| Name | Title | State | Statement |
|---|---|---|---|
 John Montgomery | Corporate Lawyer & Co-founding Director/President, Benefit Company Bar Association | California | Citizens United threatens to turn our democracy into a corporate oligarchy. We need the 28th Amendment to restore and maintain our democracy. |
 John O’Grady | Estate lawyer with O’Grady Law Group, former Chair, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law Section, Bar Association of San Francisco | California | We citizens have lost our voice to the highest bidder as a result of the unlimited corporate political spending sanctioned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The 28th Amendment is crucial for restoring America’s democracy and protecting us from plutocracy. I’m excited to join the movement to pass the 28th Amendment and return power to the American people. |
 Gina Milani | High Tech Marketing Business Owner/Leader/Entrepreneur | California | Money in politics is just downright harmful and yet "we" (not the people) continue to make it easier and easier to buy our politicians. It will be our downfall if we don't self-correct now. |
 Gordon Whiting | Radio Producer, Radiogroup FM | California | Monied interests do not need help; we need help. |
 Cecily Joseph | Advisor, Presidio Graduate School | California | To balance the political influence that corporations have compared to individuals. Would also like to see more transparency. |
 John Brennan | Former CHRO for Advent Software and Wind River Systems | California | A free economy and a well-functioning democracy are inextricably linked. The 28th amendment is needed to ensure we have a functioning democracy--of the people, by the people. It's good business. |
| Randy Haykin | Executive Director, The Gratitude Network | California | I believe our country deserves a cleaner approach to democracy that is unencumbered by rigid party lines and lobbyists. |
| Dr. Ryan A Starzyk | CEO, BlueFire Group | Arizona | Democracy should never be for sale like it is today. We have to get money out of politics to restore the soul of our democratic institutions. |
| James Apone | Business Owner | Alaska | Money Corrupts!!! |
| Rod Morrison | Organic Farmer | Wyoming | For all the right reasons. |
| Judy Nagel | Retired Vice President- Investment Officer at Wells Fargo Advisors | Wisconsin | A democratic republic requires that legislation represents the voices of the majority. "Pay-to-play" politics diminish the republic and the principles on which our founders established that republic. We inherited a great legacy from our founders and it is our responsibility to ensure that legacy for our next generation. |
| Land Cook | Digital Marketer, Land Cook, LLC | Washington | |
| Carol Sanford | Author, Podcast Producer, Sr. Fellow of Social interaction Babson | Washington | I believe every word on this Statement of Principle and the urgency of it! |
| Ben Cohen | Co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream; Head Stamper at Stamp Stampede; American Promise National Advisory Council | Vermont | #GetMoneyOut of politics. Some people say that a Constitutional Amendment is impossible, but nearly every generation has amended the Constitution to protect and expand our democracy. This is our generation's fight to win! |
| Jeffrey Hollender | Co-Founder & Former CEO, Seventh Generation; Co-founder & CEO, American Sustainable Business Council; Adjunct Professor, NYU Stern School of Business | Vermont | No question about it, money in politics is destroying our democracy, corrupting our national priorities, and placing the future of our nation in jeopardy. |
| Tatiana Repnikova | Senior Application Analyst, Fletcher Allen Health Care | Vermont | Elections should be publicly funded. Take $$ our of politics! Restore Democracy in the USA! |
| Arion Thiboumery | Entrepreneur and Investor | Vermont | Democracy is about people, fairness, and equality before the law. Not about who has the most money, paying for justice, and unequal benefit. This pandemic has shown that more clearly then ever. If we are to move forward in our march towards a "more perfect" union, we need to renew our focus on social equity and justice for all. |
| Tristan Toleno | COO & Vermont State Representative | Vermont | I am lucky to serve in a political environment where citizens have meaningful and transparent access to their leaders. I believe that all citizens in this country should be able to trust that their voices and access to information about their leaders’ decision making is unfiltered by powerful money interests. |
| Michael Deal | Retired International Development CEO & Former Foreign Service Officer | Virginia | As a former Foreign Service Officer living in a number of developing countries, I was always proud of the U.S. as a "beacon on the hill". Unfortunately, the staggering influence of money in politics is undermining our country's position of global leadership across the board. |
| John McCrea | Business Network Manager, American Promise | Virginia | Money and greed are taking priority over our republic and the people. Money corrupts, our current political system is not broken, it is "fixed." To make our country more peaceful, equitable, and prosperous-- our government has to work for the common good of all our people. |
| David Walker | Professor at USNA. Former U.S. Comptroller General. | Virginia | We now have a republic that is not representative of nor responsive to the general public. We need a number of Constitutional Amendments to revitalize our republic, including campaign finance, fiscal responsibility and term limits amendments. |
| Theresa del Ninno | President, Maginniss + del Ninno Architects | Virginia | Big money in politics is crippling innovation in building technology. Many nonrenewable energy corporations are spending large amounts of money on campaign contributions. This practice inhibits creative development of renewable energy technology. |
| Kenneth Ewald | Retired small business owner | Texas | Greed is the primary driver in our current business/political system. Reducing the level of greed will help make our system fairer for all individuals. |
