The U.S. Congress is one of the sorriest institutions in America, with an approval rating that rivals al-Qaeda. Yet, it does contain a few members who embody the best qualities we have any right or reason to wish for in politicians. One such senator stands above the rest - Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont.

Sanders served four terms as Burlington’s mayor beginning in 1981 when he was first elected in a landslide - no less than ten votes more than his opponent. He has shown a particular interest in the widening wealth gap in America, now greater than at any time since the Great Depression. His other priorities include reversing global warming, universal health care, fair trade policies, supporting veterans and preserving family farms. He serves on five Senate committees: Budget; Veterans; Energy; Environment; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

I almost got to have dinner with the Senator last August at the home of a wealthy donor while visiting Vermont, but the person invited who was planning to bring me along as his guest (I was staying at his home during the national championship triathlon) declined the invitation at the last minute. He was concerned that the event and after-dinner speeches might interfere with his sleep and other preparations for the big race, scheduled for early the next morning.  C’est dommage.

Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed a constitutional amendment that would overturn the Supreme Court’s infamous Citizens United decision. His Saving American Democracy Amendment would undo the damage caused by that grotesque 5 to 4 ruling by the Right Wing element of the Court by setting forth the following self-evident but not presently recognized principles:

• Corporations are not persons with constitutional rights equal to real people.
• Corporations are subject to regulation by the people.
• Corporations may not make campaign contributions or any election expenditures.
• Congress and states have the power to regulate campaign finances.

The Supreme Court decision that necessitated this initiative by Senator Sanders is supported by other sensible politicians, as evidenced by the following statements:

• President Barack Obama:

 "... the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that, I believe, will open the floodgates for special interests, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit in our elections."

• Justice John Paul Stevens: "The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court¹s disposition of this case. In the context of election to public office, the distinction between corporate and human speakers is significant. Although they make enormous contributions to our society, corporations are not actually members of it. They cannot vote or run for office. Because they may be managed and controlled by nonresidents, their interests may conflict in fundamental respects with the interests of eligible voters. The majority¹s approach to corporate electioneering marks a dramatic break from our past. Congress has placed special limitations on campaign spending by corporations ever since the passage of the Tillman Act in 1907. The Court's ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution."

• Justice Elena Kagan (then Solicitor General): "When corporations use other people's money to electioneer, that is a harm not just to the shareholders themselves but a sort of a broader harm to the public that comes from distortion of the electioneering that is done by corporations."

• Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield:

 "I'm Ben, I'm a person. I'm Jerry, I'm a person. Ben & Jerry's ice cream? Not a person."

• Russ Feingold: 

"Citizens United was so extreme that unless we take action to stop it, America will return to the Gilded Age -- on steroids."

• Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.):

 "We are not going to let this decision to go unchallenged...At a time when Americans are worried about special interests having too much influence, this decision opens up the floodgates and allows special interest money to overflow elections and undermine our democracy."

"If there's one thing that Americans from the left, right and center can all agree on, it's that they don't want more special interests in our politics."

• Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) 

"This decision enables larger financial interests to drown out the voices of ordinary citizens, allows foreign corporations to spend money through their domestic subsidiaries, and permits major recipients of taxpayer dollars to funnel these funds into political activities."

Three cheers for Bernie Sanders, American hero. Let’s do what we can to support this needed Constitutional reform. Start by signing the petition in support of this amendment at the senator's website. Over 121,000 have done so at this writing.