“If there was one decision I would overrule, it would be Citizens United. I think the notion that we have all the democracy that money can buy strays so far from what our democracy is supposed to be.” IfsThinkingWould BeDecisionUnitedDemocracyCitizensNotionSupposed To BeCitizens United Author:Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“I think that is the fight that we have to wage if we're to save the middle class. And I do have doubts about whether Hillary Clinton or whether any Republican candidate out there is prepared to take on the big money interests who control so much of our economy and as a result of Citizens United, our political process as well.” IfsThinkingWellsBigsPoliticalFightingProcessInterestUnitedResultsClassEconomyDoubtMiddleCitizensRepublicanPreparedClintonCandidatesMiddle ClassCitizens United Author:Lindsey Graham
“There is something fundamentally wrong about the way we [americans] are moving as a country, when billionaires are able to buy elections as a result of Citizens United. There`s something fundamentally wrong when 99 percent of all new income goes to the top 1 percent.” WayCountryAbleMovingUnitedResultsCitizensPercentElectionIncomeBillionaireCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“For the first 200 years of our nation's history, corporations were never defined by the courts as persons with free speech rights under the First Amendment. Only in recent years have we witnessed this corporate takeover of our First Amendment, culminating in the Citizens United ruling.” YearsFirstsPersonsNationsUnitedRightsCitizensSpeechCourtDefinedCorporateCorporationsAmendmentsFree SpeechRulingFirst AmendmentTakeoversCitizens United Author:John Bonifaz
“In the past, in order to continue as a candidate, a serious candidate, you had to be in the top three finishes in Iowa. You had to be in the top two out of New Hampshire. All our presidents elected in the past half-century finished either first or second in New Hampshire and in the top three in Iowa. That changed with the Citizens United, when we gave unlimited amounts of money.” FirstsTwoPastOrderThreePresidentUnitedHalfCenturyChangedSeriousAmountCitizensFinishedCandidatesUnlimitedIowaHampshireNew HampshireCitizens United Author:Mark Shields
“Big money buys access in Washington, and access purchases influence. It is as simple as that. And they have basically given a green light, a further green light, after Citizens United, to the biggest money to have the bigger voice in our politics, and to sound out and drown out the voice of just ordinary citizens.” BigsLightGivenSoundVoiceSimpleUnitedInfluenceCitizensOrdinaryBiggerGreenAccessOrdinary CitizensGreen LightsCitizens United Author:Mark Shields
“On the subject of money and politics and the rest, I have a DARE: Disclose who are these people; Amend the Constitution to overturn Citizens United; Reform: let's have public financing of campaigns; and Empower.” PeopleUnitedSubjectsCitizensConstitutionDareCampaignsReformEmpoweringFinancingCitizens United Author:Nancy Pelosi
“That's a question best put to Bernie Sanders himself, but I think that he will probably put forward ideas that are related to the corrupting role of Citizens United and Buckley versus Valeo court decisions and the need to restore a by-and-for-the-people republic envisioned in our Constitution instead of the of-, by- and for-the-most-powerful system that we have right now.” PeopleThinkingNeedsIdeasDecisionUnitedPowerfulRolesCitizensRight NowConstitutionCourtRelatedMost PowerfulRepublicVersusCourt DecisionCitizens United Author:Jeff Merkley
“Politically, as a result of Citizens United, billionaires are now able to spend as much money as they want on campaigns, which means that you have a political system which is heavily dominated by corporations and wealthy individuals.” WantMeanAblePoliticalIndividualUnitedResultsCitizensCampaignsCorporationsWealthyBillionairePolitical SystemsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“Resurrecting American democracy is vital to averting climate catastrophe. We must first repeal the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, which has flooded elections with billions of oily petrodollars from carbon tycoons.” FirstsUnitedDemocracyCitizensElectionCourtClimateBillionsSupremeCarbonCatastropheSupreme CourtRulingAmerican DemocracyCitizens UnitedTycoons Author:Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
