I expected a filibuster from the GOP/TPers to stop this from even going to debate, but maybe it's too close to the election for the GOP/TPers to gamble with that ~ but I don't see this going any further now ~ ~ emphasis/bolding below is mine ~ Sooz

Senate Advances Constitutional Fix To Overturn Citizens United
By Sahil Kapur Published September 8, 2014, 6:56 PM EDT

A Democratic-led constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and subsequent rulings loosening restrictions on money in politics moved forward in the Senate on Monday evening.

The procedural vote was 79 in favor, 18 against.

The vote means the Senate can begin debate on the measure. But it is highly unlikely to ultimately pass the chamber as it faces fierce Republican opposition. It would need to clear another 60-vote threshold in order to end debate and come to a final vote. And that final vote would require the support of two-thirds of senators to succeed.

The measure, proposed by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), would restore the legal right of Congress to establish campaign spending limits. Approved by committee on a party line basis in July, it is one of several pre-election votes Senate Democrats are planning in an attempt to highlight the contrast between the two parties before Americans head to the polls.

Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), said Republicans are happy to debate the measure, but "to be clear, there is zero support on our side for rewriting the First Amendment to restrict free speech."

Democrats chose to spotlight the issue because the public is on their side. Most Americans oppose the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in 2010, which wiped out limits on independent expenditures aimed at influencing elections, thereby giving rise to super PACs. Earlier this year, the same five justices ruled to further loosen campaign finance restrictions on aggregate spending by an individual to political candidates and committees in a given cycle.

In both cases, all five Republican-appointed justices voted to remove restrictions, while all four Democratic-appointed justices voted to uphold them.

McConnell, an ardent opponent of campaign finance restrictions, wrote an opinion piece for Politico magazine ahead of the vote bashing "the Democrats' assault on free speech," a line of attack also used by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Progressive activists have been aggressively campaigning for the measure, viewing it as a long-term project. Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, argued that the issue would help Democrats "excite voters this November."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/senate-vote-constitutional-amendment-overturn-citizens-united--2

Except that the "old guard" Republicans are the ones who will get turfed out by the nutters if the current law stands.

That HAS happened, but only rarely so far ~ at least this year, the TPers are taking their lumps ~

Sooz

Money will eventually win out.

As predicted ~ I'm disappointed ... but not surprised ~ ~ Sooz

Republicans Filibuster Constitutional Fix To Overturn Citizens United
By Sahil Kapur Published September 11, 2014, 2:25 PM EDT

Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and other Supreme Court rulings dating back to 1976 that invalidated restrictions on money in politics.

The party line vote was 54 in favor, 42 against, falling short of the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster and proceed to a final vote.

The Senate broke an initial filibuster on the measure on Monday. But many Republicans who voted to begin debate did not support the proposal and intended to ultimately block it. The procedural motion on Thursday means the Senate won't move to an up-or-down vote, where it was even likelier to fail because it needed a two-thirds majority to advance.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a fierce opponent of campaign finance restrictions, blasted Democrats for bringing up the measure.

"I have to say it’s a little disconcerting to see the Democrat-led Senate focusing on things like reducing free speech protections for the American people," he said before the vote. "This is what they chose to make their top legislative priority this week. Taking an eraser to the First Amendment."

The proposal, offered by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), would amend the Constitution to restore the authority of Congress to establish campaign finance limits, the kind that were axed in the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC and 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court rulings. According to a Senate Judiciary Committee report this year, it would also overturn part of the landmark 1976 Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo, which upheld campaign contribution limits but invalidated restrictions on spending in elections.

"Since the decision came down in 2010, our campaign finance system has been under siege, buried in billions of dollars from outside groups and super PACs," he said. "We have been fighting from day one to rid our political system of the poison of Citizens United. Folks want their senators to work together to find real solutions, not be bogged down in the endless gridlock of the Citizens United era."

Progressive activists have waged a concerted campaign for the constitutional amendment, which they view as a long-term goal. Despite defeat in the Senate, they characterized the vote as a major step forward for the cause, saying that it shows that Americans are fighting back.

Clarification: This article has been updated to mention that the Udall amendment would also roll back part of a 1976 Supreme Court ruling, in addition to the more recent ones, on campaign finance.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/senate-republicans-filibuster-constitutional-amendment-citizens-united

I love it when they talk about "The American People" when all they really mean are the Koch Brothers.

Hey!
They're Murricans. So are Rupert Murdoch and Al Capone.