| Hoyt Mcguyer | Texas | This will be a good first step to getting fundamental change going. Our country is way behind the curve here. | |
| Larry Leon | Principal of commercial real estate firm | Texas | I believe we have put too much influence in the hands of too few, based on the power of money and wealth. A flourishing democracy is by and for the people and should represent a more broad based constituency. |
| Saro Mohammed | Education Research Mobilizer, Founder + Principal, Executive Director | Texas | Social justice can not be achieved with the role money currently plays in US politics. |
| MaryAnne Howland | Founder & CEO, Ibis Communications and Global Diversity Leadership Exchange | Tennessee | It's time for moral leadership within our businesses, our communities and our government that will return to fair competition, checks and balances, and accountability. |
| John Kador | Owner, Kador Communications | Pennsylvania | Integrity of democracy requires transparency. |
| Scott Wheeler | Managing Director, Strategy Arts | Pennsylvania | Our voice as businesses have many ways to reach and influence politicians. Business money and the way it influences politics is destroying the voices of our citizens and with it, our democracy. |
| William C. Buck | Exec. V.P., TDH Capital Corp. | Pennsylvania | I strongly support your wording in your statement of principle. |
| Robert Fesnak | Retired; Former Founder and Managing Partner of Fesnak & Associates; Entrepreneur | Pennsylvania | We need an amendment to finally stop the unfair influence of special interest groups on the political process. This is key to a healthy democracy. A democratic government should work for ALL citizens and election financing reform is a start. |
| Kenneth Sweet | Real Estate Developer | Pennsylvania | The primary reason the United States is a leading economy in the world is that individuals of all walks of life are given the right to develop businesses and to aid the economy. |
| Carl Cox | CEO | Oregon | Our business voice should be based on a matter of principle - not on a matter of who is willing to pay the most for political gain. The faster we can move to a more competitive business environment with a fair and equitable opportunities - winning will be based on principle, quality, price and hard work. The way the game was meant to be played. |
| Carolyn Funk | Retired Accountant | Ohio | |
| Patrick McGinnis | Founder, Dirigo Advisors | New York | If government doesn't work, business cannot work effectively. We must come together to make government better, more equitable, more efficient, and more reflective of the will of the people. |
| Chris Marquis | SC Johnson Chair in Sustainable Global Enterprise, Cornell University | New York | Political spending is not equivalent to free speech. The oversized influence of wealthy and corporate interests on our elections must be stopped to restore accountability of the government to all the people. |
| Erika Karp | Founder/CEO, Cornerstone Capital | New York | Defend democracy! |
| Judith Samuelson | Executive Director, Aspen Institute Business & Society Program | New York | Commons sense requires radical transparency and limits on political spending; rule of law only has meaning if the laws protect the commons--rather than private interests. |
| David Tompkins | Retired business owner for 35 years | New York | If we do not put a stop to the corruption of unlimited money in politics we can kiss freedom and democracy goodbye. Its that simple. |
| Howard Fischer | Chief Evangelist, Gratitude Railroad, harnessing capitalism as a force for good. | New York | |
| John Whitbeck | Retired | New Mexico | When those with the most campaign money win, we are no longer a nation of the people by the people, for the people. |
| Rivera Sun | Rivera Sun, Author & Activist, writes social protest novels | New Mexico | |
| Mitchell Coven | CEO, Founder | New Mexico | The inequities of wealth equals inequity in voice and power in our current system. This is a moral and just cause which we should all support. Real democracy, real equality any and everywhere. |
| Jim Rubens | Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, Republican Activist | New Hampshire | Today's pay-to-play political money system is warping free market capitalism -- history's most powerful driver of human well-being — into crony capitalism. Product innovation, small business, economic mobility and public support for freedom are all being suppressed. Congress has the power to address all of this by sending the 28th Amendment to the states for ratification. |
| Erin Spencer | Brown Dog Veterinary Solutions, LLC Founder | New Hampshire | Individuals are the heart of democracy and their voices need to be heard! |
| Kerry Krebill | Founder and Artistic Director, Musikanten | Montana | Our elected representatives no longer represent us, but the mega industries who are buying the elections. Big tobacco cover up, big pharma, the pesticides poisoning our food and water, big oil destroying our oceans and pristine nature, especially the powerful gun lobby blocking all reasonable gun control laws -- lawmakers have been bought and paid for by special interest groups. This MUST stop. |
| Tristan Mace | CEO of parkermace | Missouri | Our country is simply not going to progress over the next 100 years without significant change. We must find a way to responsibly propel, empower, and protect all Americans, as well as incorporate technology into our approach to advance a healthier democracy and community that provides for true representation and accountability. |
| Gary Miller | Sales Manager, C. F. Bender Co | Missouri | We are heading towards a Plutocracy. The 28th Amendment will steer us back towards democracy. |
| Don Bender | Mature owner of mature small business in a mature industry. | Missouri | The U. S. campaign finance model is unfair, unhealthy and unsustainable. Business leaders, working together, can and must engage, educate and persuade others of the need for the 28th Amendment. It is the cornerstone of the solution. |
