, Minnesota on Saturday, February 11 at 1:30PM at the Edina Library Meeting Room, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina, MN 55436 to rally citizens in support of a 28th Amendment. RSVP Here

A resolution in the state legislature calling on Congress to pass the We the People Amendment was first introduced in 2012. This amendment states that “Artificial entities such as corporations do not have constitutional rights” and “Money is not free speech.” Similar resolutions have passed in 18 states.

“No matter what issue you are concerned about, including human rights, climate change, small businesses, family farming, or minimum wage, nothing will change without passing a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stating that personhood belongs to humans only and money does not equal speech.” Said Vicki Barnes, one of the founding members of Minnesota’s American Promise Association.

[link for quote omitted]

A Bloomberg poll of 2015 finds that 80% of Americans agree with overturning Citizens United; a Hart Research/American Viewpoint poll of Business Leaders for The Committee for Economic Development done in 2013 showed that 70% of business leaders think that super PACs should be made illegal and 89% supported limits on donations to political candidates and groups.

[bolding and links in original; note re omitted link added]