Forum Post: Corporate Personhood Teach-In / Strategy Session
Posted 12 years ago on May 25, 2012, 10:09 p.m. EST by bensdad
(8977)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
You are invited to attend a teach-in / strategy session on
Why a Constitutional Amendment
to End Corporate Personhood
and Declare that Money Is Not Speech Is the
Best First Step to Achieving Many other OWS Goals
followed by a discussion as to how to make this strategy successful.
with Rick Theis - founder of EcoHearth.com
on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 5:30 pm, at 60 Wall Street
Because of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision,
we cannot accomplish anything significant,
without FIRST ending corporate personhood.
Because 80% of Americans already agree on it -
.........................................
we don’t have to explain or persuade people to accept our position – we only have to persuade them to ACT based on their own position. Pursuing this goal will prove to the world that we, at OWS, are a serious realistic Movement, with serious realistic goals.
Achieving this goal will make virtually every other goal –
jobs, taxes, infrastructure, Medicare – much easier to achieve –
by disarming our greatest enemy – GREED.
I feel that using the tactics of the NRA, the AARP an the TP – who all represent a minority – who have successfully used their voting power to achieve their minority goals - plus the Prohibition Amendment tactics – bringing all sides together - is a straight path for us to success
Our current project is developing and implementing,
a voting bloc petition to create voter support for candidates throughout the country.
We want to vote for candidates who pledge to support a Constitutional Amendment that includes:
Overturning the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision which enabled the flood of secret money that is drowning our political system,
Overturning the 1976 Buckley Supreme Court decision which equates money and speech,
Eradicating the corporate personhood rights invented in the courts that
have enabled corporations to buy our democracy,
Supports campaign finance reform to level the playing field for all candidates.
The People For the American Way found 74% of Americans
want to vote for candidates who support an amendment.
Koch and the tea party and ALEC have
..the money –
….and the government –
……and they use them.
We have
..the people -
….and the vote -
……and we must use them!
Join the our NYC
Corporations are not People and Money is not Speech Working Group
………….( even if you are not near NYC )
www.nycga.net/groups/restore-democracy
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NYCRDWG
http://bit.ly/vK2pGI
regular meetings Wednesdays 5:30-7:30PM @ 60 Wall St – The Atrium
Bensdad, wow a great thread you have here. I searched out your little gem and posted to it here (duh). The vitriol trolls here will try to side step this thread, which is exactly what they've been doing. I think every time the truth is presented in a way that's undeniable they would melt if they posted to it.
Good Job Bensdad. You one of the few here that really has some good stuff to share. Intelligent, well written, and great topics for debate. Unfortunately, many here are too busy slinging crap for smear campaigns to be concerned with the evident truth.
Don't let those trolls stop you. Their only purpose is attack and smear. When the truth comes along they scatter.
The Puzzler
Also as you gather for these working groups in the good cause of ending corporate manipulation of our system of Democracy.
Please - If you have a spiritual belief - Please say a prayer of support for the success of the good people of Wisconsin in their upcoming boot walker and crony's to the curb election on June 5th.
I must admit I do not understand how the Democratic party and OWS
are not backing the walker recall 110%
Yeah - I know -
mentioning "party" and OWS in the same sentence is a capital offense.
If OWS cannot find the real America - and stand like a bunch of religious fanatics - OWS is doomed
I stated elsewhere and I could well be mistaken in my perception - but I believe OWS and all of the related groups are necessary to spread the word about what is wrong in this society and this world - to awaken awareness in the people as to their being needed to band together in unity. That the people should direct their redress of issues. Recognize and address issues - this leaves the corrupt with no one specifically to put down or attack. Makes the movements against them fluid many and coming from all directions.
As for the Democratic party not stepping up to the plate in Wisconsin? That is truly baffling.