| Jim Bowyer | Professor Emeritus and Environmental Consultant | Minnesota | The virtual flood of money in political campaigns is undermining what is supposed to be our representative form of government. Spending from a few deep pockets is drowning out the voices of small businesses and ordinary citizens alike. Prompt action is needed to restore the integrity of our elections and political system. |
| Cheri Haram | Owner | Minnesota | We need a government that works for the common good of the people. |
| Andrew Hoffman | Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan | Michigan | The level of influence that corporate and private money have in our politics is making us less a democracy and more an oligopoly, where self-interest overrides collective interest. The outcome is a political and economic system that cannot address are deepest challenges, like climate change and income inequality, destabilizing our country and our world. We need a redirection of business and business leadership that acknowledges its responsibilities to society and not just the shareholder. The World Economic Forum, Business Roundtable and Black Rock have articulated such a goal; now its time to make it real. |
| Thomas Lyon | Professor, University of Michigan; President, Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability | Michigan | Free-market capitalism only works when firms play within rules that protect the public interest. When companies write the rules to benefit their private interests, consumers and citizens suffer. We need to rescue our democracy from the corrosive effect of money in politics. |
| Rama K. Paruchuri | IT Engineer | Michigan | |
| Randy Labbe | President, Atlantic Corporation | Maine | I support the American Promise Statement of Principle because U.S. elected officials will not be able to solve our deepest problems until we get the lobbyists out of Washington. A Constitutional amendment to limit political spending is the crucial next step in the building of a more peaceful and just America. |
| William B. Zimmerman | President (Retired), The Wolf Organization, York, PA | Maine | |
 Marada Cook | General Manager, Crown O Maine | Maine | As a woman entrepreneur and a member of a Worker Co-op, I see everyday the great value of American democratic equality. I’d like my daughter to have an equal voice in business and in voting. The voice of one among many equals is a great outcome for this long struggle. |
| Severine Fleming | Young farmers organizer | Maine | |
| Jonah Fertig-Burd | Director, Cooperative Food Systems | Maine | I support having a fair, transparent democratic process that prioritizes the voices and votes of American citizens. Corporate financial influence and power has had a corrupting influence on American politics that has placed the share values and profits of corporations over the interests of people and the planet. |
| Caleb & Jim Gerritsen | Two-Generation Certified Organic Seed Farm | Maine | After more than 40 years of organic farming we're convinced that working to advance the common good is the best way to reclaim our democracy, support our neighbors and build community. Maine has pioneered public financing of elections and has shown how our country can elect leaders without them selling out to corporations and powerful interests with agendas. Let's be sure to give corporations rights as "citizens" the day after they send their children to war on our behalf. |
| Neal Simon | Author Contract to Unite America and former CEO of Investment firms | Maryland | We must change the warped incentives in our political system, and limitless campaign finances are an important part of the problem. |
| Bob Datz | Owner of datzmedia, a multimedia communications firm serving small business clients in central New England. | Massachusetts | Big business is sucking the life out of small business, as witnessed by raids on the COVID assistance package that was intended for small business. by airlines and others. In so many ways, Corporate lobbying based on campaign largesse is ruining our democracy. |
| Laury Hammel | Founder, CEO , and Owner of Longfellow Health Clubs | Massachusetts | It's high time we move away from the unfair power that money holds on our current electoral process. Getting elected is now more about either having money or raising money. It should be about organizing people and promoting leadership and vision. |
| Kevin Johnson | CEO, Liberty Global Partners | Massachusetts | The founder of a small business servicing venture capital firms, I see that corporate election spending hurts innovators and allows companies to gain choke-holds over the economy. More money means more gridlock in Congress, and more uncertainty for the economy. Unlimited election spending is bad for business! |
| David Miller | Co-founder & Managing Director, Clean Energy Ventures | Massachusetts | We need this to restore/enable our democracy, and for politicians to have a chance to focus on the public good. |
| Emily Talentino | Executive Director, Give & Surf, Inc. | Massachusetts | |
| Nancy Rosenzweig | CEO, Values Aligned Capital | Massachusetts | |
| Kevin Dutt | COO of Legit Fish Company: Food Traceability and Verification Technology Company | Massachusetts | |
| Andrew Olson | CEO, Circle Media Labs Inc. | Massachusetts | I believe everyone in our democracy is entitled to share their voice, and even to try to persuade others to their point of view, but not to manipulate, control, or silence the voices of others, whether through technology, violence, or money. |
| Jack McBride | President, ABODE Builders | Massachusetts | Working to reduce the corrupting influence of money in politics is the most effective way I can think of to support our democracy. We can fight for change and we can win. Making progress on the problems we face depends upon it. |
| Susan Muller | Events Director, American Promise | Massachusetts | Uniting civically responsible business professionals in cross-partisan advocacy to ensure a free market economy where businesses compete, not on pay-to-paly politcal favors but, on the value they create in the marketplace is citical for America's innovation, competitiveness, and long‐term prosperity. |
