Amend the First Amendment? Be careful what you ask for
By Bradley A. Smith
Since Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was decided in January 2010, several polls have shown the decision is unpopular. A Washington Post-ABC News poll taken a few weeks after the decision found that nearly 80 percent of respondents opposed it.
Unsurprisingly, many politicians have reacted to these numbers like cats to catnip. Recently, a Senate Judiciary subcommittee held hearings to consider reversing it by amending the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Senators should tread carefully, though. A fuller reading of polling data casts serious doubt on whether such an amendment would really be popular.
