Public meetings to discuss impact of Citizens United Supreme Court decision on our representative democracy


February 17, 2012 · Updated 12:30 PM 

The following was submitted by Becky Hellman.

A series of public meetings will be held the weekend of Feb. 25-26 to discuss the impact of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision on our representative democracy.

As a result of this decision, corporations, labor unions, trade associations and wealthy individuals are now able to contribute unlimited amounts of money, much of it anonymously, to organizations called SuperPACs in order to elect or oppose candidates for public office.

The meetings are intended to inform citizens how this substantially diminishes the importance of individuals in our political system and renders public officials more responsive to a few major contributors than to their constituents. A nation-wide, nonpartisan effort is needed to restore true representative democracy. Speakers will include Brian Gunn and Patti Szot of Involved Democracy in Seattle and Molly Gibbs of Move to Amend in Olympia.

The Lopez meeting is Saturday, Feb. 25, 7-9 p.m., at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts. For more info, call 468-3221.

The Orcas meeting is Sunday, Feb. 26, 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Fire Hall in Eastsound, 45 Lavender Street. For more info, call 376-5624.

The San Juan meeting is Sunday, Feb. 26, 4:-6 p.m. in the Community Room of Skagit Valley College, 221 Weber Way, Friday Harbor. For more info, call 370-5401.


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