| Michael Edelman | CEO, Nanoco Group PLC | Massachusetts | The founding principle of one person, one vote has been eroded in the USA with the inflows of dark money into politics. That erosion was accelerated by the by Citizens United Supreme Court ruling. Corporations are economic entities and should not have the same rights as individuals. Money should not translate into speech. The end result is the destruction of trust in the democratic system due to the playing field not being level. Corporations should compete in the market on the products and services they provide not on the amount of money they spend to bend the rules by buying politicians. The result is a financial race to the bottom. There is always a company with a bigger bank account to outspend you. American Promise represents a chance to do our bit to fix this system for our children by making meaningful change through a Constitutional Amendment. |
| Alicia Hesse-Cleary | Co-Founder & President, Arts2You - a specialized arts education program helping develop and achieve creative and critical thinking skills and goals for academic, professional and personal outcomes | Massachusetts | |
| Rebecca M. Henderson | John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University Professor of Strategy & General Management, Harvard Business School | Massachusetts | Without taking money out of politics, we will never address the great problems of our time. Business must recognize that free markets need free politics, and must play a significant role in driving this change. |
| Sean Callahan | Project Manager, Masters Student | Massachusetts | We, the People will not be stuck with a system of governance that prioritizes access to wealth over all else. |
| Mal Salter | James J. Hill Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus | Massachusetts | No significant regulation of crony capitalism—where collusion among industries, their regulators, and Congress results in policies and investments that serve private corporate interests at the expense of the public interest—will occur without a major change in our approach to campaign financing. This is why I believe Conservatives and Progressives should join together in the type of reform that American Promise is pursuing. A constitutional amendment is difficult, but there may not be another viable route. |
| Emily Kanter | CEO + Co-Owner of Cambridge Naturals | Massachusetts | Our business functions best in a healthy democracy - where the interests of large corporations are not prioritized over the rights and privileges of those that allow us to thrive - our staff and our customers. |
| Michael Kanter | Co-Founder, Co-Owner, Cambridge Naturals retail store since 1974 | Massachusetts | I am thrilled to be actively supporting an initiative that can enhance our failing democracy. So many challenges from climate disaster to extreme wealth and income inequality and many more need our attention now more urgently than ever. Time is of the essence! |
| Matt Patsky | CEO, Trillium Asset Management | Massachusetts | The significant corporate dollars now flowing into political campaigns erode transparency and fairness and are incongruent with the U.S. maintaining its leadership role in the global economy. We urgently need to overturn Citizens United before its damage becomes irreversible. |
| Zoe Barry | Founder & CEO, ZappRx | Massachusetts | I believe in pure democracy, not a country run by bought politicians and well-funded, but faux ideologies. In particular, I do not believe in civilian access to auto-/semi-auto weapons or high-capacity magazines. I believe children and students should have the right to education without the legitimate fear of mass shootings. I do believe in the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. I have personally lived in rural areas such as Sitka, Alaska, where local populations depend on fish and game to feed their families. However, I am passionate about gun control and I believe America needs to unshackle herself from pay-to-play politicians who are corrupting representative democracy. |
| Roy D. Shapiro | Philip Caldwell Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration, Emeritus | Massachusetts | Increasingly, politicians have become more concerned with raising funds than with following the wishes of the citizens who elected them. That robs the American people and puts tremendous power in the hands of a small number of businesses and individuals, fundamentally corrupting our democracy. And, for businesses, it has become a pay-to-play game, where a business is forced (is extorted, some have said) to contribute as much – or more – than its competitors to gain influence in the halls of power. This distortion of the competitive balance is toxic to our economy. The American Promise Statement of Principle is simply a declaration of the wish that we return to core American values and the bedrock of democracy, and the 28th Amendment is fundamental to beginning that process. |
| Rob Everts | President & Co-Director, Equal Exchange | Massachusetts | We believe that runaway corporate funding and influence in our political system is at the root of many of the injustices we face. From massive corporate consolidation in the food system and other industries, to gross inequities in the tax structure, this disproportionate "voice" given to corporations contributes enormously to widening income inequality in our country and the weakening of our democracy. |
| Richard Keleher | CEO, Richard Keleher Architect | Massachusetts | Getting money out of politics is the first step to solving the problems of income and ad racial equality and climate change. If we don't solve these problems (soon), we are toast. |
| Debra Stark | Founder, CEO of Debra's Natural Gourmet | Massachusetts | Getting big money out of politics is essential. And as Jeff Clements says, corporations are not people. If we, the people, are to have a voice in government, there has to be a level playing field. John Smith by himself is not on equal footing with the resources of a huge corporation. |
| Rosanne Greene | Medical field | Kansas | |
