r/MontanaPolitics 25d ago

Legislature Montana’s Plan to Destroy the Supreme Court

I recently dove down the rabbit hole that is the Montana Plan and I genuinely think this has a chance of working, even if it’s just a start to something more concrete. I’m curious, does anyone know why this isn’t getting more attention in national discussions? Just another case of mainstream media trying to protect corporate money?

In case you haven’t been following Montana’s effort to ban political spending by corporations or are interested in learning more, I made a video you can check out below:

https://youtu.be/eJMTIcFi_vU?si=CarxNicPQ7qTmd5o

60 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

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u/Stupidlysurviving 25d ago

Fairly sure there's a public event happening in Butte Sunday the ... 17th? I'm fairly sure Sure Pete Buttigieg will be there to help bring awareness or something.

That's a fairly household name in politics, I'd say.

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u/nerdypursuit 25d ago

Yes! If anyone wants to go to the event with Pete Buttigieg in Butte on May 17th, here's the page to RSVP:

https://pete.montanaplan.org/

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u/mistephe 25d ago

Can confirm Buttigieg in Butte on the 17th to stump for the Montana Plan.

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u/00BigBird00 25d ago

That’s good news! Pete at the very least will be able to articulate the power of what this initiative could be

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u/Practical_Feed_9153 25d ago

It is getting a decent amount of attention but there are two big hurdles that are tamping more excitement. 1. The US Supreme Court. It will be challenged and people remain skeptical it will be upheld. 2. It’s no longer a CI and the Governor and legislature can gut/veto it even if we vote for it.

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u/Turkino Montana 20d ago

That's been the problem with much of the similar legislation that's been tried in state legislatures in many other states.
They ended up getting killed via lobbying.

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u/Rocky_Missoula 25d ago

Would think that since it applies to federal election spending, due for a challenge in the federal court system the day after passage? But open to education on that?

Would think re. surviving Federal Supremes, the hope for Mt. Plan would be that after midterms the SC will see the clock ticking toward upcoming national presidential election, and start backing off being a third friendly legislative branch for the administration. Because if SC sufficiently enrages more than half the country, the next group in chamber might be an angry congressional mob jamming through more justice seats and mandatory age retirements.

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u/00BigBird00 25d ago

It’s revoking corporate powers at a state level though no? Would the SC even have the power to challenge it?

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u/Rocky_Missoula 25d ago

Good question. Again, MP applies to federal campaign spending, so, federal court entry point? Plus what would seem inevitable First Amendment challenge? Have to see what proponents say.

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u/TomMooreJD 25d ago

It does work on federal elections, as corps get *all* their powers from the state, including the power to spend in federal elections. It's one of the very very few things that works that way. Full details on the underlying theory are here in my spellbinding report from last fall: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-corporate-power-reset-that-makes-citizens-united-irrelevant/

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u/Rocky_Missoula 25d ago

More interesting. Effect of Interstate Commerce Clause? Congressional preemption?

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u/Turkino Montana 24d ago

There's a sign up event tomorrow (Mothers day) at Bozeman Brewing Company.

Honestly though, they need to have canvassers on main street, out in front of the supermarkets and so on.
This is an effort of huge importance and it needs more effort made to get it pushed through.

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u/00BigBird00 23d ago

Agreed! Not seeing it promoted in nearly enough places

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u/Wise-Bottle507 24d ago

If the Montana Plan passes, doesn't it just mean that independently wealthy candidates will dominate, as they can self-fund their campaigns? Or are there campaign spending limits in the Montana Plan?

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u/00BigBird00 24d ago

I mean it’s not perfect for sure, but with or without corporate spending limits individuals are gonna be able to self fund campaigns and donate to their interests. Difference I feel like is that they can’t funnel it through a PAC and would be held responsible individually. Either way billionaires are going to be spending atleast we would know exactly who and how much.