{"id":35621,"date":"2016-04-12T10:01:36","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T14:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=35621"},"modified":"2016-04-12T10:09:21","modified_gmt":"2016-04-12T14:09:21","slug":"homeusa-400-arrested-as-democracy-spring-calls-for-fairer-elections-no-more-money-in-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=35621","title":{"rendered":"400+ arrested as Democracy Spring calls for fairer elections, no more money in politics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--more--><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rt.com\/usa\/339252-democracy-spring-key-demands\/video\/\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>RT.com<\/p>\n<div class=\"article__summary summary \">At least 400 people have been arrested in Washington, DC after the Democracy Spring march and sit-in at the US Capitol building. Protesters focused their demands on creating fairer elections and politics that are unmarred by corporations&#8217; big bucks.<\/div>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Estimated 500 activists  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DemocracySpring?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DemocracySpring<\/a> arrested outside the US Capitol in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DC<\/a> today <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ESLG2hv6nV\">pic.twitter.com\/ESLG2hv6nV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Polina Leonovich (@PolinaLeonovich) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PolinaLeonovich\/status\/719623487950819330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Democracy Spring movement is calling on Congress to take immediate action on four key solutions, all of which aim to reduce the influence of money in politics, expand and protect voting rights, and ensure all Americans have an equal voice in the US government. The group is also demanding that the Senate fulfill its constitutional duties with regard to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/twitter.com\/skepys\/status\/719596300266774530\/photo\/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n<p>Monday\u2019s sit-in called for mass arrests on the steps of the US Capitol.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cPeople are fed up with the system, they are fed up with the corruption, and we want free and fair elections,\u201d<\/em> Cenk Uygur, host of the TV show Young Turks and one of the participants in the protest, told RT. <em>\u201cThis is our core American right.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"rtcode\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__text text \">\n<div class=\"rtcode\">\n<div id=\"fb-root\" class=\" fb_reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fb-post fb_iframe_widget\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RTAmerica\/videos\/10153443617271366\/\" data-width=\"500\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"\" title=\"fb:post Facebook Social Plugin\" src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/v2.3\/plugins\/post.php?app_id=&amp;channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter.php%3Fversion%3D42%23cb%3Df18e8cf310f7e%26domain%3Dwww.rt.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rt.com%252Ff29d45f8fa8721c%26relation%3Dparent.parent&amp;container_width=759&amp;href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRTAmerica%2Fvideos%2F10153443617271366%2F&amp;locale=en_US&amp;sdk=joey&amp;width=500\" name=\"f2f6d29b6ad99d8\" width=\"500px\" height=\"1000px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Uygur and other prominent activists, like retired Police Captain Ray Lewis, were taken into custody.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ret captain Ray Lewis among last to get arrested in &#39;Democracy Spring&#39; sit-in at US capitol <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/okKd97phCC\">https:\/\/t.co\/okKd97phCC<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yeznEyNaHb\">pic.twitter.com\/yeznEyNaHb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; RT (@RT_com) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RT_com\/status\/719630657031434240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Despite the large attendance at the demonstration, mainstream media was notably absent.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/twitter.com\/CassandraRules\/status\/719609603084791809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Government by the People and Fair Elections Now Acts<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>These two proposed bills are designed to get money out of politics. The\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.demos.org\/publication\/government-people-act\" target=\"_blank\">Government By the People Act<\/a> is designed to increase the power of the small contributions, while the Fair Elections Now Act would provide for public funding for candidates.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Last batch of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DemocracySpring?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DemocracySpring<\/a> activists awaiting to be arrested, sit-in 3.5 hours on <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pUBJjtURee\">pic.twitter.com\/pUBJjtURee<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Polina Leonovich (@PolinaLeonovich) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PolinaLeonovich\/status\/719622775565074436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWhat we see now is not a democracy, it\u2019s become an oligarchy,\u201d <\/em>Holly Mosher, producer for the \u2018Pay 2 Play\u2019 documentary, told RT.<em> \u201cIt\u2019s time to clean up Congress.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cLet\u2019s get together, let\u2019s clean this up, let\u2019s make some solutions. Corporations are not people, money is not speech,\u201d<\/em> she added.