Join Move to Amend supporters from Ohio and around the country as we highlight the political power of the military industrial complex that drives U.S. military/foreign policy – including U.S. policy toward NATO.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact provided an opportunity to reduce or dissolve NATO, redirect U.S. military spending toward domestic needs, and for European nations to develop ties with Russia. The economic and political interests of the military industrial complex, however, was to maintain if not expand NATO by stoking fears of Russian aggression to encourage more nations to buy U.S weapons.  

Move to Amend is a co-sponsor of the Veterans for Peace-sponsored rally and march on May 24. Move to Amenders will have important roles at the rally: Sandy Bolzenius, Central Ohio MTA coordinator, will moderate and Greg Coleridge, National Co-Director, will speak.

MTA supporters are invited to an informal gathering after the events to connect (Location TBA).

If you plan to attend...

√ Dress for the weather – wear your Move to Amend t-shirt if you have one! 

√ Bring water and snacks. With no seating, you may wish to pack a beach towel/blanket. 

√ Consider making a sign.

You may know that Veterans for Peace has formed a partnership with Move to Amend. They recognize that progress on ending wars and occupations are inextricably connected to abolishing corporate constitutional rights and money as free speech. 

We produced a 4-part series earlier this year titled Striking At The Roots of Imperialism: Creating Peace By Ending Corporate Rule - go HERE for the links to each video (right column).

We'll distribute at the rally this jointly-produced bookmark (front, back).

We’ll also be circulating our petition.

We’ll need help doing both.

If you’re able to stay until dark, we need help displaying our “light brigade” in a prominent location for all to see with this message

Let us know if you’re able to join us so we can better plan what to bring and share necessary updates.
Email [email protected]

Onwards and Upwards,

Move to Amend Ohio Network

Updated: Mar. 11, 2025, 11:26 a.m. | Published: Mar. 11, 2025, 9:34 a.m.
https://www.cleveland.com/community/2025/03/a-more-than-capacity-crowd-attends-chagrin-falls-move-to-amend-day.html

On March 10, Chagrin Falls Village Council hosted "Move to Amend Day,"
giving residents a chance to speak on issues they are passionate about.
Matt Leavitt

Miami Valley Today
March 1, 2025

By Deb Hogshead

Guest columnist

January 21 was the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, a ruling that opened the floodgates of big money into political campaigns. At the Troy City Council meeting that night, I made a statement explaining why we need to close those floodgates and end the misguided doctrine that a corporation is a person with the same inherent, inalienable constitutional rights as you and me.

Since then, we’ve seen two very significant things happen.

First, we’ve seen how $288 million can buy a seat in the White House and a platform to speak from the Oval Office.

Second, we’ve seen the We the People Amendment get re-introduced in Congress as House Joint Resolution 54. The proposed amendment requires the regulation of campaign spending and makes clear that constitutional rights belong to natural persons only.

Dayton Daily News | January 21, 2025

Heather Sturgill is a resident of Troy, OH and volunteers with the local “Move to Amend.” (CONTRIBUTED)

January 21 marks 15 years since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, which equated corporate political spending with free speech and reinforced the notion of “corporate personhood”. This ruling has had profound impacts, granting corporations outsized influence over our political landscape. Recent events underscore the dangers of equating corporate rights with individual rights, particularly when such actions undermine public welfare.

News articles about ByteDance, being forced to sell TikTok over national security issues underscores these risks. But TikTok isn’t the only foreign owned company in the US. According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, as of January 2023, 252 Chinese companies were listed on the top three U.S. stock exchanges. This figure excludes smaller private businesses and companies with over 50% foreign-owned stockholders.

https://www.scriptype.com/2023/04/19/city-fulfilled-democracy-day-obligations-in-2021-law-director-says/

April 19, 2023

by Melissa Martin

March 7 city council meeting

Brecksville City Council and the city’s legal department said there will not be a city-sponsored Democracy Day in 2023, even though the ballot issue, approved by voters in 2012, specified a 10-year term.

The determination was made March 7 after city resident Bob Belovich questioned council and the administration about city ordinance 129.03. The ordinance stipulates the “biennial public hearings will continue for a period of 10 years through February 2023, or until a constitutional amendment reflecting the principles set forth in section 129.02 is ratified by three quarters of the state legislators.”

Democracy Day is a biannual public hearing before city council and the mayor. It examines the impact of political contributions of corporations, unions, PACS and super-PACS on the city.

Miami Valley Today, January 20, 2024

To the editor:

January 21 is a good day to reflect on the state of our democracy. Why? Because it’s the 14th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

The court’s 5-4 decision upheld two misguided notions: The first, that a corporation has inherent, inalienable constitutional rights same as you and me. The second, that money spent on political campaigns is protected speech.

These interpretations of the U.S. Constitution thwart democracy in two ways: First, something created on paper through a state charter often has more power than flesh-and-blood people (think companies given the right to dump fracking wastewater in communities where residents object). Second, those with the most money have greater access to lawmakers and influence over laws and policies that affect our wallets, let alone our health (think Akron-based FirstEnergy Corporation, the company behind the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio history).

Dayton Daily News | Jan 20, 2024

The 2024 election money train is on the move. I receive emails every day asking for money from candidates near and far. How about you? Of course the dollars that you and I send in are only a small portion of the money being contributed to candidates. Of greater concern is the money given by corporations, trade associations, political action committees, unions—all attempting to have influence over their chosen candidates.

Jan. 21 is the 14th anniversary of Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, the Supreme Court ruling that is widely recognized as ushering in all this money. After Citizens United, we saw the creation of SuperPACs and “dark money”— donations that are made in secret— making it almost impossible to follow the money.

History tells us that this problem started long before Citizens United. In 1886, the Supreme Court gave standing to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company under the 14th Amendment. Later decisions added the 4th Amendment, the Commerce Clause, the 1st Amendment and more. Political spending became a form of free speech in 1976, thus protecting corporate entities from spending restrictions.

Move to Amend is an organization dedicated to ending corporate constitutional rights and money as a protected form of speech. We have legislation in the U.S. House to amend the Constitution, the We the People Amendment, HJR 54. Ask your representative to co-sponsor. Learn more about our efforts and sign our petition at movetoamend.org/motion.

- Mary Sue Gmeiner, Dayton

https://www.daytondailynews.com/ideas-voices/letters-to-the-editor-jan-20-2024/PCVNB7SQEZF4JFYJRH7K2I5RGI/