OCCUPIED Amendment From Ted Deutch "Totally Bans Corporate Money" in Campaigns

It looks like all those hippies hanging out in parks may have actually sparked an idea.

Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch -- who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties -- introduced the "Outlawing Corporate Cash Undermining the Public Interest in our Elections and Democracy" (OCCUPIED) Constitutional Amendment today.

In Deutch's words, "The OCCUPIED Amendment both overturns the Citizens United Supreme Court decision that wrongly awarded the Constitutionally-protected free speech rights of people to corporations and totally bans corporate money from America's electoral process."

Deutch says his proposal makes it clear that free speech and other constitutional rights for people don't apply to corporations and their "interests," overturns the Citizens United decision that allows corporations to spend unlimited money during elections, and sets the stage for "real finance reform."

Here's Deutch's rant on the subject:

No matter how long protesters camp out across America, big banks will continue to pour money into shadow groups promoting candidates more likely to slash Medicaid for poor children than help families facing foreclosure. No matter how strongly Ohio families fight for basic fairness for workers, the Koch Brothers will continue to pour millions into campaigns aimed at protecting the wealthiest 1%. No matter how fed up seniors in South Florida are with an agenda that puts oil subsidies ahead of Social Security and Medicare, corporations will continue to fund massive publicity campaigns and malicious attack ads against the public interest. Americans of all stripes agree that for far too long, corporations have occupied Washington and drowned out the voices of the people. I introduced the OCCUPIED Amendment because the days of corporate control of our democracy must end. It is time to return the nation's capital and our democracy to the people.