Biden's new ethics plan includes constitutional amendment to publicly finance elections

[TidalWave46]

DES MOINES — Seeking to turn the page from what he called this week the most corrupt administration in American history, former Vice President Joe Biden is set to roll out a new comprehensive ethics plan that includes a constitutional amendment to publicly finance elections.

It also calls for a ban on lobbying by foreign governments and stricter protocols to ensure a firewall between the White House and prosecutorial decisions at the Justice Department.

The suite of proposals to be announced Monday would “ensure that no future president can ever abuse the office for personal gain,” the campaign tells NBC News in advance of the formal unveiling.

NBC

[Demsrule86]

1. Great idea...and I actually think if it passed Congress...people would vote for it.

[iamateacher]

2. Thank you, Vice President Biden

This is what we need.

[SCVDem]

3. We need to review all the powers of the President!

Especially the ability to place tariffs and having unfettered control of our military.

We the people must be honored!

[emmaverybo]

4. Sounds good Joe. You Go!

[peggysue2]

5. Good one on Joe!

[corbettkroehler]

6. I Welcome This Vital Addition To The Dialog

Overturning Citizens United is essential but the top needed reform is the public funding of elections.

[TidalWave46]

7. Citizens United is very misunderstood.

It will not be overturned. It shouldn't be. It was the right decision in dealing with a flawed part of campaign finance reform. The SC did say that the same goal could be constitutionally achieved. That is the direction we must go. By way of constitutional amendment or my preferred way, completely redoing campaign finance reform.

[corbettkroehler]

13. Symbolically, I Loathe Citizens United But Would Be Open To A Lasting Solution

Bring on the positive change!

[TidalWave46]

14. I loathe it as well and am glad at how the public perceives it.

We must change.

[Sherman A1]

8. Like this?

DEMOCRACY DOLLARS

The trend over the past half century has been to allow unfettered spending in elections. This culminated in the decision made in Citizens United, allowing unlimited money to be spent by corporations in elections.

It’s no surprise that this has resulted in mega-donors flooding the pipes of our democracy.

We need to diminish the influence that mega-wealthy individuals and companies have in our elections. While we must push for a Constitutional amendment to allow our campaign finance laws to properly limit the power that the top 1% have, we must act much faster to save our democratic processes. To do so, we must make it possible for all Americans to contribute to candidates they feel strongly about, in order to drown out the voices of the few who can spend millions of dollars to influence our politicians.

The easiest way to do this is to provide Americans with publicly funded vouchers they can use to donate to politicians that they support. Every American gets $100 a year to give to candidates, use it or lose it. These Democracy Dollars would, by the sheer volume of the US population, drown out the influence of mega-donors.

Imagine running for office when every American has $100 Democracy Dollars to give to their favorite candidate. Just 10,000 supporters could mean $1 million for your campaign. Once elected, you could act primarily in the interest of the people you represent instead of appeasing wealthy donors and corporations. Calling rich people for money is soul-crushing. We’d all be better off if politicians only needed to worry about representing the people that elected them.

It has been used in Seattle to great effect, and we can take their program national to move towards publicly funded elections.

https://www.yang2020.com/policies/democracydollars/

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Corporations and the wealthy have enough advantages without being able to influence every election by putting up millions of dollars and bending the ear of every candidate and officeholder.

In the wake of the Citizens United ruling (and the lesser-known Buckley v. Valeo decision), money has flooded our political system like never before. A handful of wealthy individuals can now raise a voice louder than millions of ordinary Americans put together. The flood of money in politics has led to increased mistrust and disenchantment in our government, and rightly so. Big money in politics is far more likely to support candidates who will protect the interest of the wealthy that elected these candidates in the first place.

Super PACs can accept unlimited contributions, and disclosure requirements allow donations to be funneled through nonprofits until they can’t be traced to their original source – this is Dark Money. Super PAC spending in federal elections more than doubled between 2010 and 2012. Swing states such as Pennsylvania, Florida, and North Carolina see the largest Dark Money spending, undoubtedly seeing their elections influenced by wealthy donors that have no ties to the state itself.

We must return to the essence of democracy – where each person’s vote is heard and treated equally. I will gladly push for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and return the American government to its people. We need to end Super PACs, drown out their influence, and stop pretending that corporations have equal rights to people.

Support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and Valeo, which were terrible decisions that have made our politics even more polarized.
Eliminate super PACs and vessels for corporate intervention in campaigns.
Appoint judges who don’t believe corporations have the same rights as people.

https://www.yang2020.com/policies/overturning-citizens-united/

[TidalWave46]

9. Very few will see that.

It's a message that needs to be carried by people who garner attention.

[Sherman A1]

10. Time will tell, but

nice that Joe is coming along with his policy proposals.

[TidalWave46]

11. Agree. It's very nice.

It gets actual eyes on the topic.

[Sherman A1]

12. Well,

Me thinks that eyes have already been on the subject as Sanders has been discussing the affects of Citizens United for a long time and as noted above Yang certainly has it in his policy proposals. As to the other candidates I am certain a check of their web sites will produce that information.

[corbettkroehler]

15. At First Glance, Yes, For Sure (n/t)

[Cha]

16. Thank you, Joe Biden!

Thanks, TW!