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Forum Post: NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION: Do you want to have a direct & serious impact on the ability of CORPORATIONS TO INFLUENCE POLITICS? Here's your chance. Mark your calendar for Feb 29th. SHUT DOWN THE CORPORATIONS with nonviolent direct action.

Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 7, 2012, 3:24 p.m. EST by therising (6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD: FEBRUARY 29th will be a huge day of nonviolent action for the Occupy movement.

Occupy Portland has put out a nationwide call to action.

There are some very specific corporations who have banded together to do some very shady things that have a direct affect on the lives of tens of millions of citizens.

Occupy Portland has called on people to engage in nonviolent direct action on FEBRUARY 29th to target corporations that are part of the American Legislative Exchange Council which is a prime example of the way corporations buy off legislators and craft legislation that serves the interests of corporations and not people. Here are the specifics from Occupy Portland: http://www.occupywallst.org/article/f29-occupy-portland-national-call-action-shut-down/

Corporation used ALEC to create the anti-labor legislation in Wisconsin and the racist bill SB 1070 in Arizona among so many others. They use ALEC to spread these corporate laws around the country.

Per SourceWatch: "The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) describes itself as the largest “membership association of state legislators,” but over 98% of its revenue comes from sources other than legislative dues, primarily from corporations and corporate foundations.

ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, behind closed doors, corporations hand state legislators the changes to the law they desire that directly benefit their bottom line.

Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. Corporations sit on all nine ALEC task forces and vote with legislators to approve “model” bills. They have their own corporate governing board which meets jointly with the legislative board. . . Participating legislators, overwhelmingly conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills.

It is as if a state legislature had been reconstituted, yet corporations had pushed the people out the door.

ALEC’s agenda extends into almost all areas of law. Its bills undermine environmental regulations and deny climate change; support school privatization; undercut health care reform; defund unions and limit their political influence; restrain legislatures’ abilities to raise revenue through taxes; mandate strict election laws that disenfranchise voters; increase incarceration to benefit the private prison industry, among many other issues. Learn more at ALECexposed.org. (end of SourceWatch quote -- entire article at http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Legislative_Exchange_Council ).

On FEBRUARY 29th there will be a nonviolent direct response to these specific corporations.  Please click on the link below for details directly from Occupy Portland:  

http://www.occupywallst.org/article/f29-occupy-portland-national-call-action-shut-down/

Here is wiki entry for American Legislative Exchange Council http://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Legislative_Exchange_Council&mobileaction=view_normal_site

Nonviolent direct action is essential.

ALEC CORPORATE BOARD:

There are hundreds of corporations that have been or are involved with ALEC. Complete list here: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Corporations

Remain true to nonviolent principles.

Here's just a glimpse of the Corporate Board:

As of 2011 CenterPoint 360, W. Preston Baldwin - Chairman Altria Group, Daniel Smith American Bail Coalition, William Carmichael, Jerry Watson AT&T, William Leahy Bayer Corp., Sandy Oliver Coca-Cola Company, Gene Rackley Diageo, Kenneth Lane Energy Future Holdings, Sano Blocker ExxonMobil Corporation, Randall Smith GlaxoSmithKline, John Del Giorno Intuit, Inc., Bernie McKay Johnson & Johnson, Don Bohn Koch Companies Public Sector, Mike Morgan Kraft Food, Inc., Derek Crawford Peabody Energy, Kelly Mader Pfizer Inc., Michael Hubert PhRMA, Jeff Bond Reed Elsevier, Inc., Teresa Jennings Reynolds American, David Powers Salt River Project, Russell Smoldon State Farm Insurance Co., Roland Spies United Parcel Service (UPS)[2], Richard McArdle Wal-Mart Stores, Maggie Sans

26 Comments

26 Comments


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[-] 4 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

Great Post. We must all follow through here! I think we need to find some mechanism to get us all on the same page. Obviously, it is impossible for all of us to do everything at once. So we must find means of concentrating our efforts collectively, at certain points and at specific times. That will give our actions power.

We need to get everybody on board here!

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

This one is going to have major support and will have impact nationwide. This hits nonviolently right at the heart of the Occupy message. You're right about focused and coordinated action. Feb 29 should be the tip of the nonviolent spear.