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Arrests on hold as police say there&#39;s no more space to put <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DemocracySpring?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DemocracySpring<\/a> protesters <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zxjs0VXSY3\">https:\/\/t.co\/zxjs0VXSY3<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Rkagv5RaA6\">pic.twitter.com\/Rkagv5RaA6<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; RT America (@RT_America) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RT_America\/status\/719606178410586112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This bill, which was <a href=\"http:\/\/vrafortoday.org\/current-legislation\/\" target=\"_blank\">introduced last June<\/a>, would update the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rt.com\/usa\/court-guts-civil-rights-voting-236\/\" target=\"_blank\">gutted Voting Rights Act of 1965<\/a>, as well as protect voters from a slew of state laws designed to restrict access to the polls.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/twitter.com\/CassandraRules\/status\/719607758861901824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Voter Empowerment Act of 2015<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Introduced in March 2015,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.govtrack.us\/congress\/bills\/114\/hr12\/summary\" target=\"_blank\">this bill would<\/a> amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to increase public access to voter registration and make it easier for people to vote. It also introduces penalties for anyone, including election officials, from preventing a person from voting.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/twitter.com\/CassandraRules\/status\/719607758861901824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe enthusiastic public response to Democracy Spring demonstrates Americans\u2019 deep frustration with a political system they no longer feel hears their voices. Democracy Spring will turn widespread frustration into a powerful force to fulfill our country\u2019s promise of government of, by, and for the people,\u201d<\/em> Democracy Spring lead organizer Kai Newkirk said in a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/newswire\/2016\/04\/11\/thousands-will-sit-congress-today-demand-government-and-people\" target=\"_blank\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/twitter.com\/CassandraRules\/status\/719618828787916800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Democracy for All Amendment<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/freespeechforpeople.org\/the-amendment\/democracy-for-all-amendment\/\" target=\"_blank\">proposed constitutional amendment<\/a><em> \u201cends the big money dominance of our elections and allows for Congress and the States to set overall limits on campaign spending, including prohibitions on corporate and union spending in the political process,\u201d<\/em> basically overturning the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rt.com\/usa\/supreme-court-remaining-restrictions-donors-248\/\" target=\"_blank\">infamous Citizens United case<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jails filling up as arrest continue @ sit-in to get money out of politics. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DemocracySpring?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DemocracySpring<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ggNsZLcxgx\">pic.twitter.com\/ggNsZLcxgx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Neboj\u0161a Mali\u0107 (@NebojsaMalic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NebojsaMalic\/status\/719615493167017984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWe\u2019re here to make some noise, to get the media, because this is the most underreported movement in America,\u201d<\/em>Mosher said.<em> \u201cSixteen state legislatures have already called to overturn Citizens United, and we need to protect the right to vote.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;Money ain&#39;t speech! Corporations aren&#39;t people!&quot; Chants @ <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DemocracySpring?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DemocracySpring<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FiE5M8GKmH\">pic.twitter.com\/FiE5M8GKmH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Neboj\u0161a Mali\u0107 (@NebojsaMalic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NebojsaMalic\/status\/719614879708114947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Confirm a Supreme Court nominee<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Democracy Spring holds no position on President Barack Obama\u2019s nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, but is calling on the US Senate to <em>\u201cto fulfill its constitutional duty to hold hearings so that the American people may learn more about his positions on campaign finance and voting rights and, ultimately, take an up or down vote on the nominee,\u201d<\/em> the group said in its statement.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/twitter.com\/CassandraRules\/status\/719611588949315584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThis is a huge moment for our country. Almost every American agrees our democracy is seriously out of whack \u2013 that our elections and government are dominated by wealthy special interests. And yet Congress is doing nothing. So today we say no more. This inaction is not acceptable,\u201d<\/em> Newkirk said in a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/newswire\/2016\/04\/11\/thousands-will-sit-congress-today-demand-government-and-people\" target=\"_blank\">statement<\/a> that outlined the movements four major \u2012 and related \u2012 demands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rt.com\/usa\/339252-democracy-spring-key-demands\/\">http:\/\/www.rt.com\/usa\/339252-democracy-spring-key-demands\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35621\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}