Put-Back Amendment

by John Bambenek – Illinois Family Institute

We are all frustrated by the dysfunction and corruption out of Springfield. Their pursuit of a far-left radical agenda has us stunned year after year. Yet, a majority of us are opposed to their radical plans. How is it that the state legislature made up of 177 people is controlled by only a small handful of radical liberals?

The problem in the legislature is that House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) and a radical few like him wield complete control. Despite the fact that over 99 percent of the state does not vote for him, he controls the legislature.

Shouldn’t a constitution prevent such an accumulation of power? It should.

We can elect good people in our districts to the legislature; but without changing the rules, corrupt power brokers and radical leftists will maintain power. But there is something we citizens and voters can do to restore an accountable government answerable to the voters.

The Put-Back Amendment was conceived to break up this consolidation of power. It enacts term limits of 8 years for all legislators. Did you know Mike Madigan was not only a legislator, but Speaker of the House for 28 years? This cannot happen. The Legislature is a part-time job; it shouldn’t be a lifetime career for those from the right families in Chicago.

It ends gerrymandering, the process by which politicians draw districts to ensure they are elected and re-elected for life. Politicians pick their voters, voters don’t pick their politicians. The Put-Back Amendment ends this practice.

The Put-Back Amendment requires ALL legislation to be made public for at least 7 days before final vote, and it allows 25 legislators to force a vote on any bill. This means Mike Madigan and radical leftists can no longer draw up legislation in a back room and unveil it the day of the vote; and they can no longer stop good bills from being voted on.

Imagine if a parental notification bill could be voted on the floor in Springfield forcing politicians to take a public stand…

It returns to 3-member districts we had prior to the Cutback Amendment in 1980 which started the process of centralization of power and converts the legislature to a unicameral body.

How can this happen? It requires you, private citizens, to collect signatures to get this on the ballot. We need 500,000 signatures, and this will be on the ballot in November. Unlike the Protect Marriage Initiative, this is a BINDING petition; which means if the voters say yes, it becomes law.

Many of us complain about how Springfield is run and how it promotes ideas well out of the mainstream, but we don’t know what can be done. Now we have an answer: the Put-Back Amendment. If you help gather signatures on petitions, we can bring REAL reform to Springfield.

It has been said, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing…” Will you stand with me against the corrupt power-brokers and radical leftists in Springfield? You can find more information at www.putbackamendment.com which also has the petitions. If you have any questions, contact me at jcb@putbackamendment.com.

The time has come to take back our state. Please join me.