Dear editor,

Let us ensure that big money in politics does not muzzle our voices. In the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling, a divided Supreme Court extended constitutional rights to noncitizen entities such as corporations, unions, and super PACs. Against four dissenting justices, the court ruled that money spent to influence the political process cannot be limited. Since then, dark money has flooded our campaign cycles, and elected officials now serve powerful special interests rather than their own constituents.

It is common sense that corporations are not persons, and money is not speech. Help Marshfield join the other 114 Wisconsin communities that have called for an amendment clarifying that the U.S. Constitution does not grant corporations, PACs, and unions the right to influence elections without regulation.

This is not a partisan issue. Across Wisconsin, United to Amend referenda are passing with an average of 75 percent or more support by community members. Also, many town boards and city councils have shown unanimous support. By adding Marshfield’s voice, Wisconsin will be closer to joining 19 other states, both red and blue, that support a constitutional amendment. If you agree, contact Marshfield United to Amend at marshfield@unitedtoamend.org.

Jodi Chojnacki, Kajal Sitwala, Karen Shulman, Marian Greenburg, and Ann Stevning-Roe

Dear editor,

Our nation was founded on the principle that “we, the people” are to govern ourselves as a democratic republic. On Jan. 21, 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that freedom of speech prohibits the government from restricting political expenditures by corporations, labor unions, and other associations. This ruling results in our government serving special interests, not the American people.

A nonpartisan group of Marshfield area citizens who are deeply concerned about the influence of unlimited corporate money on our political system is inviting you to sign one of our petitions calling for a resolution to amend the Constitution to establish that corporations are not people and that money is not speech.

A similar resolution has already gone before almost half of Wisconsin’s voters and has passed every time with an average 80 percent of the voters in favor. Nineteen states have already called for such an amendment. If the Marshfield petition drive is successful, this resolution will be on our April ballot so that all voters in Marshfield may voice their opinion.

Want to sign the petition? Contact us at marshfield@unitedtoamend.org, 715-391-9661, or facebook.com/groups/MarshfieldUnitedToAmend.

Barb Gillespie

United to Amend volunteer

Dear editor,

Thank goodness there is hope for anyone who feels that big money has destroyed our political process in America.

Wisconsin United to Amend is a grassroots, nonpartisan movement that is dedicated to overturning Citizens United, the disastrous U.S. Supreme Court decision that stated corporations are people and money is free speech. This ruling, in my opinion, effectively eliminated me and citizens like me from having a voice in issues that matter to us. Frankly, I feel that my vote no longer counts because I cannot afford to send large amounts of money to politicians.

The great news is that there are concerned citizens who have formed the Marshfield United to Amend (MUTA) group, which is working toward having Marshfield join the more than 110 Wisconsin governments and more than 2.8 million people of Wisconsin that have already called for a constitutional amendment that would restore the liberties and privileges guaranteed to real people and level the playing field for you and me.

For more information or to contact MUTA, you can email marshfield@unitedtoamend.org, check us out on Facebook, or call 715-391-9661. Please join us.

Rosemary Mooney

Wisconsin Rapids