American Promise assembled the first cross-partisan Advisory Council to speak for the 28th amendment. These American leaders represent thoughtful viewpoints from a variety of political, economic, and demographic perspectives.
It is time to accept the historical gravity of our situation. It is time for Americans of all political viewpoints to come together to win the 28th Amendment — and to renew U.S. democracy again.
Doris Kearns Goodwin Presidential Historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning AuthorConcord, MA
As an average Mainer, it is nearly impossible to compete with billionaires, but what they can’t buy with money is the deep love and passion we feel for the outdoors and the freedom our Constitution guarantees.
David TrahanExecutive Director, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine; fmr. Maine Rep.; fmr. Maine SenatorWaldoboro, ME
We need to repair the Constitutional foundation for election spending reform so that all Americans may participate in self-government as equal citizens. When a few individuals and extremely well-funded organizations ‘own the microphone,’ the average citizen’s voice is drowned out. I hope all Americans can come together with American Promise to help in the urgent, cross-partisan work to bring about fundamental change.
Olympia SnoweFormer Senator, (R-Maine)Lewiston, ME
The roar of special interest money has been getting louder for decades, and it's now drowning out the free speech of individual citizens. I'm honored to be working with Jeff and the rest of the American Promise Advisory Council toward a constitutional amendment that will help restore government 'by the people' and giving voters a chance to secure our Constitutional values.
John PudnerExecutive Director, Take Back Our RepublicAuburn, AL
The flood of money into politics has deepened divisions between us and distracted our political leadership from the common good. We cannot wait for a change in the makeup of the Supreme Court to fix this. American Promise offers us a way to refocus our democracy on involving all and serving all the people, and I am proud to join its advisory board.
Deval PatrickFormer Governor Massachusetts, 2007-2015Boston, MA
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.
Rebecca HendersonJohn & Natty McArthur Professor, Harvard Business SchoolCambridge, MA
America goes to war for crony capitalism not freedom, democracy, or the spread of human rights, not even for our own security...America needs to eliminate this pernicious connection -- to dry up the money that greases it, to get rid of the laws that sustain it, to take crony capitalism's money out of politics.
Col. Lawrence WilkersonUS Army (Ret.)-fmr. Chief of Staff, US Secretary of State Gen. Colin PowellWilliamsburg, VA
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.
MaryAnne HowlandFounder & CEO, Ibis Communications and Global Diversity Leadership ExchangeGallatin, TN
People across the nation, regardless of their political affiliation, are making clear that corporations or unions should not be able to spend internal funds to influence elections. I urge you to support the call for a 28th Amendment to the Constitution that restores that fundamental promise of our Republic: government of, by, and for the people.
Alan SimpsonFormer Senator, (R-Wyoming)Cody, WY
"Business for American Promise commits to the following principles: We believe in a strong democracy where government is accountable to the people it serves. We believe in a strong economy where companies compete based on the value they create in the marketplace. And we believe in a political system based on checks and balances and an open exchange of ideas."
Lisa LewinCEO, General Assembly; Steering Committee, Leadership NowNew York City, NY
The time for hand wringing and anxious complaints is long past. Just as the prophets cried out, it is time for us to support campaign finance overhaul. To that end, ministers, rabbis and nuns, priests, imams, and theologians across the U.S. are joining forces, calling out the dangers of unchecked money in our elections and advocating for large-scale reform.
Rev. Dr. Katharine HendersonPresident, Auburn Theological SeminaryNew York, NY
"Every generation finds itself at war with overt, obvious enemies to progress (racism and systemic racism) as well as covert, subterranean bulwarks against progress (dark money, influence peddling). Yet no generation has ever overcome the overt threats to democracy without overturning its covert threats. Dark money and influence peddling of the likes of Citizens United buy large chunks of the pie--leaving the common citizen with nary a slice nor even crumbs. Vouchsafing democracy requires each generation to commit itself anew to keeping money out of politics--because a democracy whose citizens' vote and voice is diminished is not a democracy at all."
ZZ Packer Award winning author; Senior Fellow, International & Public Affairs, Watson Institute, Brown UniversityHouston, TX
I have a lot of hope because I believe in the power of people. I am not speculating; the needle of progress moves forward when leaders, citizens, and activists combine conviction with empathy to drive unified change in our democracy. Even in our divisive political moment, everyday people have the ability to make change because the American spirit is defined by overcoming challenges in the face of overwhelming odds.