| Jessica Kellner | Co-founder, Bark Media | Kansas | The damaging influence of pay-to-play politics is preventing important progress on a wide array of issues, and drowning out the voices of regular Americans. Pay-to-play politics harms the American economy by stifling innovation and competition, with particularly deleterious effects on small, midsize and startup businesses, which are critical to the American business landscape. |
| Mark Hurwich | Founder/Chief Coach | Illinois | This is needed as a foundational step to make a world that works for all. AND, it's good business. |
| Paul Tarnoff | National Outlook Director, CapstoneCare | Iowa | I have for many years believed that until money is removed from politics it will be almost impossible to create the multiple meaningful positive changes we need. I'm so please to find an organization committed to these principals. I'm so happy to join this community of like minded souls. |
| Patrick Bosold | Lifelong activist for environmental, social and economic justice | Iowa | Giving ourselves and our governing bodies the power to regulate political campaign finance is way overdue. It has become obvious that, here in the U.S., a Constitutional amendment is the way to get this done and make sure that it sticks. Hence my support for this effort since the day it was first proposed. |
| Maureen Kline | VP Public Affairs & Sustainability, Pirelli Tire North America | Georgia | We have come to expect business and wealthy individuals to fund our political system, as well as the arts, social welfare, cancer research and so much more. Do we really want the strategic direction of our society, what we prioritize and what programs we kill, what we tax and what we incentivize, to be determined by so few, and not by We, the People? |
| Dan Barnett | President, Citizens Congress | Florida | |
| Delilah Rothenberg | Founder & Executive Director, Predistribution Initiative | Florida | As long as companies and investors have disproportionate influence over policy makers through vast lobbying and political spend budgets, we will lack a representative, functioning democracy. Individual voters will be overshadowed by the private sector, and there will be no impartial mechanism to hold the private sector accountable. We must remove big money from politics now. It is a gating issue for every other policy one could want to make. |
| Robert Craven | CEO, Findaway Adventures | Florida | Change-the-world founders & their (often smaller) companies can make a real impact - they just need a fair shot to show the bigger companies (& the US consumers) how it's done. |
| Frederick Alexander | Founder, The Shareholder Commons | Delaware | When corporations use political influence to increase their profits, they become unaccountable, and capitalism without accountability is a recipe for social and environmental catastrophe. |
| Leo Strine | Former Chief Justice and Chancellor of Delaware, adjunct professor, Harvard and University of Pennsylvania Law Schools | Delaware | We need a constitutional amendment. Unregulated political spending by corporations is inconsistent with both corporate law and the Constitution. We all lose when political spending tilts the playing field even more against ordinary, human Americans. It is particularly disturbing when corporations use their massive wealth — which was not intended for this purpose — to outgun labor, environmental, consumer, and civil rights organizations in the political process to tilt the playing field against the ability of workers to unionize and other priorities crucial to the actual worker-investors whose savings they control. Shareholders and our economy also lose when the focus of corporate management shifts from legitimate, productive ways to generate sustainable wealth and toward rent-seeking. |
| Katherine Simons | Pastor, PCUSA New Castle | Delaware | Well said. |
| Patricia A. McLagan | CEO, McLagan International, Inc. | District of Columbia | Teaching, coaching, and consulting with executives in the private and public sectors and globally for many decades, focusing on participation and accountable practices by both leaders & followers. I believe that for civilization to advance we need informed action by all, and that any institutional or attitudinal impediments must be removed. I want to work to remove major impediments (like the influence of money in politics) as well as to help educate all about how to participate fully for a better world, country, and life — today and for the future. |
| Peter Pinchot | CEO, Whole Forest | Connecticut | Big money, often from anonymous sources, has polluted the demographic process and undermines the role of citizens to control government policy. |
| Scott Kalb | Director, Responsible Asset Allocator Initiative at New America | Connecticut | For years, companies have been spending hundreds of millions of dollars to influence elections and public policy for their own ends. It has to stop. To restore our democracy, we must get dark money out of politics. |
| Mitchell Hedstrom | Retired Corporate Banker | Connecticut | I believe money is the largest cause of our political dysfunction. |
| Alicia Robb | CEO, Impact Venture Capital Firm | Colorado | Our democracy shouldn't be for sale. |
| Lorelei Woerner | Owner/Entrepreneur | California | It's time for the small voices to be heard more loudly — and the little guy/gal to be given the opportunity to share their wisdom, ideas and intelligences. |
| Bonnie Collins | Owner, Octopunx Cosplay | California | As an artisan maker, I believe honesty in business and fair competition encourage a more vibrant economy and a better future for all citizens. |
| Steve Schepman | Principal of The Synesthesia Group (TSG) which has led several mergers, acquisitions and divestitures of businesses in technology, eCommerce and CPG industries. | California | The best way to win back our democracy is to pass the 28th Amendment and get big dark money out of politics. The parabolic curve of growth in campaign spending is alarming. It's not good for business or democracy. By supporting American Promise there is greater hope for democracy and the United States of America. |
| Judy Lukasiewicz | California | Caring stewardship of our shared environment must be the goal of businesses and all citizens...that is a true profit shared by all. All other profit is secondary. | |