"If OWS cannot find the real America - and stand like a bunch of religious fanatics - OWS is doomed"
Oh really? Please define "the real America"...
the real America is in the Constitution & the Bill of Rights & Arlington
Arlington is now where we bury KIAs dying in "wars" where we lose far more to suicide. The Bill of Rights was targeted by PNAC under Clinton, diminished after "9/11" by Bush, and all but destroyed by Bushbamney signing NDAA2012/HR347/HR658/HR3606. The Constitution defined a representative democracy - NOT A TWO PARTY SYSTEM - that philosophical anarchist Thomas Jefferson warned us could only protect the People if the People protected it.
Now tell us how "OWS is doomed", plant...
I am not a plant - I am a tree. FYI- you mentioned my dear friend Thomas - did you ever look up the havoc he caused with his political party when he ran against Adams? FYI- PNAC tried to influence Clinton FYI- where in the world is a successful representative democracy - without parties? or any govenment based on anarchy?
LOL - I'm a tree. I like to think of myself as Aloe-Vera. Soothing healing healthy. But then I am kinda conceited. I see you are currently being aggravated by gwirionedd funny he would choose a Welsh word for truth when he has none to offer.
GeriTroll! You could've stopped at "I like to think of myself."
BD - is this working group related to - Move to Amend?
The National Campaign to End Corporate Personhood and Demand Real Democracy! Move to Amend
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=c/VfJTcmuuxOV4Y2xV56AJf/dAFQIc%2B4
"related" is not quite the right term - it is one of many amendments that we are asking voters to support. There are 17 out there and we did a detailed analysis of them all.
MTA is my favorite but there are two issues -
I believe MTA is not as committed as we are to use
THIS ELECTION CYCLE
I have "heard" they are aiming for 2014
I'm not sure this is true, but if it is.................
also
their amendment states
"Federal, State and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures..."
This is much too vague and could be legislated to be -
Federal, State and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions to be not more than $100,000,000 per contributor
This is a huge loophole that cannot stand.
Thanks for the update. I think it so important so absolutely essential that we use our Democratic processes.
GeriTroll! Please define exactly what you mean by "Democratic processes" and why you felt compelled to capitalize the word "Democratic". Given our two-party system is a sham anyway, why not call them "Republican processes" and capitalize "Republican"? It's the heads and tails of the same coin, troll.
Look in a dictionary it's easy you can do a search on-line.
Have someone explain the concept to you.
I don't want too.
GeriTroll! This reply suggests you can't answer our question. You are old - probably senile - so I'll repeat the question and give you another chance:
Please define exactly what you mean by "Democratic processes" and why you felt compelled to capitalize the word "Democratic". Given our two-party system is a sham anyway, why not call them "Republican processes" and capitalize "Republican"? It's the heads and tails of the same coin, troll.
Democracy Form of government, where a constitution guarantees basic personal and political rights, fair and free elections, and independent courts of law.
Further:
A Democracy in its most simplest form means a system of government where individual citizens have a direct [and meaningful] vote in their government. There are many different kinds of democracies - variations on what is a citizen, who can vote, and who or what they vote for. However, the overarching characteristics of the democracy is that at least a majority of citizen have the power to vote, that they have a choice when voting, that their votes dictate the direction of government policy, and that the citizen is (reasonably) frequently called upon to vote on government matter.
A Representative form of government is one where (some) citizens chose another citizen to make political decisions for them. That is, rather than a citizen being directly involved in politics and government, they chose a proxy to make their choice for them. Representative forms of government often have multiple layers of this action - a proxy is chosen at (say) the village level, then the village proxies get together and chose a county representative, who then may chose a regional proxy. How these representatives are initially picked depends on the actual system of government being used - voting is common, but not by any means universal.
Combining these two definitions, you find that a representative democracy is a system where the majority of citizens vote for a proxy to represent them in government - such representatives then govern in the citizen's name, and are (at least occasionally) forced to go back to the citizen to be re-authorized (i.e. re-elected) to hold their position.