“It's why we oppose Citizens United from that right-wing Supreme Court. In 2012, I also said the Tea Party "acted like terrorists" and called a donut shop manager in Milwaukee who wanted lower taxes a "smartass." And I said the number one issue is a three-letter word, J-O-B-S." I'm proud of who I am.” SaidWantedThreeUnitedPartyNumbersIssuesProudCitizensTaxesLettersCourtWingsTerroristSupremeWho I AmManagersTeaShopsSupreme CourtRight WingTea PartyDonutsSmartassMilwaukeeCitizens United Author:Joe Biden
“As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other billionaire families. These wealthy contributors can literally buy politicians and elections by spending hundreds of millions of dollars in support of the candidates of their choice. We need to overturn Citizens United and move toward public funding of elections so that all candidates can run for office without being beholden to the wealthy and powerful.” NeedsRunningMovingChoicesAbilityDecisionUnitedResultsPowerfulMillionsSupportDemocracyBrotherCitizensPoliticianOfficeElectionCourtDollarsSpendingSupremeCandidatesWealthySupreme CourtFundingBillionaireContributorsAmerican DemocracyCourt DecisionCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“If elected president I will have a litmus test in terms of my nominee to be a Supreme Court justice. And the nominee will say, we are going to overturn this disastrous decision on Citizens United because that decision is undermining American democracy. I do not believe that billionaires should be allowed to buy politicians.” IfsShouldBelievePresidentTermJusticeDecisionUnitedDemocracyCitizensPoliticianTestsCourtSupremeSupreme CourtBillionaireUnderminingAmerican DemocracySupreme Court JusticeCourt JusticeCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“In the last presidential election Obama and Romney raised about $1 billion each. The Koch brothers, the second wealthiest family in America, now say they will raise nearly $1 billion for the 2016 elections. When one family can raise as much as an entire party, the system is broken. This is oligarchy, not democracy. We must overturn Citizens United.” LastsAmericaUnitedPartyDemocracyBrotherBrokenCitizensRaisesElectionRaisedBillionsPresidentialRomneyOligarchyPresidential ElectionCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“The billionaires and their super PACs increasingly control the American political process. This is not democracy. This is not what brave Americans fought and died to defend. This is oligarchy. This is government of the few, by the few and for the few. We must overturn Citizen United and move to public funding of elections.” GovernmentMovingPoliticalProcessUnitedDemocracyCitizensDiedElectionBraveFundingBillionaireOligarchyPacsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“There are many major crises facing our country. At the top of the list is the need to overturn Citizens United. If billionaires are able to buy elections and elect right-wing candidates, there is no way we will ever address climate change, college education, affordability, job creation, raising the minimum wage and taking on Wall Street.” IfsWayNeedsCountryAbleJobsUnitedStreetsCreationCollegeWallCitizensMajorsElectionCrisisWingsClimateClimate ChangeListsOur CountryCandidatesAddressesMinimumRight WingBillionaireMinimum WageCollege EducationJob CreationCitizens UnitedAffordability Author:Bernie Sanders
“There are three major political organizations in this country: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and the Koch Brothers Party. With billions to spend on campaigns. think tanks and 'educational' organizations, the Koch brothers are the most powerful. We must overturn Citizens United, move to public funding of elections and pass real tax reform.” ThinkingRealCountryMovingPoliticalThreeUnitedPowerfulPartyBrotherCitizensRepublicanTaxesMajorsOrganizationElectionDemocraticEducationalBillionsCampaignsReformMost PowerfulRepublican PartyDemocratic PartyFundingTanksTax ReformCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“What the Supreme Court did in Citizens United is to say to these same billionaires and the corporations they control: 'You own and control the economy, you own Wall Street, you own the coal companies, you own the oil companies. Now, for a very small percentage of your wealth, we're going to give you the opportunity to own the United States Government.' This is the essence of what Citizens United is all about - and that's why it must be overturned.” GivingStatesGovernmentOpportunityWealthUnitedCompanyUnited StatesEconomyStreetsWallCitizensEssenceCourtOilSupremeCorporationsSupreme CourtCoalPercentagesBillionaireState GovernmentUnited States GovernmentOil CompaniesCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“I would want to see the Supreme Court reverse Citizens United and get dark, unaccountable money out of our politics.” WantDarkUnitedCitizensCourtSupremeReverseSupreme CourtCitizens United Author:Hillary Clinton
