Event in Mt. Lebanon promotes constitutional amendment efforts
For those who have concerns about the way the government seems to function these days, libertarian author and lecturer James Bovard has a few words of wisdom.
“Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.”
Bovard’s observation is a favorite of Azor Cole, citizen empowerment coordinator for American Promise, as he travels around the nation spreading the word about his nonpartisan organization’s mission: to promote an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would serve to level the political playing field.
“Money is not speech, and human rights are for humans,” he told a group of about 30 on Sept. 12 at Mt. Lebanon Public Library. “They’re not for unions. They’re not for nonprofits. They’re not for corporations.”
“Ninety-six percent of Americans think there’s too much money in politics.”
In June, Cole brought the American Promise message to a forum at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills, also in Mt. Lebanon. Among those in the audience was Dr. Carole Ortenzo, a retired Army surgeon and resident of Peters Township, who afterward spoke with others in attendance and arrived at a plan of action.
“Wouldn’t it be a great idea to have a Southwestern PA chapter of this organization?” she said at the library meeting. “The only other chapter in Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia.”
And so a group of interested residents will receive training to launch a concerted awareness effort in this part of the state about American Promise, which is based in Massachusetts and has been working toward a constitutional amendment since 2016.
The vast majority of U.S. citizens apparently feel like the sheep in Bovard’s equation, as Cole cited numbers compiled by Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard Law School professor who sought the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.
“He did a poll and found 96 percent of Americans think there’s too much money in politics,” Cole said. “Ninety-one percent of Americans don’t think there’s anything that can be done about it.”
A potential solution could be a 28th amendment, versions of which have been introduced in Congress. One of the more visible is House Joint Resolution 48 of 2017, which has 61 co-sponsors, including one from Pennsylvania: Matt Cartwright, a Democrat representing several counties in the northeastern part of the state.
Among the provisions called for in the resolution:
- The rights protected by the Constitution 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 the Constitution and are subject to regulation by the people, through federal, state or local law.
- The privileges of such artificial entities shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.
Although American Promise stresses the nonpartisan nature of its efforts, just one House Republican, Walter Jones Jr. of North Carolina, is a resolution co-sponsor.
During his presentation, Cole explained the processes by which amendments can be made to the Constitution. So far, each one has gone the route of having two-thirds of the U.S. Senate and House vote in favor of a bill proposing the amendment, and then three-quarters of the states ratifying it.
The other method, as established in Article V of the Constitution, is for two-thirds of states’ legislatures to call for a constitutional convention. Five states so far have taken that route out of a necessary 34, Cole said.
Meanwhile, 19 states have passed resolutions that go as far as favoring an amendment. Pennsylvania is among neither group.
By creating awareness about the organization’s efforts to effect change, American Promise staff members and volunteers also are working toward rectifying another issue facing the nation.
“Out of all of the damaging policies that moneyed interests bring about in society, one of the most insidious effects is people think, oh, there’s nothing I can do. I don’t have a million dollars to throw into a political race. Sure, I can vote, but does that even matter?” Cole said. “That voter apathy is a really powerful negative force.”
For more information, visit www.americanpromise.net.