Yesterday a majority of the Senate voted in support of the Democracy for All amendment. Though there were not sufficient votes to pass it, the vote itself represents a historic step forward for the movement to restore the power in our democracy to the people.

The opposition lobbed a few final blows, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Senators David Vitter of Louisiana and Mike Lee of Utah, repeating the same specious arguments made all week, but Democracy for All supporters stood firm.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont:

Posterity vindicates the moments in our Nation’s history when Congress simply did what was right. We honor those who voted to ensure that the right to vote cannot be denied based on race, color, previous condition of servitude or gender. We honor those who voted to ensure that a poll tax could never again prohibit an American from voting for their own representatives. I urge my colleagues to act in this tradition, to simply do what is right, and to join me in supporting this proposed amendment to the Constitution.

Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico, lead sponsor of the Democracy for All amendment:

The First Amendment has already been hijacked by billionaires and special interests. Our amendment rescues it.

Here’s the bottom line. Billionaires want to stay at the head of the table and our amendment will not let them. Let’s be clear, they oppose any restriction. Any reform. Today’s vote may have been along party lines, but I will leave it to the American people to judge why.

We will continue this fight. The momentum continues to grow, and we will eventually win. The American people hate the influence of money on our elections. They want elections to be about the quality of ideas, not the size of bank accounts. They want us to fight for the middle class, not the moneyed class. They want us to spend our time raising hopes, instead of raising cash.

Senator Udall once again quoted “The First Amendment, According to Mitch McConnell” by PFAW President Michael Keegan and also recognized the work of People For the American Way and its fellow United For The People organizations.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York:

We are going to keep fighting until we get this done. The only way really to cure the Supreme Court’s misguided ruling, whether it is in Citizens United or McCutcheon, is with a constitutional amendment. Our day will come. We are not giving up.

You can find these passages and more from Thursday’s debate here.

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