Alan K. Simpson Quotes

One of the biggest issues for me is campaign finance reform.

While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics.

We must reduce the influence of money in politics, beginning by overturning Citizens United and taking back our system from the millionaires and billionaires who can give unlimited and undisclosed amounts of money to influence our elections.

The decision in McCutcheon v. FEC is a devastating blow in efforts to rein in out-of-control costs of campaigns.

I would do away with super PACs. I think it's a cancer.

Five years ago, the Supreme Court, by a 5-4 decision in the Citizens United case told the richest people in America, "You already control the economy of the country. We are now going to let you control the political system as well".

The Citizens United decision dramatically intensified the political gridlock in our country.

Wealthy individuals have always had the capacity to influence politics, of course, but only after two key campaign finance cases - Wisconsin Right to Life and and Citizens United, have they been able to do it in such a large and blatant way.

Citizens United opened a door that's frustrated anyone who's looking.

It's time to review what damage the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission has done to our political system.

I had hoped that the current presidential campaign debates might educate the public as to what is really involved in the ongoing controversy over campaign financing.

But having said that, what's happening with campaign finance reform and our political culture is devastating.

Few developments in campaigning have been as vilified and misunderstood as independent expenditure PACs, or, as they are colloquially known, super PACs.

It starts with campaign finance reform.

I have introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and make it clear that the Congress and state legislatures do have the ability and the power to regulate and get corporate funding out of political campaigns.

The biggest issue that we have to contend with is campaign finance reform.

Citizens United was no victory for free speech.

If the publicly passed campaign finance laws had not been struck down by the Supreme Court, Club for Growth Action would be illegal, and Heritage Action wouldn't have the SuperPAC threat to back up its small ad purchases.

Millions upon millions of secret spending by the fossil fuel industry that was unleashed by the disastrous 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision - this money not only fuels the campaigns of many candidates; it also represents a threat to those who don't toe the polluter line on climate change.

Citizens United didn't work. Hey, Koch brothers, Karl Rove, Shellgame Adelson: Democracy trumps money sometimes.

Everybody that's trying to get anything progressive done in this country knows that the biggest barrier is getting money out of politics.

I think there is an overwhelming support for campaign finance reform, and that includes conservatives and Republicans. Where the problem is is with the leadership; with the politicians who are benefiting from the big campaign contributions, and the dark money in the electioneering communications and so forth.

I'm running for Senate to create real change in Washington, which starts with getting big money out of politics and overturning Citizens United.

History will record that the Citizens United decision is one of the worst in the history of our country.

We need real campaign finance reform to loosen the grip of special interests on politics.