On January 21, 2010, the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission (FEC) case unleashed a tidal wave of election spending, thereby clearing the way for the sale of American democracy to the highest bidder.

On the eleventh anniversary of this disastrous decision, Move to Amend’s Greg Coleridge will lay out the historical precedents behind the Citizens United v. FEC ruling and consider the consequences. Clearly evident today, these include the explosion of super-PACs and dark money, never-ending election cycles, and the deluge of elected officials who prioritize wealthy donors over their constituents. 

Fortunately, Citizens United v. the FEC also led to the founding of Move to Amend by scholars and grassroots activists who early on recognized the dangers of the case and outlined strategies to counteract them.

This January, Move to Amend Central Ohio invites you to this month’s one-hour virtual “Speaking of Democracy” session that is devoted to a discussion of Citizen United v. FEC. Special guest Greg Coleridge will summarize the history of the case, review its consequences with an emphasis on Ohio, and discuss how Move to Amend is working to end corporate control of our democracy. Illustrating anthropologist Margaret Mead’s famous truism that “a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world,” Greg will also share the remarkable origin story of Move to Amend. Hear how this powerful people’s movement of nearly half a million people began with a small group of concerned citizens who back in 2009 understood the destructive tentacles of the Citizen United v. FEC case and, under the banner of Move to Amend, organized to ensure a government of the people, not corporations.

Guest speaker Greg Coleridge is a constitutional researcher, author (including Citizens over Corporations: A Brief History of Democracy in Ohio and Challenges to Freedom in the Future), and grassroots organizer. Greg has held leadership positions in the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); Program on Corporations, Law & Democracy (POCLAD); Alliance for Just Money (AFJM); and Common Cause. A founding member of state and local Move to Amend organizations in Ohio, Greg currently serves as Move to Amend’s National Outreach Director.

Register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpd-2oqzkpHdCcsCGZVBdVNvzTa8gBtUed