WASHINGTON -- Democrats may be trying to keep up with the unlimited cash that corporations have been able to spend on politics for the last two years, but the Senate's Democratic campaign arm is still trying to undo the infamous Citizens United Supreme Court decision that allows for all of that spending.
Under the ruling -- rendered two years ago this week -- corporations were deemed the same as people, and as such the Court declared they had a free speech right to spend anything they want on political campaigns.
So on Thursday, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was set to launch an online petition drive aimed at getting 100,000 people to back a constitutional amendment to bar unlimited corporate campaign splurges.
"The Citizens United ruling has unleashed a flood of shadowy, corporate money into our political process, led by Karl Rove's American Crossroads," the petition says. "It's an attack on our democracy. In a system where one person, one vote is supposed to be the rule, outside groups like Crossroads are having an outsized influence."
The petition supports an amendment proposed by a number of Democrats in Congress last year.
"Every American should be outraged by the way Karl Rove and right-wing special interests have spent millions skewing elections with attacks, lies, and smears, all designed to boost the GOP's special interest agenda," said DSCC spokesman Shripal Shah. "The message our supporters are sending is clear: it's time to repeal the Citizens United decision and put an end to the disgusting right-wing attacks led by Karl Rove and other extreme Republican interests."
Michael McAuliff covers politics and Congress for The Huffington Post. Talk to him on Facebook.