1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The Citizens United Supreme Court ruling in 2010 dramatically expanded the influence of wealthy donors and special interests in U.S. elections. By permitting corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited sums on political advertising, the decision opened the floodgates for a massive influx of money from a small number of ultra-wealthy individuals and special interests. This undermines the integrity of our elections and makes it harder for the voices of ordinary citizens to be heard. We must take action to mitigate the corrosive effects of Citizens United and reduce the dominance of big money in politics. Establishing publicly-funded election systems that amplify small donors would help counter the outsized influence of the wealthy. Stronger disclosure laws requiring full transparency on sources of campaign spending are also crucial. And closing coordination loopholes between candidates and ostensibly "independent" groups would limit circumvention of remaining campaign finance rules. Fixing the Federal Election Commission, which has failed to properly enforce existing laws and update regulations, is another necessary reform. Ultimately, we need a grassroots movement demanding an elections system that represents the interests of all Americans, not just the elite donor class. Without such changes, our democracy will continue to be distorted by the imbalance enshrined in Citizens United.