| 00:00:00 | LEADER, TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS IN HIS PRESENTATION, ALL THE TIME MAKING REMARKS SUCH AS READING THE BILL CAUSED UNRESTRAINED LAUGHTER. |
| 00:00:14 | WELL, MR. |
| 00:00:15 | PRESIDENT, 85% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION. |
| 00:00:24 | SUPREME COURT JUSTICE LOUIS BRANDEIS OFFERED DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY AS AN ANECDOTE TO SLOWING CORPORATE INFLUENCE. |
| 00:00:31 | HE SAID "IT IS THE BEST DISINFECTANT. |
| 00:00:35 | " END EVER QUOTE. |
| 00:00:36 | THE MAN WHO WOULD REPLACE HIM ON THE SUPREME COURT SHED LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIVIDUAL'S VOTE, THE VOICE THAT ANCHORS OR DEMOCRACY. |
| 00:00:44 | IT IS A WAY -- WILLIAM DOUGLAS WHO WOULD SERVE ON THE BENCH LONGER THAN ANY OTHER JUSTICE. |
| 00:00:50 | HE SAID, "THE RIGHT TO VOTE MEANS MORE THAN SIMPLY THE RIGHT TO PULL A LEVER ON ELECTION DAY. |
| 00:00:55 | " HE SAID, "IT ALSO MEANS THE RIGHT TO HAVE THE VOTE COUNTED OTOFULL VALUE, WITHOUT DILUTION OR DISCOUNT. |
| 00:01:05 | " BROG BRANDEIS AND DOUGLAS WERE RIGHT. |
| 00:01:10 | THESE TWO JUSTICES' OBSERVATIONS SHOULD GUIDE US AS WE CORRECT AN ERROR MADE BY TODAY'S SUPREME COURT. |
| 00:01:15 | THE ROBERTS' COURT WHEN IT WRONGLY RULED IN JANUARY THAT CORPORATIONS, SPECIAL INTERESTS, AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS CAN FLOOD AMERICA'S POLITICAL SYSTEM WITH CONTRIBUTIONS OF UNLIMITED AMOUNTS AND SECRECY -- THAT DECISION WAS WRONG. |
| 00:01:32 | THE CAMPAIGN ADVERTISEMENT ISSUE IN THIS CASE, CITIZENS UNITED v. |
| 00:01:36 | THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION AND THE BILL BEFORE US, THE DISCLOSE ACT, ARE PRESUMABLY ABOUT GIVING THE ELECTORATE THE INFORMATION IT NEEDS TO MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE. |
| 00:01:45 | BUT THAT INFORMATION MUST ALSO INCLUDE A SOURCE BECAUSE AN OPEN POLITICAL PROCESS DEMAND THE DISCLOSURE OF WHO IS PAYING THE BILLS. |
| 00:01:55 | THEY ALL AGREE THAT VOTERS CAN BELIEVE, CRITICIZE, OR SUPPORT ANY AD THEY WISH. |
| 00:02:00 | BUT A CITIZEN CANNOT RESPONSIBLY DO ANY OF THAT IF HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW THE AD FOUND ITS WAY INTO HIS LIVINGROOM. |
| 00:02:09 | OU OUR VOTES ARE THE MOST PRECIOUS PART OF OUR DEMOCRACY. |
| 00:02:12 | IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO SUCH GREAT LENGTHS TO CONVINCE US HOW TO USE IT, SHOULDN'T WE AT LEAST KNOW THEIR NAMES? |
| 00:02:20 | PUT DIFFERENTLY, WHY WOULD WE LET THOSE WHO GO TO SUCH GREAT LENGTHS TO SEAL THEIR NAMES AND THOSE WHO TRY TO SELECT THEM BY BLOCK THIS BILL DILUTE THEIR SROESS. |
| 00:02:33 | PRINCIPALLY BEHIND THIS BILL IS THE BELIEF THAT NEITHER THE AMERICAN VOTER AT HOME NOR THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AT LARGE BENEFITS WHERE SECRET SPONSORS HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC VIEW. |
| 00:02:45 | QUITE THE OPPOSITE IN FACT. |
| 00:02:47 | SUCH SECRECY IS HARMFUL BECAUSE IT KEEPS FROM VOTERS THE IDENTITY OF THOSE TRYING TO INFLUENCE THEIR CHOICES AND SWAY OUR ELECTIONS. |
| 00:02:53 | THIS IS ALSO ABOUT TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR DEMOCRACY. |
| 00:02:56 | WHENEVER THE VOICE OF THE CORPORATION IS THE LOUDEST, THE VOICE OF THE CITIZEN IS HARDER TO HEAR. |
