Six Ways Americans Voted Against Corporate Power in the Most Expensive Midterm Elections Ever

[RiverLover]

Six Ways Americans Voted Against Corporate Power in the Most Expensive Midterm Elections Ever
Saturday, 08 November 2014 12:01 By Mary Hansen and Kayla Schultz, YES! Magazine | News Analysis



"The midterm election didn't exactly go how many people hoped. The Democrats' loss of the Senate could mean a Congress that's a lot friendlier to things like the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and the adoption of sweeping new trade deals.

But don't despair just yet.

In a few statewide ballot measures and local elections, Americans voted against corporate interests, embracing progressive policies (and even a couple progressive politicians). They endorsed protecting the environment from oil and gas companies, getting corporate money (like the record $3.76 billion spent during this midterm election) out of politics, and favoring local businesses over chain stores.

Here are six local victories that got us excited.

1. People in Ohio, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois—and a whole lot of Wisconsinites—voted to overturn Citizens United
In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled on Citizens United, deciding that corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns. This allows them to put mass amounts of money into causes that benefit business, but not necessarily citizens.

The "Democracy for All" constitutional amendment, which would restrict companies' campaign funding, did not pass when. it came before the Senate in September. But yesterday, voters in Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Florida voted for ballot measures to officially support an amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision...."

http://truth-out.org/news/item/27320-six-ways-americans-voted-against-corporate-power-in-the-most-expensive-midterm-elections-ever