The following was written by Ron Kurowski of MoveOn.org.

Leaning on a snow shovel, Frank Marshal took time out from clearing sidewalks at the corner of Jefferson and Larkin Streets in Joliet to explain why he and about thirty other people were willing to brave nine inches of snow and bitter cold to hold a rally Saturday morning.

“It’s about the Supreme Court’s Citizens United unprecedented ruling, which allows corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns without having to disclose where the money is coming from," said Marshal. "This ruling, if not changed, will deal a devastating blow to our democracy. Eight out of ten Americans who know about the decision are against it. We want to make everyone aware of it.”

Lorna Paisley, one of the organizers of the protest, remarked that Saturday was chosen because it was the two-year anniversary of the decision and that the Joliet event was one of hundreds held across the country during the week.

“I signed up with Public Citizen to host this event because our country is becoming or already is a plutocracy ruled by the wealthy, instead of a democracy ruled by the people.” Paisley is afraid that the Citizens United decision will make members of Congress even less responsive to the needs of the majority of Americans. “These are the things” she concluded, “that make me worry about our country, and that motivates me to make plans and to attend rallies.”

The government not paying attention also bothers Betty Lorch: “The government no longer listens to the common people. Corporate spending on elections will only make that worse.”

Clarice Hearne is concerned that cynicism with the political process is turning off voters. She sees it in her own family. Although sometimes discouraged, she still has hope that fairness in elections can be restored.

Cynicism with government was also on the mind of a protester standing next to an American flag stuck in the snow. He explained how he stopped voting after the Bush v. Gore decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000. He is angry that the same Supreme Court, with its Citizen United decision, now has made it even easier for corporations and the super rich to quiet his voice.

Many of the protesters are enraged that the Supreme Court could throw out over one hundred years of legal precedent, declare that corporations are people, that money is free speech and has First Amendment protections, that a group of rich individuals can form pseudo corporations with the sole purpose of pouring unlimited amounts of money into political campaigns with no disclosure necessary, and that it all was done in a 5-4 decision. They are incensed that five appointed individuals not accountable to our democratic process can have such enormous influence over the lives of every individual in the country.

The protesters understand that the nexus of money and power in our political process is not going away soon, and neither are they.

Public Citizen, Potluck Democracy and the South Suburban MoveOn Council were the local grassroots organization involved in Saturday's Move To Amend rally.

For more information on the Citizens United decision and the move to amend it, click here.

Ron Kurowski is a media coordinator for MoveOn.org.

Images: MoveOn.org/John Heinz, Mike Reed and Andre Van Vegten