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Eight in 10 Americans oppose - most of them "strongly" - the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that opened the floodgates for corporations and unions to spend unlimited money on political campaigns, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll.
"Nearly as many backed congressional action to curb the ruling, with 72 percent in favor of reinstating limits," the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has promised that the Senate Rules Committee will put together a package of measures that will amend the ruling.
"If a corporation spends millions on an ad, they should have the CEO's face on it saying they are the ones who paid for the commercial," Murray said in an interview with seattlepi.com last week.
But Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., termed the Supremes' ruling a victory for free speech, and Republicans have indicated they will fight any legislation designed to blunt the ruling.
According to the ABC/WashPost poll, however, not only Democrats (85 percent) but also Republicans (76 percent) and Independents (81 percent) oppose the high court's 5-4 decision.
Almost 75 percent of conservative Republicans polled said they oppose the Supremes' ruling, most of them strongly, with two thirds favoring efforts in Congress to control corporate and union spending.
"If there's one thing that Americans from the left, right and center can all agree on, it's that they don't want special interests in our politics . . . We hope we can get strong and quick bipartisan support for our legislation, which passes constitutional muster but will still effectively limit the influence of special interests," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, told
the Post.
The Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission ruling saw the court's conservative majority rule that corporations enjoy the same rights as individuals, and can use money to support or oppose candidates for office.
The Supremes' overturned more than a century of precedent, beginning with a 1907 law - championed by President Theodore Roosevelt - that forbade federal contributions by big corporations.
Impacts of the Supremes' ruling are already being felt.
An outfit called the Committee for Truth in Politics has blanketed the airwaves in Montana with a TV spot aimed at blocking financial reform legislation now pending in Congress. Turning the truth on its head, the ad describes efforts to control bank excess as a "big bank bailout."
"I cannot believe the system is working this way," said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, who has challenged the ad.
The committee has not revealed who is paying the bill for its ads.
The ABC/WashPost poll was conducted Feb. 4 to 8, and surveyed 1,004 adults across the country, using both conventional and cellular telephones.
Americans oppose Supremes' campaign finance ruling
"Nearly as many backed congressional action to curb the ruling, with 72 percent in favor of reinstating limits," the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has promised that the Senate Rules Committee will put together a package of measures that will amend the ruling.
"If a corporation spends millions on an ad, they should have the CEO's face on it saying they are the ones who paid for the commercial," Murray said in an interview with seattlepi.com last week.
But Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., termed the Supremes' ruling a victory for free speech, and Republicans have indicated they will fight any legislation designed to blunt the ruling.
According to the ABC/WashPost poll, however, not only Democrats (85 percent) but also Republicans (76 percent) and Independents (81 percent) oppose the high court's 5-4 decision.
Almost 75 percent of conservative Republicans polled said they oppose the Supremes' ruling, most of them strongly, with two thirds favoring efforts in Congress to control corporate and union spending.
"If there's one thing that Americans from the left, right and center can all agree on, it's that they don't want special interests in our politics . . . We hope we can get strong and quick bipartisan support for our legislation, which passes constitutional muster but will still effectively limit the influence of special interests," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, told
the Post.
The Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission ruling saw the court's conservative majority rule that corporations enjoy the same rights as individuals, and can use money to support or oppose candidates for office.
The Supremes' overturned more than a century of precedent, beginning with a 1907 law - championed by President Theodore Roosevelt - that forbade federal contributions by big corporations.
Impacts of the Supremes' ruling are already being felt.
An outfit called the Committee for Truth in Politics has blanketed the airwaves in Montana with a TV spot aimed at blocking financial reform legislation now pending in Congress. Turning the truth on its head, the ad describes efforts to control bank excess as a "big bank bailout."
"I cannot believe the system is working this way," said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, who has challenged the ad.
The committee has not revealed who is paying the bill for its ads.
The ABC/WashPost poll was conducted Feb. 4 to 8, and surveyed 1,004 adults across the country, using both conventional and cellular telephones.
Americans oppose Supremes' campaign finance ruling