The United States is a multi-faceted Representative Democracy: we elect representatives in many aspects of our government form, all of which have specific duties and limits on power. We periodically have elections to either retain or replace our representatives. And a majority of the population is allowed to vote (though sadly, less than half does).
GeriTroll! You not only failed to answer the key aspect of our question, you failed to give credit to the web page you plagiarized your answer from:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_is_the_United_States_a_representative_democracy
"OUR" question?
What do think your royalty or demon possessed?
Wipe your mouth you getting froth all over the place.
GeriTroll! You not only plagiarize like a 10-year old, you write insults like one as well. Given your mental retreat into childhood, perhaps you should limit your posts to forums with pictures of purple dinosaurs.
Do you even understand the word term concept of/to plagiarize?
I am not publishing an article of work nor am I claiming that information that I have shared is product of my work.
I am providing information.
Information that you were to lazy to look for for yourself.
Childish? yes that would be a fair way to describe you and your attacks.
Thank you for providing an interactive example of stupidity in action - I am sure many are chuckling at your idiocy.
GeriTroll!
You copied this entire answer (which I bet you now change)...
http://occupywallst.org/forum/corporate-personhood-teach-in-strategy-session/#comment-748005
from here...
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_is_the_United_States_a_representative_democracy
...and gave them no credit.
In modern times that's called plagiarism. What did the Pharoahs call it, GeriTroll?
Determinedly dumb POS. Go play in traffic.
GeriTroll! You do the plagiarizing because you're too senile or stupid to answer a direct question on your own, and that makes me a "dumb POS"? You are aware other people can read your comments, right? Take your meds.
That's the idea dip shit others read comments. They agree or disagree or consider for awhile while they gather more information.
You apparently have not taken that fact into consideration as your attacks are weak lame and ineffective, stupid and generally childish.
Go home and lick your balls for comfort I am done responding to you today.
Reply to:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/corporate-personhood-teach-in-strategy-session/#comment-748051
GeriTroll! Only forum trolls like you throw down streams of personal insults like that thinking they safely hide behind a veil of online anonymity. Think again...
I'm stealing the word "democratic" back from the party
when I say "throw a democratic party",
I mean a government holiday where everyone is invited to vote
you would post "i throw babies under buses" if you thought it would get you some safe forum groupthink points, wouldn't you matthew?
where did the name matthew come from?
your momma never asked me what to call you
"it is one of many amendments that WE are asking voters to support"
Who is WE?
"I have heard THEY are aiming for 2014"
Who is THEY?
we is the OWS working group - Corporations Are Not People they is MTA - and - I repeat - I heard "this" - I dont know "this"
And aside from your accomplice DKA the GeriTroll and Matthew the LoveMeToo, you expect this misdirection drivel to hold water with WHO, "bensdad"?
bwa hahahaha . … . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . …….. . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . bwa hahahaha . … . ha BWA hahaha . . . bwa ha ha ha ha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . bwa hahahaha . … . hahaha HE HE HE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha ….. .bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . …….. . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . bwa hahahaha . … . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE……………………….. BWA hahaha . . . bwa ha ha ha ha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . bwa hahahaha . … . hahaha HE HE HE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha ….. .bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . bwa hahahaha . . . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . . . hahaha . .bwa hahahaha . …….. . hahaha HEHEHE BWA hahaha . .
Restrict the power of money, or lose the power of the people.
It’s your choice. (if you make one and vote)
I will be there on Wed, May 30 at 5:30 PM. Itzhak
does anyone know how long an amendment takes?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
Nice post, but i fear that the first three items don't mean anything to most of the people (because they have never heard of them and will not do the research) they can also be twisted around in the media to mean almost anything. instantly.
so why not add something that the people can easily identify and agree with?
and that is punishment for corruption, crooked politicians are worse than common terrorists and they should be punished accordingly. call the whole thing war on corporate terrorism if it needs a name?
a question i'd like to ask are other organizations involved in this? www.resolutionsweek.org http://www.theanticorruptionpledge.org/take-the-pledge/ seem very much alike this and it could help everybody to join forces.
lastly many of the tea party members don't seem to know that much about politics so as long as a campaign doesn't have a political affiliation why would it be impossible to get them on this as well?
good questions - the heart of my amswer to you lies in the fact that polls have shown that 74%-86% of Americans are in favor of a similar amendment. This is not a poll of people who understand these issues - t hey have been polls of all Americans.
