Move to Amend

Move to Amend
w:Move to Amend · Public domain · source
Name	Move to Amend
Founded	2009
Founder	Naomi Klement
Location	United States
Focus	Constitutional amendment, campaign finance reform
Methods	Advocacy, education, litigation, grassroots organizing

Move to Amend Move to Amend is an American coalition advocacy group formed to promote a constitutional amendment to end corporate personhood and to regulate money in politics. It emerged from networks of American Civil Liberties Union, Public Citizen, Common Cause, Center for Constitutional Rights, and activist coalitions associated with the Tea Party movement, Occupy Wall Street, and progressive organizations. The initiative has engaged with legislators, grassroots chapters, legal scholars, and electoral actors to advance reform proposals.

History

Move to Amend originated in 2009 after activists associated with ACORN, United Steelworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers, and the AFL–CIO responded to decisions such as Citizens United v. FEC and earlier precedents like Buckley v. Valeo. Founders and supporters included attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild, organizers from Rootstrikers, and leaders formerly engaged with Rainforest Action Network and Greenpeace USA. The coalition built alliances with progressive think tanks such as the Demos, Brennan Center for Justice, and the Center for Responsive Politics as well as faith-based groups like the United Church of Christ and student organizations including chapters of Students for a Democratic Society.

Mission and Goals

Move to Amend’s stated mission is to secure a constitutional amendment to eliminate corporate constitutional rights granted as a result of rulings like Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad and to establish rules limiting political spending and influence akin to proposals from Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative John Conyers, and policy frameworks advocated by Justice Louis Brandeis scholars. The movement emphasizes restoring democratic principles championed by historical reformers associated with the Progressive Era, activists in the Civil Rights Movement, and legislative initiatives such as the Tillman Act and McCain–Feingold Act.

Major Campaigns and Activities

Move to Amend has run national petition drives, model legislation campaigns, and educational events in coordination with groups like People for the American Way, League of Women Voters, Indivisible, and Democracy for America. It organized local chapters to promote city and state resolutions similar to measures seen in Burlington, Vermont, Seattle, Washington, and county actions reflective of earlier municipal reform efforts led by figures like Jane Jacobs and Fiorello La Guardia. The coalition collaborated with legal teams to file strategic briefs in cases arising from Federal Election Commission disputes and supported ballot initiatives alongside campaigns such as Wolf-PAC and Justice Democrats.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The coalition model includes a national coordinating committee, grassroots chapters, and legal advisory councils populated by attorneys from the American Constitution Society and academics from institutions including Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and Georgetown University. Funding and support have come from individual donations, foundation grants from organizations similar to Open Society Foundations, and in-kind support from activist networks like MoveOn.org and Democracy Now!. The group maintained relationships with unions such as the Service Employees International Union and philanthropic entities reportedly aligned with initiatives backed by donors linked to Tides Foundation-type philanthropy.

Legal and Political Impact

Move to Amend influenced legislative efforts driven by lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, including draft amendment texts circulated by allies of Representative Conyers and advocacy around proposals comparable to those put forward by Senator Bernie Sanders. Its legal advocacy intersected with amici briefs in cases argued before the Supreme Court of the United States and litigation strategies employed by public interest litigators connected to the Institute for Justice and the Goldwater Institute in different contexts. Local resolutions supported by the coalition affected municipal procurement debates and campaign finance ordinances in locales from Boulder, Colorado to Durham, North Carolina.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics from libertarian circles such as the Cato Institute and conservative legal scholars associated with Federalist Society chapters argued that the amendment proposals risked unintended consequences for corporate governance and free association, echoing debates involving Alexander Hamilton-era interpretations and modern commentary from commentators at National Review and The Heritage Foundation. Progressive critics argued about strategy efficacy, contrasting Move to Amend’s amendment focus with reformers advocating tighter regulation via the Federal Election Commission or incremental statutory changes like the DISCLOSE Act. Internal disputes emerged over partnerships with labor organizations and tactics reminiscent of earlier disputes within Students for a Democratic Society and activist coalitions tied to the Anti-War movement.

Public Reception and Influence

Public response has ranged from endorsements by civil liberties advocates, faith leaders from denominations such as the United Methodist Church and Episcopal Church, and municipal officials, to skepticism voiced by business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and trade associations like the National Association of Manufacturers. Media coverage spanned outlets from The New York Times and The Washington Post to Fox News, MSNBC, and NPR, and academic analysis appeared in journals associated with Columbia University and Stanford University. Polling organizations such as Pew Research Center and Gallup registered public concern about campaign finance issues, informing the broader debate within which Move to Amend operated.

Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States