Hands off initiatives

Last month, Councilwoman Amber Waldref proposed a nonbinding resolution supporting a constitutional amendment to reverse the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling. It’s a nonpartisan issue. Unlimited, anonymous, corporate and millionaire donations to candidates will kill our democracy. It’s unfettered buying of politicians.

Republican council members couldn’t bring themselves to support it. They agreed it was problematic, but wouldn’t go on record saying corporations are not people and money is not speech.

Last Monday, the same Republican members held a briefing. The subject was their intent to remove the direct citizens initiative process. They initially said Spokane needed to be in line with the state initiative process. By the end of the standing-room-only meeting, they admitted they weren’t required to fix it.

No other city or municipality in Washington has done it. No one spoke in favor. Someone read a 2009 Mike Fagan quote, in which he opposed state plans to do the same thing he now wants to do to us.

On April 16, they could vote to remove this path to democratic participation. They would eliminate the voice of real citizens but not challenge the “voice” of corporations: money.

Rene Torrence

Spokane