Rally in Annapolis, Maryland

Free Speech for People, Not Corporations!
RALLY to Take Back Democracy!
Lawyer’s Mall, Annapolis (near Church Circle)
Monday, Feb. 22nd, 2010   6 - 7 PM

Marylanders are responding to the shocking new Supreme Court ruling that corporations, for the first time, can spend unlimited funds to influence any local, state or federal political campaign, a ruling the state Senate president called "offensive" and "devastating to democracy."  Incredibly, the ruling establishes that corporations are like “people,” protected by the constitution to spend unlimited sums to sway political campaigns as if this were “free speech.”

Democracy should be about actual votes by actual citizens.  Now, any legislator who stands up to corporations like Exxon, United Health Care, Goldman Sachs, or Philip Morris can expect a challenger in the next election financed with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars.

Maryland legislators responded with critical bills that must pass this year.  A bill by State Senator Pinsky and Delegate Cardin for public financing of elections to begin to level the playing field.  Bills by State Senators Raskin and Frosh help limit corporations’ power over elections.  A constitutional amendment correcting this ruling, and the Fair Elections Now Act, for public campaign financing, have been introduced in the U.S. Congress and are supported by many reform groups. 

Featuring an appearance by Designated Human Eric Hensal of Murray Hill, Inc. for Congress  (“Corporations are People Too”)
Leaders from state and national organizations, & sponsoring legislators, will also address the crowd.

Contact: fairandcleanmd@gmail.com,   240-280-2582  or  410-812-1447

Rally Co-Sponsors to date:    FreeSpeechforPeople.org, Public Citizen, Progressive Maryland, Maryland Common Cause, TrueVoteMD, The Center for Corporate Policy, Voter Action, The League of Women Voters – Maryland Chapter, Maryland Progressive Democrats of America, Maryland Public Interest Research Group, Democracy for Montgomery County, The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland, The Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Womens’ International League for Peace & Freedom - Baltimore & Catonsville Branches, Citizens Against Unlimited Corporate Campaign Contributions, Fair And Clean Elections-MD

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