| Lawrence G. Townsend | Intellectual property attorney, of counsel with the San Francisco law firm of Owen, Wickersham & Erickson, P.C. | California | The 28th Amendment defines how we see ourselves as Americans and as a democracy. To support it is not only right; it’s a chance to reserve our place on the right side of history. |
| Austin Dean | Co-founder, Spinta Capital | California | Tired of money distracting and controlling our political landscape. |
| Terrence Mech | SUP Corporate Finance- PNC Bank | California | Government should represent voters not special interests. |
| Ellen Lovelidge | UX & Product Designer | California | We need an inclusive government. |
| Bonnie Nixon | Sustainable Supply Chain Strategist, BonnEco, Inc. | California | Long believed that the current political system is broken and needs to be redesigned to fully represent the commons. |
| Jorge Taborga | Executive, professor, researcher & consultant in team & organizational agility | California | I believe in democracy and social justice for all. To have equal representation and for our politicians to truly work for their constituencies, we need to take money out of politics. Systematically, our political system will remain corrupt as long as the driver for behaviors in government is money and not the well-being of citizens and the environment. |
| Laurel Skurko | Principal, Linc | California | |
| Edward Crane | California | ||
| Michele Dilworth | Director, nonprofit dedicated to transparency in the social sector. | California | Money should not drive politics. It is the antithesis to democracy representative government. |
| Tom Christian | Executive Managing Directior | California | |
| Dennis Jaffe | Advisor & researcher for global multi-generational family enterprises | California | I have always believed that business needs to be regulated and not be allowed to control our social agenda. |
| John E. Palmer | Co-Founder & Principal, Hanover Partners, Inc. | California | We have reached the point where our political arena is flooded with money, and elected officials are beholden to sources of cash rather than to their constituents. Lawmakers spend some absurd percent of their time raising money for re-election rather than doing their jobs. Their choice is to compete in the “arms race” of political spending or be run over by a rival. Bottom line: special interests and wealthy donors OWN our elected officials, and the rest of us are along for the ride. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision made much of this possible; only a constitutional amendment to overturn this ruling will restore some sanity to our system. |
 David Brodwin | Executive Fellow, Center for Higher Ambition Leadership | California | We need sensible campaign finance limits if we are to have a government that is truly “of the people, by the people, and for the people”. |
 Igal Ladabaum | CEO, Moderate Entrepreneur | California | We need to find what unites not what divides us. For fundamental and particular reasons money must leave politics so our government remains a marketplace for ideas. |
| Gabrielle Swanberg | Past massage therapist instructor, secretary, pro-environment/anti-pollution | California | I agree with the Statement of Principle. |
| William A. Fenwick | Partner Emeritus, Fenwick & West, LLP | California | An individual’s vote is the lifeblood of democracy. There is no substitute. |
| Susan Garell | Video Creator, Susan Garell Videos | California | I support the 28th Amendment to ensure comprehensive campaign finance reform that gets corporate money out of our political process. Not only are political calculations by corporations an inefficient use of resources and deleterious to GDP growth, but they tilt the balance of power in favor of corporate interests and the wealthy, at the expense of the citizenry and the democratic process. The last four years have made that abundantly clear. A majority of CEOs say political spending alters the marketplace and would prefer a level playing field. It's not only in the best interest of corporations, but the public and our democracy to pass the 28th Amendment. I urge all business leaders to support this effort. |
 Skye Lei | Principal Consultant - Activating sustainability and social impact for organizations | California | The Statement of Principle does a good job summarizing the key ingredients of a collaborative, democratic and just governance framework - accountability, values, checks and balances. America thrives on diversity in thinking, cultures and experiences. Yet, our government is not and has not been serving all Americans. It's primarily serving the select few in economic and political power, while neglecting many. It's time for systemic reform. |
| Kevin Sweat | Registered nurse and advocate to End Citizens Unuted | California | |
 Susan Harris | Owner/Principal Consultant, Leadership & Strategy for Sustainable Systems | California | Our society is now an oligarchy based on wealth that buys political power. That wealth pursues its own interests without regard to the health of our system as a whole. Without whole-system health, no one can thrive, eventually not even the wealthy. We must restore the founders' intent of one person/one vote as primary means for attending to a commons that can support all of us. We must dramatically reduce the influence of money in our politics! |
| Daniel Hibbing | Alternate Radiation Safety Officer at UC, Berkeley | California | We live in a world that has allowed discourse to get polarized into a black and white view. We need to get back to understanding all viewpoints lead us to a more perfect union, and getting special interests out of the conversation is the only way back. |
 James Nixon | Co-Founder, Principal, Sustainable Systems INC. | California | We have got to get corporate money out of politics. |
 Jessica Loman | Principal, Jessica Loman Consulting | California | I'm in favor of an end to unlimited political spending. I want to foster honest competition and reestablish integrity in government. |
 Samantha Sage Dankemeyer | Founder/Artist, Social Venture | California | This is the beginning of the shift. |