Join www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NYCRDWG and you can see the documentation. We are centering on an amendment and what MUST be passed to become law. _punishment for corruption, crooked politicians are worse than common terrorists and they should be punished accordingly. call the whole thing war on corporate terrorism if it needs a name are all legislative issues. We want to stop the corruption - which is more powerful than punishing it. Many other organizations are involved in this MoveToAmend is probably the most prominant. Some tea party people are centered on this issue and are welcome to join us.
point well taken. my opinion still is that agreeing on a survey and going out and doing something are 2 totally different things. the tv doesent reach out to peoples logic, but the illogical side. so to get people riled up you have to paint a picture of something that they can and want to fight. so in my opinion you need to paint them an enemy. and that being said there needs to be consequences. this is not criticism, but an elaboration of what i said earlier.
tupacsugar, thank you for elevating the level of debate to kindergarten name calling. Please click on the "Read the Rules" link below the post comments box and consider following them.
I don't see how we could get reliable people to write the legislation the way the people would intend. I can only imagine that it would be totally twisted to do the opposite of what the voters would intend and would end up benefiting the ruling class even more than now and harming the rest of us even more as well.
If you PM me with an email address, I will send you an analysis of all of the bills
I PMed you and asked if you could post to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O6Fdmy-Cz9cfkaUBLx8cHezJP956ykwdBDFXttddd3w/edit
got an error "browser does not support google docs"
actually in this case we get lucky a constitutonal amendendment is always a simple decree with no room for legalise or loopholes they can't get away with any shanegans because it wouldn't pass amendment standards. amendments are so seldom passed they have to reach a much higher standard then a 10,000 page law in congress. an amendent can be as small as this post.
this is an excellent idea bensdad thank you for posting it . did you notice who didn't have corporate attached to them ?
If you're right, then let's see the wording of the proposed amendment. It seems that even a well-worded amendment can be twisted to mean the opposite of what's intended and, besides that, the 1% would surely oppose it strenuously and make it sound stupid and unpopular. It may be worth a try, but I think other avenues are more likely to succeed, i.e. starting with local politics and promoting win-win or consensus decision making.
Here is one of many::
Section 1 [A corporation is not a person and can be regulated]
The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons only.
Artificial entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities, established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law.
The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.
Section 2 [Money is not speech and can be regulated]
Federal, State and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a candidate’s own contributions and expenditures, for the purpose of influencing in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure.
Federal, State and local government shall require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed.
The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.
Section 3
Nothing contained in this amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.
OH - SNAP
People unite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stand-up for your rights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Koch and the tea party and ALEC have ..the money – ….and the government "
Apparently you haven't heard about George Soro's or Mr. Warren Buffett Rule or Ted Turner or the Kennedy's or any other filthy rich Leftist Progressive piece of shit.
Maybe your dementia has kept you from understanding that the Dems owned the Senate from 2006 and the House from 2006 to 2010 along with Obama/Lando Calrissian,you know,.....the guy you voted for in 2008 for Preezy of the United Steezy?
This IS further proof of you,Zensmad,errrr I mean bensdad are suffering from dementia and along with the lack of cred and good judgement,you're becoming a useless air sucking bag of demented,rotting,progtard crap.
Now if only YOU could attain "personhood" maybe there might be some hope for you.
I rather doubt it.
PS: Jus cuz you find a funny lookin cartoon,dus'nt mean ya gotta make a post.