Forum Post: Citizen United Amendment - Time to focus
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 21, 2012, 3:28 p.m. EST by VIWarshawski
(2)
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I think the Constitutional Amendment undoing the SCOTUS decision is the issue we need to organize behind. It's a single issue and one that cuts to the heart of what OWS is about.
With spring coming and this being an election year, we have a chance to show the haters that OWS isn't going away.
I don't know anything much about the amending process but can you tell me what, if anything, can be done through this process in time to impact the 2012 general election?
Personally, I'm thinking beyond 2012 but you bring up a good point. The 2012 election is going to place a spotlight on the damaging effect of secret corporate money on the democratic process. It's going to be the war of the SuperPACs that is something we can use. People in swing states are going to be bombarded with messaging paid for by secret money. People in states that don't "matter" are going to be treated like their votes don't count.
I wholeheartedly believe that we should keep doing the in-person occupations, especially in Washington and NYC. But IMO, if we want this movement to continue to grow, we need to combat the whole "What do they want?" meme.
We want corporate money out of politics. The amendment is how we want to make it happen. We can't get the money out of this election but we can start working to make sure it doesn't screw up future ones.
OWS has turned on the spotlight but it is not focussed. The meme will vanish in Philadelphia on July 4th at the National General Assembly. Please read:
http://www.the-99-declaration.org/
I like the, "Money is not speech, and Corporations are not people", message that would appeal to the vast majority of people. How can we use that to impact the 2012 elections? I will vote, but not for any democrat or republican on the ballot unless there are changes before the election.
Citizens United has become almost a household word thanks to OWS. That's a good thing!
I was hoping to get the poster to think about his/her call for action in terms of timing. S/he is asking the sum total efforts of OWS go to this amendment process when I question that even if it came to pass, it would come too late for this election cycle. It is an important grievance but not the only one. OWS has exercised it's right to peaceably assemble so I want to see it exercise it's right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, where Citizens United would likely top the list. A legitimate List served in advance of the election could greatly influence the tone of this election without having to mobilize on just the one issue. This is the aim of the National General Assembly set for July 4th in Philadelphia. Here's the plan:
http://www.the-99-declaration.org/
I think the plan is good and necessary but to impact the 2012 elections, there must be a rallying cry that resembles, "All men are created equal".
"The (First Continental) Congress was not a constitutional body; many of its members had been chosen irregularly. Its authority was limited to the willingness of the people to respect and obey its suggestions and mandates. The very fact of its existence had a meaning of great significance, but it was too profound for the comprehension of George III. "
The very existence of the NGA will have a profound significance. It is the RepubliCrats worst nightmare, the 99%'s rallying cry.