Tuesday, Jan. 21, was the 15th anniversary of the infamous Supreme Court decision in Citizens United. In this case, the court ruled that corporations, unions, and other artificial entities can spend unlimited sums of money to influence our elections. Since this ruling, political spending has skyrocketed, further silencing the voices of the electorate.

In my opinion, Citizens United was one of the most disastrous Supreme Court decisions in our nation’s history. The influence of money in our political system has eroded the public’s trust in our major institutions. According to a recent Pew research study, only 16% of Americans trust the government to do what is right. A similar CBS poll showed that 72% of Americans believe that our democracy is under threat and 86% point to money in politics as the primary driver. This polling data is a cause for great concern.

I believe that a healthy level of skepticism is important. In fact, it’s an American tradition! However, when the vast majority of citizens no longer trust the government, it can lead to violence against the state and against each other. We need to step back from the ledge and fix our broken system before it’s too late.

Fortunately, there is a solution to the problem of unlimited and unchecked political spending. Organizations like American Promise are working on a constitutional amendment that will restore the rights of states and Congress to set reasonable limits on election spending. This is the only lasting solution to overturn a Supreme Court ruling and one that is already supported by 77% of voters across the political spectrum. I urge your readers to check out American Promise and sign up to help restore a government that is truly of, by, and for the people.

Chris Cayer

Stratton