“We need a Supreme Court that will stand up on behalf of women's rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community, that will stand up and say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system.” WayNeedsCountryCommunityDarkDecisionUnitedRightsCitizensElectionCourtSupremeOur CountryLgbtPermitWomens RightsSupreme CourtBehalfCitizens UnitedLgbt CommunityElectoral Systems Author:Hillary Clinton
“I feel that at this point in our country's history, it is important that we not reverse marriage equality, that we not reverse Roe v. Wade, that we stand up against Citizens United, we stand up for the rights of people in the workplace, that we stand up and basically say: The Supreme Court should represent all of us. That's how I see the court, and the kind of people that I would be looking to nominate to the court would be in the great tradition of standing up to the powerful, standing up on behalf of our rights as Americans.” PeopleFeelsShouldKindImportantCountryWould BeUnitedPowerfulRightsCitizensStandingTraditionCourtSupremeOur CountryReverseWorkplaceSupreme CourtBehalfWadeMarriage EqualityRoe V WadeCitizens UnitedUnited We Stand Author:Hillary Clinton
“I think with the advent of Reagan, and subsequently, both parties, there's been a strong move towards the advantage given to the richer people, in taxation and grants and supplements and things of that kind. Primarily exacerbated more recently by the Supreme Court's stupid ruling on Citizens United, and now there's a massive flood of money into the political system that I think has subverted the essence of a moral and ethical standard that used to permeate American democracy. Now it's not an admirable process. I think we've gone backwards.” PeopleThinkingKindMovingPoliticalUsedStrongGivenProcessUnitedPartyMoralGoneDemocracyStupidCitizensStandardsAdvantageEssenceCourtSupremeMassiveGrantsEthicalFloodSupreme CourtBackwardsTaxationRulingAdmirablePolitical SystemsSupplementsAdventAmerican DemocracyCitizens UnitedEthical Standards Author:Jimmy Carter
“Nobody has been arrested on Wall Street for the crash of 2008. They're not paying their fair share of the taxes. And now with the Citizens United case of the Supreme Court, they get to buy politicians up out in the open.” Has BeensUnitedCasesShareStreetsWallCitizensPoliticianTaxesFairsCourtSupremeCrashSupreme CourtArrestedFair ShareCitizens United Author:Michael Moore
“Here is what the practical impact of Citizens United means. What Citizens United means is that corporations call hundreds of millions of dollars into television ads, radio ads, and other forms of advertising to defeat those candidates who stand up and take them on.” MeanFormUnitedMillionsTelevisionCitizensImpactDollarsDefeatRadioPracticalsAdvertisingCorporationsCandidatesAdsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“I have introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and make it clear that the Congress and state legislatures do have the ability and the power to regulate and get corporate funding out of political campaigns.” StatesPoliticalAbilityUnitedClearCitizensCongressCampaignsCorporateAmendmentsFundingLegislaturePolitical CampaignState LegislaturesConstitutional AmendmentsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was terrified.” IfsFirstsUnitedCasesCitizensScaredSatThrownTerrifiedCitizens United Author:Sonia Sotomayor
“The SuperPACs and the Citizens United ruling that gives corporations a voice in the political process are all bad news. They made it so you can now lie, and the politician being promoted on that lie will not be held responsible for it.” GivingMadePoliticalLyingProcessVoiceUnitedCitizensPoliticianNewsResponsibleMade ItCorporationsRulingBad NewsCitizens United Author:Jesse Ventura