Senate GOP blocks amendment
to reform campaign finance laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. (PAI) —
Senate Republicans blocked a constitu-
tional amendment designed to let law-
makers overturn two U.S. Supreme
Court decisions that let unlimited cor-
porate and individual campaign cash
dominate U.S. politics. In its infamous
Citizens United ruling in 2010, the five-
man GOP-named court majority said,
in so many words, that money equals
speech.
Senate Democrats needed 60 votes
to end debate on the measure, but fell
short in the 54-42 party-line vote.
Even had the Democratic-led Sen-
ate approved the amendment, the meas-
ure faced huge obstacles: The GOP,
which hates limits on campaign contri-
butions and spending, runs the U.S.
House, where it would have also
needed a two-thirds majority. And it
would have needed approval from
three-fourths of the states. Republicans
control a majority of states.
Communications Workers of Amer-
ica initiated the drive for the amend-
ment, as part of its Democracy Initia-
tive. In the first week of September, the
Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)
stepped up to join them.
“Corporations are not people and
shouldn’t be extended the rights of in-
Stories of women in the trades
to be presented on stage
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. (OTI)
will present the stage production, “My
Walk Has Never Been Average,” Fri-
day, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. at the Alberta
Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St.,
Portland.
The play, written by Roberta Hunte
and Bonnie Ratner, is based on Hunte’s
in-depth interviews with 15 African-
American tradeswomen from around
the United States as part of her Ph.D.
dissertation. It weaves together the sto-
ries of their entry into non-traditional
trades careers, and touches on the re-
curring themes of exclusion from op-
portunities, sexual harassment, and lack
of institutional support for career de-
velopment.
Hunte was on staff with OTI as a ca-
reer counselor for three years while she
was working on her doctorate.
OTI is presenting the play as part of
its annual Tradeswomen Leadership In-
stitute, an educational event that facili-
tates leadership development, advocacy
skills, and unity among women work-
ing in the building, construction, me-
chanical and utility trades.
In Oregon, women comprise ap-
proximately 7 percent of the construc-
tion workforce. African-American
women comprise only 0.4 percent of
construction workers in the state.
My Walk Has Never Been Average
is directed by Ratner and stars Marilyn
Keller, Shelley B Shelley, Angela
Bonilla, Sidony O’Neal, Ashley
Williams, Skeeter Greene, Aiyanna
Cunningham, and Josie Seid.
A limited quantity of tickets are
available to the general public from The
Alberta Rose Theatre box office for
$10: www.albertarosetheatre.com.
dividuals. This is harming our demo-
cratic political process,” CWA said of
the court’s rulings that the amendment
was designed to overturn.
“The Citizens United decision al-
lowed the Koch brothers, their corpo-
rate allies and the elitist rich to lavish
far more money than ever before on po-
litical candidates who share their goals
of crushing working people,” said ATU
President Larry Hanley. “It’s time to
curb money in politics and put Amer-
ica back in the hands of the people.”
More than 550 cities and 16 states
sent resolutions to Congress demand-
ing lawmakers limit the corporate
takeover of U.S. politics by passing the
proposed amendment. Petitions with 3
million signatures also went to Con-
gress.
Senators voted on party lines, with
52 Democrats and both independents
voting for it. Democrat Kirsten Gilli-
brand of New York was absent. Forty-
two Republicans voted against it. It
would have been more, but Tom Coburn
(Oklahoma), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Lisa
Murkowski (Alaska) were absent.
“Americans’ free speech should not
be proportionate to their bank accounts.
That’s why we introduced the amend-
ment to reform our broken campaign fi-
nance system,” said its lead sponsors,
Sens. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vermont), and
Tom Udall (D-New Mexico)
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NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
SEPTEMBER 19, 2014