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

I'll spread the word!

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Cool

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 12 years ago

This group and the Chamber of Commerce both bear watching, as a rule organized groups that have self interests should be allowed to present their views but in an open competitive environment where the best/most supported ideas can prevail. The problems occur where this process is distorted by money where those who bring the most money to the table get to say the most. There is a large group of people who truly believe that those who pay the bills should get to write the rules I think we serve each other when we address this head-on, so a long way to say I agree and commit to do what I can on Feb 29th.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

What you said here about concentrating efforts and finding a new mechanism to get on the same page..... Do you have something in mind?

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

I wish I did That question has stumped me so far:)

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

On the one hand, this movement has accomplished great things in a very short time. On the other hand, it feels like a teenager with lots of energy but also doesn't seem to ever quite get it all the way in gear. This website really is a venue for gathering to hatch direct action (at least I think that's the intended purpose). So I don't blame this website at all. It's a great forum which has helped me learn all sorts of new things and connect with incredibly smart people.

What I'm really getting at is that it's not the website. It's us. We haven't gotten our groove on yet.

Additionally, we haven't gotten as smart about PR as we could be -- and this cuts us off from the potential support of millions. We need those millions.

I've been continually surprised by us not getting our groove on... I keep expecting it to click into an efficient and productive gear but we're still in low gear, getting to know our movement, getting a feel for it all. In some ways this should be expected of a young movement. But somehow there are so many bright people organizing this that I suppose I thought it would all click sooner rather than later.

[-] 2 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

We are up against a very entrenched power structure, with seriously, thousands of years of practice in the art of "divide and conquer." We must be aware of this, and learn ways to circumvent their well developed tactics. This cannot be achieved over night, but I think we have some advantages that previous generations haven't had, and we are just learning how to take advantage of them.

[-] 4 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

See if your Senator or Representative is on the Board of Directors of ALEC:

http://www.alec.org/about-alec/board-of-directors/

But, I prefer this website:

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Thanks, therising.

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Great info. Thanks for links. Feb 29th is going to be big. In addition to a whole host of groups and individuals one would expect, it also seems this Feb 29th date to "shut down the corporations is gaining mainstream attention and traction. It was in our local paper. It was mentioned on our local pop radio station recently. My pizza delivery guy mentioned it a few days ago. Said he's heading to DC. Said he's never protested before but he figured it was about time and he heard this protest was "going to be big nationwide but especially in DC.". Fascinating how info percolates....

[-] 2 points by beautifulworld (23767) 12 years ago

That is so cool....

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

I agree!

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 12 years ago

What is the plan to shut the corporations down? Like protesting at WalMart?

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Yep.

Corruption and collusion.

What we are fighting against.

This is common cause. This is common ground for a united front against corruption.

I know these links are already here. But they can get lost in the growth of conversational threads.

So. Here they are again:

See if your Senator or Representative is on the Board of Directors of ALEC:

http://www.alec.org/about-alec/board-of-directors/

But, I prefer this website:

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Thanks, therising.

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

This is a protest that the majority of Americans can get behind. We should all spread the word far and wide.... :)

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Yes this is a common bond for all.

This is an easily identifiable evil/corruption/manipulation.

An enemy of all.

So will continue my advocacy to unite together in common cause. For the health and prosperity of "All".

A possible symbol could be a black arm band worn on the left arm as a symbol of mourning for our country and our world current situation.

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[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Good point

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

This will make a difference. Pls spread the word.

[-] 1 points by NeilSiri (2) 12 years ago

We must stand strong & stand together !

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Yes!!!!! Unity and tactical nonviolent direct action are a powerful combo.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Spread the word. February 29th is a big day!

[-] 1 points by Nevada1 (5843) 12 years ago

Hi therising, Excellent. Best Regards, Nevada

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Thanks for the encouragement. Pls help spread the word.

[-] 1 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

The idea of removing "person-hood" status from corporations is a good one, but there is no need to eliminate corporations, as a whole.

If you want "real change", we must end the private banking cartel.

Please read this two-part post: http://occupywallst.org/forum/printing-presses/

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