| 00:03:02 | IF CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE REASON TO TRUST THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, VOTERS HAVE LITTLE REASON TO TRUST THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION, AND CONSTITUENTS ULTIMATELY HAVE NO REASON TO TRUST THEIR ELECTED GOVERNMENT. |
| 00:03:14 | THIS SUPREME COURT CASE AND THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION ARE NOT ONLY ABOUT CAMPAIGN CHECKS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT CHECKS AND BALANCES. |
| 00:03:22 | THE SENATE IS NOT REVERSING OR CIRCUMVENTING THE COURT'S RULING. |
| 00:03:28 | WOERPBL BRINGING BACK -- WOERPBL BRINGING BACK TRANSPARENCY TO THE SYSTEM SO IT CAN WORK BEST FOR THE PEOPLE IT SERVES. |
| 00:03:34 | WE'RE DOING THAT IN THREE WAYS. |
| 00:03:36 | FIRST, THIS BILL SAYS THAT IF YOU'RE A FOREIGN CORPORATION OR A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, YOU CAN'T SPEND MONEY IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS. |
| 00:03:44 | SECOND, IT SAYS IF YOU'RE A COMPANY THAT BENEFITED FROM TARP -- THAT IS THE EMERGENCY PROGRAM THAT KEPT OUR LARGE INSTITUTIONS AND OUR ECONOMY AFLOAT -- YOU CAN'T TURN AROUND AND GIVE THESE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO A POLITICAL CANDIDATE. |
| 00:03:58 | THIRD, PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF A PERCEPTION OF A PAY TO PLAY SCHEME THAT SAYS IF YOU'RE A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR, YOU CAN'T CONTRIBUTE TO CAMPAIGNS EITHER. |
| 00:04:07 | THESE THREE ELEMENTS ARE WRITTEN PRIMARILY TO PROTECT VOTERS. |
| 00:04:11 | BUT VOTERS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL BENEFIT. |
| 00:04:14 | IF YOU'RE A SHAREHOLDER OF A COMPANY RICH ENOUGH TO PUT A CAMPAIGN AD ON TELEVISION, WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW IT'S USING YOUR INVESTMENT AND SPENDING YOUR MONEY? |
| 00:04:23 | OF COURSE. |
| 00:04:25 | C. |
| 00:04:27 | E.O.'S AND SPECIAL INTERESTS CAN RUN ALL THE ADS THEY WANT TODAY AND AFTER THE DISCLOSE ACT BECOMES VOTE, THEY'LL STILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT. |
| 00:04:35 | THE DIFFERENCE IS OUR LEGISLATION SAYS THEY JUST CAN'T PAY FOR AN AD. |
| 00:04:41 | THEY HAVE TO STAND BY THAT AD ALSO. |
| 00:04:44 | THIS BILL MERELY REQUIRES THEM TO DO SO IN THE OPEN. |
| 00:04:46 | WHAT COULD BE MORE PATRIOTIC AND LESS PARTISAN THAN PROTECTING A PERSON'S VOTE AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT GOES INTO THAT DECISION? |
| 00:04:54 | THE DESIRE FOR GREATER REALTIME DISCLOSURE OF ELECTION SPENDING WAS NOT LONG AGO A BIPARTISAN CONCEPT. |
| 00:05:00 | IT IS INCREDIBLE THAT WE NOW HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO FIND A SUPERMAJORITY -- 60 SENATORS -- EVEN JUST TO DEBATE A BILL WHOSE PRINCIPLES BOTH PARTIES ONCE SUPPORTED AND THAT NINE IN TEN AMERICANS WANT US TO PASS. |
| 00:05:15 | BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT ELSE IS NEW? |
| 00:05:19 | WHEN WE HAVE FOUGHT TO AFFIRM EVERY AMERICAN'S RIGHT TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH, THE OTHER SIDE JUMPED TO THE SIDE OF CORPORATE AMERICA AND SPECIAL INTERESTS AND THE INSURANCE RACKET. |
| 00:05:31 | WHEN WE FOUGHT TO PROTECT AMERICANS FROM UNCHECKED GREED IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY, RECKLESSNESS, IT COST 8 MILLION AMERICANS THEIR JOBS AND NEARLY COLLAPSED OUR ECONOMY, THE OTHER SIDE JUMPED TO THE DEFENSE OF CORPORATE AMERICA AND THE SPECIAL INTERESTS -- THIS TIME THOSE ON WALL STREET. |