Manu MeelCEO, BridgeUSASan Francisco, CA
The effort to find common ground on a way to achieve a democracy representative of all of us is the most important project in American politics today. Everything depends on its success. And its success depends upon its being pursued as American Promise has done — with all sides, working together.
Lawrence LessigProfessor of Law, Harvard Law School, Author, Democracy Reform LeaderCambridge, MA
We need to strengthen our democracy if we want good jobs with good wages, energy sources that are renewable and affordable, and strong, resilient communities. That means we need to win the 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United and restore equal citizenship and liberty for all.
Donnel BairdEntrepreneur, Founder BlocPowerNew York, NY
Throughout American history, it has been the vigilance of the people denied their rights that our country has kept our democratic values. This fight is no different and it involves the rights of every citizen. The current Supreme Court has hurled our nation straight into a plutocracy—a government ruled by the wealthy—and as history has shown us, it’s up to 'We the People' to stamp big money out of politics.
Judy WicksEntrepreneur, AuthorPhiladelphia, PA
The process of making our nation’s Democracy more representative has been a long and sometimes bloody struggle. Unfortunately many of the most important Constitutional Amendments came only after many long years of turmoil and strife. We the People have unfortunately found ourselves in such a predicament again as a nation. The two pronged attack of the US Supreme Court--rolling back voting rights and increasing the influence of big corporate money in our Democracy--has made this effort to pass a 28th Amendment a moral imperative. I look forward to engaging my fellow America’s Promise Advisory Board members and allies in developing the most constructive and inclusive strategies for advancing this effort forward.
Greg MooreExecutive Director, NAACP National Voter FundWashington, DC
Citizens United has genetically altered our democratic DNA, pushing American politics in an oligarchic, corporatist direction. The Constitution begins 'We the people' not 'We the corporations.'
Jim LeachFmr. Congressman (R-Iowa); fmr. Chair of the National Endowment For the HumanitiesIowa City, IA
The original framers were highly distrustful of the power of corporations. I suspect that the framers would be appalled at Citizens United. We the People—each of us—are only the most recent generation of Americans who have been called upon to defend the framers’ vision of a Constitutional government Of the People, By the People, and For the People. That responsibility is now ours.
James NelsonJustice, Montana Supreme Court (Ret).Helena, MT
It did not take 20 years in private industry for me to learn that corporations are not people. This is not to say that people are good and corporations are bad; they are just different. We, the people of Massachusetts, are ready for Congress to propose, and send to the states for ratification, an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will negate Citizens United and restore the democratic process for all Americans.
Matt PatskyCEO, Trillium Asset ManagementBoston, MA
Where in the Constitution does it say that money is speech? The new 'right' of the few to spend unlimited money in our elections imperils our democracy and all of our rights as equal citizens. Americans must come together to win the 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United and renew the promise of America.
Mike DukakisFmr. Governor of Massachusetts; Democratic Nominee for PresidentBoston, MA
We are entering the most important era of reform in decades. Americans are far ahead of our leaders in embracing the need for change right now. Building support for the 28th Amendment through American Promise is giving regular people a focused and real vehicle to reduce the influence of the corporate and union money that is driving so much of our political system.
Kahlil ByrdCEO, Invest America Fund; entrepreneur; leader of cross-partisan initiatives such as Americans ElectNew York, NY
I'm honored to formally join an organization that we have already successfully worked with in multiple states to move the 28th Amendment forward. American Promise is helping build a coalition that can actually get something done.
Steve LipscombManaging Director, FixItAmerica.orgSanta Fe, NM
American Promise is about our equal rights and our equal responsibilities. As citizens, we should be expected to do more than pay taxes and obey the law. All Americans should be given the opportunity to serve so that we learn to move past personal differences to achieve a higher common goal. I’m glad to join Americans who are answering the call to work together to defend democracy against the corruption of concentrated money and power.
Joe Kearns GoodwinUS Army Veteran (Iraq, Afghanistan); Businessperson; Executive Director, National Service NowBoston, MA
If Americans are determined to keep our republic, we have a lot of work to do. We need to join and support the broad-based, non-partisan movement for a constitutional amendment to correct the Supreme Court’s disastrous mistake in Citizens United, and to enable sweeping campaign finance and lobbying reform.