 Janine Firpo | Writer, Values Investor | California | I believe in a government by the people, for the people - and that means ALL the people, not just the wealthy! |
 Mark Rivera | Legal Services Industry | California | I support the Statement of Principle because in my evaluation the language included therein, the assertions made, the people behind the scenes, and the proverbial "cause" motivating the people behind the scenes are all resoundingly authentic. Were I not compelled to act, would I really be alive? |
| Steve Bender | Executive Director | California | The most successful and sustainable Rotary service projects tend to fall within one of the following six areas of Focus: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution. Disease prevention and treatment. Water and sanitation. Maternal and child health Basic education and literacy. Economic and community development. As Rotarians, we support many projects in the United States and around the globe. One of our biggest challenges is the continuous battle against pay-to-play politics. An example would be: It’s hard to address environmental and climate change issues when lobbyists are spending billions of dollars on local and national elections. Most of the people I speak to and work with from different political parties all agree that we need to take decisions out of corporate control and place them back in the hands of the people. This is why it is so important for Rotarians, business leaders and individuals to add their voices to those of millions of other Americans calling for a 28th amendment to limit political spending. We citizens have lost our voice to the highest bidder as a result of the unlimited corporate political spending sanctioned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The 28th Amendment is crucial for restoring America’s democracy and protecting us from plutocracy. I’m excited to join the movement to pass the 28th Amendment and return power to the American people.” |
 Sara Olsen | California | ||
 Dale Biron | Co-Founder, Core Action Associates, Inc. | California | Of course, we must pull those who are struggling and drowning out of the river. However, until we go upstream to deal with what and who is "throwing" them in, we will never achieve our political, social, and environmental goals. Massive amounts of money in politics is an issue way upstream that is the cause of hundreds of other challenging problems. |
 Marc Lesser | CEO, ZBA Associates LLC | California | I strongly believe in a free and fair democracy. Let's get money out of politics |
| John O. Mathers | Consultant & Business Advisor | California | Add to the Constitution rather than change it. Get money out of politics/minimize it. |
| Alexis Keenan | Owner of Alexis Keenan Video, a boutique production company that focuses on business growth and promotion. | California | I believe our country and economy prospers when everyone prospers. In order to support a strong country everyone needs their voice heard, not just those with the largest pocket books, not large entities who function as an individual. |
| David Bronner | CEO | California | |
| Peter Swain | Engineer | California | Ideas should do battle on their merits, not their megaphones. |
 Scott Ellis | Founder and CEO of MasteryTrack and other non-profit organizations | California | I strongly believe American capitalism and democracy are intertwined. Over the last few decades, both have been increasingly corrupted by extreme concentrations of wealth and the associated successful efforts to undermine fair competition and fair elections. Limiting political spending is a critical step towards ending this abuse. |
 Gary Shamshoian | Sustainable Building Design Engineer | California | Because Citizens United has skewed our democracy, by giving an oversized platform to those with lots of money and corporations that may have international interests, that runs counter to most American citizens. |
| Sharon Jordan-Evans | President, Jordan Evans Group --A leadership development company, Co-author of the bestseller, Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay' | California | I want a world that works for all. Without big reform like this we WON’T achieve that. |
 Elliott Hoffman | CEO, Rev Sustainability, Co-founder/CEO, Just Desserts & past Board Member, Presidio Graduate School | California | Getting money out of politics will heal the world. |
 Heather Lord | Philanthropy And Social Impact Investor, Advisor, Researcher, Trustee, RNR Foundation | California | Big money playing the puppeteer with our democracy is totally undermining American politics and principles. |
 Johanna Vondeling | President & Publisher, Berrett-Koehler Publishers | California | I believe all the corporate money in politics is both anti-democratic and incredibly wasteful. Let's move to a system that enables politicians to focus on the well-being of all their constituents, and that levels the playing field for all actors in the marketplace. |
| Gwen Weil | Psychologist | California | |
| Gil Friend | CEO, Natural Logic, Inc. | California | Democracy will not survive if it privileges money over care, any more than markets will survive if they privilege money over life. |
 Jane Greenthal | Associate Principal at Perkins&Will, with over 25 years in strategic planning, marketing, business development & executive leadership | California | The 28th amendment is the best present solution to a profoundly difficult problem. The evidence is compelling—money has infiltrated politics at an unprecedented level and is impacting policy. Whether it’s gun control, health care, environmental protection...whatever may be in the interest of the larger good, is no longer representative of the people but special interests who literally buy influence at the highest levels. It shouldn't be about picking sides and throwing money at it to influence outcomes—regardless of which side you're on. The 28th amendment won't solve everything, but it’s a pivotal first step to thwart political corruption and regain our democracy. |