| 00:05:48 | WHEN WE FOUGHT TO HOLD B. |
| 00:05:53 | P. ACCOUNTABLE FOR NEGLIGENCE, THE OTHER SIDE JUMPED TO THE CORPORATION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GREATEST MANMADE DISASTER IN HISTORY, GOING SO FAR TO APOLOGIZE TO ITS NOW OUT OF THED C. |
| 00:06:05 | E.O. WHEN -- NOW OUST C. |
| 00:06:06 | E.O. WHEN WE RAN TO THE SIDE OF MILLIONS WHO LOST THEIR JOBS DUE TO THE RECESSION, THE OTHER SIDE ARGUED WHAT OUR ECONOMY REALLY NEEDED WAS MORE TAX BREAKS FOR MILLIONAIRES. |
| 00:06:19 | THE STIMULUS BILL: 93% OF THE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THAT IN THE SENATE. |
| 00:06:24 | UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE EXTENSION: 88% OF THE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THAT. |
| 00:06:32 | AMERICAN JOBS AND CLOSING TAX LOOPHOLES, 86% OF REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THAT. |
| 00:06:38 | THE HEALTH CARE BILL, 100% OF THE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THAT IN THE SENATE. |
| 00:06:42 | THE HIRE ACT, 68% OF REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THAT, WHICH EVEN CASH FOR CLUNKERS, WHICH IS BY ALL ESTIMATES A GREAT SUCCESS, 82% OF THE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THAT. |
| 00:07:01 | THE ISSUE -- THIS ISSUE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THOSE I WENT THROUGH, AND I HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH ALL OF THEM. |
| 00:07:08 | THE BILL DISCUSSES TO PUT THE PEOPLE BEFORE SPECIAL INTERESTS. |
| 00:07:12 | IT ASKS US TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WHO VOTES SPEAKS LOUDER THAN THE POCKETS OF THOSE WHO RUN DEEP. |
| 00:07:20 | IT ASKS US THIS SO THE NEXT TIME A HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL INTEREST PUTS A CAMPAIGN AD ON THE AIR, EVERYONE WILL KNOW WHO DID IT. |
| 00:07:29 | THEY'LL MAKE SURE VIEWERS CONSIDER THE SOURCE AS THEY CONSIDER THEIR VOTE. |
| 00:07:34 | AMERICANS HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD AND HAVE SO PAID A PRICE TO ENSURE VOTING RIGHTS OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL. |
| 00:07:41 | WE'VE REMOVED OBSTACLES BETWEEN PEOPLE IN THE BALLOT BOX, REMOVED CORRUPTION FROM THE CAMPAIGN PROCESS AND GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE ON ELECTION DAY. |
| 00:07:51 | WHY WOULD WE DIMINISH A RIGHT THAT WAS SO HARD WON? |
| 00:07:55 | WHY WOULD WE GO BACKWARDS? |
| 00:07:57 | THIS NEW LAW WILL TURN OUR POP -- RETURN OUR POPULAR ELECTIONS TO THE PEOPLE BY PROTECTING ANYONE'S ABILITY TO DILUTE A PERSON'S POWER AND BY LETTING IN THE SUNLIGHT THAT DISINFECTS OUR DEMOCRACY. |
| 00:08:13 | WHO COULD OPPOSE THAT? |
| 00:08:14 | WHO COULD OPPOSE THAT? |
| 00:08:15 | THE ONLY ONES FEARFUL OF TRANSPARENCY ARE THOSE WITH SOMETHING TO HIDE. |
| 00:08:19 | THAT'S WHAT THIS LEGISLATION IS ALL ABOUT. |
| 00:08:24 | IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE NOW. |
| 00:08:31 | THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL REPORT THE MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTURE. |
| 00:08:33 | THE CLERK: CLOTURE MOTION. |
| 00:08:34 | WE THE UNDERSIGNED SENATORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 22 OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE HEREBY MOVE TO BRING TO A CLOSE THE DEBATE ON THE MOTION TO PROCEED TO CALENDAR NUMBER |
Loading...