Bob MonksExecutive, AuthorCape Elizabeth, ME
It is always people, of course. And those who have garnered wealth often end up controlling outdated resources - and are fearful of the loss of power the recognition of that obsolescence implies. Using that wealth to maintain power often builds oligarchies that inhibit growth and deny the future. Worse, those oligarchies deny the basis of the Great Experiment, American Democracy: the faith in and trust of the voice of each individual. 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 forwarding the process towards its adoption!
Jack DotyPartnerSan Francisco, CA
The Supreme Court’s creation of First Amendment speech rights for commercial entities imperils public health, safety, and welfare; the reliability of commercial and consumer information; the stability of financial markets; and environmental stability. The 28th Amendment will help shift the balance of power between capital and the people and the people’s ability to legislate for the common good.
Tamara PietyProfessor of LawTulsa, OK
The 28th Amendment will reduce pressure on companies to spend money on elections and politics, and allow business leaders to remain focused on growing the economy. They can return to making good products, providing good services, and generating returns for shareholders, and they will have less need to divert resources and dilute strategies in a mutually destructive effort to win a large slice of a fixed governmentally-provided pie. In short, the amendments will be good not only for individual voters, but for America’s best companies as well.
John CoatesProfessorCambridge, MA
American Promise has taken on the audacious goal of getting big money out of politics through ratification of a constitutional amendment. This may seem impossible to some, however we know that great democratic reforms are borne out of moments of national crisis. These moments make what appears to be impossible become inevitable. I am honored to join democracy reformers and citizen leaders from across the aisle to restore our core American values.
Yael BrombergYael Bromberg, Esq. Bromberg Law LLC; Former Georgetown University Law CenterNew York, NY
Imagine and think about what our country could look like if our elected officials were actually working to execute the will of the people to advance people's interests instead of money interest and financial interests...What would our country look like if elected officials could spend all their time representing us and studying issues and developing relationships and advancing sound policy instead of sort of being fundraisers who govern on the side a little bit when they get around to it.
Greg BehrmanFounder & CEO, NationSwell; Strategic Advisor, Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. John Allen; fmr. Policy Staff, U.S. State Dept.New York, NY
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.
Elizabeth DotyFounder, Leadership MomentumSan Francisco, CA
As 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. Unlimited election spending is bad for business!
Kevin JohnsonCEO, Liberty Global PartnersWaban, MA
We must change the warped incentives in our political system, and limitless campaign finances are an important part of the problem.
Neal Simonfmr. CEO; Independent US Senate candidatePotomac, MD
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.
David WalkerUnited States Comptroller General (1998-2008); U.S. Naval Academy, Crowe ChairAlexandria, VA
I am honored to be a part of an organization devoted to bringing people together in order to reform our democracy. As someone with a passion for working on teams that are building momentum for new ideas and new ways of doing things, I am eager to unite all Americans around the need for the 28th Amendment.
Matthew CoxUS Navy, Nuclear Submarine Operations Officer (2008-2014); VP, Global Data ConsortiumRaleigh, NC
Democracy is the triple-deluxe droolworthy idea that the people can govern and be governed in turn, that We the People are the author and the subject of the law. But that idea is under threat from millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations who use their money to buy access and influence in Washington. But we can fight back. That’s why I’m literally stamping money out of politics and teaming up with American Promise to win a 28th Amendment to restore our democracy.
Ben CohenCo-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Head Stamper at www.StampStampede.orgBurlington, VT
I applaud American Promise for bringing together people of good conscience from all political spectrums to stand up and say that, what we care about as everyday people is in peril if we don’t get concentrated money out of American politics. We can regain power in a representative democracy through The Constitution. I believe that we can do this, because - in our history - every time change has come it is from the grassroots not the grass tops. Down with Citizens United and up with the 28th Amendment!
Nina TurnerFormer Ohio State Senator, Professor of HistoryCleveland, OH
Our country is still waging its long war against inequality in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, faith, and financial status. Milestones of our progress on these struggles can be seen in the amendments we've made over time to our Constitution. At this moment in history, I think the best step we can take towards a more perfect union is creating an amendment that will put a stop to the corrupting influence of money in politics. Once the money in your wallet no longer has an effect on how well your government represents you, we will have taken another great step towards equality.