 Robert Galemmo | Drug design, discovery research & business development consultant to biotech companies | California | We need the 28th Amendment to restore the voice of the average citizen in our democracy. |
 Terry Mandel | Communications strategist, organizational designer & leadership mentor | California | Passing the 28th Amendment will ensure that America’s democracy is not for sale to the highest bidder, nor subject to changing political winds. Stability and fairness promote sustainable success in our businesses and communities. |
 Elizabeth Doty | President, Leadership Momentum | California | Many people recognize that unlimited political spending is a key driver of the growing distrust in our society and lack of faith in our civic institutions — yet they may not be aware that it is also bad for business. A pay-to-play political system pushes businesses into short-termism and an ‘arms race’ of political spending just to maintain their positions — rather than focusing on real value-creation in the marketplace. This is why it is so important for business leaders to add their voices to those of millions of other Americans calling for a 28th amendment to limit political spending. |
 Peter Schwartz | Futurist and author of The Art of the Long View | California | My life has been about taking the long view. Today’s political rules of the game make it impossible for our government or business to take the long view. We need a 28th Amendment to give the future a voice. |
 Jesse Lyn Stoner | Co-author of international best-seller Full Steam Ahead: Unleash the Power of Vision and Leading at a Higher Level & Inc. Magazine’s Top 50 Leadership Expert | California | Allowing institutions to spend unlimited amounts to influence elections tramples on the rights of individuals. In essence, it means individuals have to compete with institutions for representation. This is not what the framers intended! |
 Alan Briskin, Ph.D. | Author, The Power of Collective Wisdom: And the Trap of Collective Folly | California | Without limits on political spending, a genuine democracy is threatened. Democracy depends on faith in the sanctity of each individual’s ethical conscience joined with a right to free speech and faith in a credible voting process. When political cash and its seductions crowd out democratic forms of expression and manipulate public fears, we are less whole as a nation. However, when law enshrines the true purpose of democracy and limits the power of the few to outbid the rest, we will see the blossoming of both democracy and collective intelligence. |
 Lela Means | Grant Accountant, REDF, a San Francisco-based non-profit | California | The Statement of Principle gives us the rationale and the inspiration to re-shape our current dysfunctional democracy into one that is far more equitable, just and dynamic. It challenges us to become better citizens, more engaged and collaborative as we work together to stop the choking influence of unlimited political spending. |
 Tom Van Dyck | Senior Vice President – Financial Advisor, RBC Wealth Management | California | Money in politics is allowing the minority to suppress the majority. Money is now taking priority over the republic. We need to even that playing field. |
 Teresa Grobecker | Sr. VP, US Capital Global; CEO RE Consortia & Grobecker Holland Intl. Inc.; Investment Banker; Real Estate Broker Officer; Blockchain Expert | California | ` |
| Robert Jones | Founder, JCG Management Group | California | The current system is broken and sold to the highest bidder. |
| John Jay Lampus | Vanguard Properties | California | |
| Brandon Ward | Sales Manager | California | I believe in pure democracy and business needs to stay out of government! |
| Brook Turner | Executive Director, Coalition for Better Housing | California | |
| Ian Berman | California | Take money out of politics. Companies should not be allowed to influence elections. | |
| Paul Detering | Managing Principal, Redwood Insights, LLC | California | |
| Mark Gainey | Entrepreneur & Executive, Silicon Valley | California | The concentration of wealth and political spending by corporate America and special interest has changed the face of our democracy. It creates politicians beholden to cash, rather than their constituents. Supporting the 28th amendment is a step at bringing our democracy back to the people. |
 Drew Aversa | Executive Director, Healmen | California | The American Dream is under attack by large players. There is beauty to small business ownership. That beauty is being discouraged by the Amazonization of our nation. We the people need a voice. |
 Mairin Macaluso | Nonprofit Leader & Strategy Consultant. Former Executive Director of Harvard Business School Association of Northern California (2016-18), Steering Committee member, HBSANC Community Partners Program & member, Leadership Now Project | California | In 2017, I became a member of the Leadership Now Project, an organization of business professionals who are concerned with the future of our democracy, and whose principles align very closely with American Promise. While I have been working with them to help elect leaders who I believe will represent their constituents and our country with honor and integrity, I have also come to believe that the fundamentals of our democracy are under serious threat and that we need to take bold steps to restore and strengthen them. American Promise is proposing this kind of institutional reform and I am excited to support their efforts. |
 John McDonald | VP Business Operations in high tech, HBS 1991 | California | I support the amendment because I want to preserve democracy in our country. I want every person in this country to feel like their vote matters. And I want to eliminate the outsized impact corporations and the ultra rich such as the Koch brothers or George Soros have on our government. |
 Jack E. Doty | Partner & Co-chair, Finance & Infrastructure, Newport LLC | California | Our democracy is at stake: its loss will be the result of good people doing nothing. What consolation in knowing that there is the 28th Amendment – and American Promise is forwarding the process towards its adoption! |
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