Forum Post: CBS NEWS ARTICLE on the newly established PEOPLE's SUPER PAC. The comments below post seem to indicate that THE PEOPLE's SUPERPAC TO END ALL SUPERPACS IS A REALLY GREAT IDEA and can help effectively overturn Citizens United supreme court decision.
Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 17, 2012, 12:27 a.m. EST by therising
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CBS NEWS ARTICLE ON THE NEW People's SuperPac: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57379878-503544/an-occupy-wall-street-pac/
Or just google CBS News an occupy wall st pac
Please read article and then read commentary below. If you were first turned off by the idea of a PEOPLE's SUPERPAC, think again...... And remember, this would be 100% devoted to overturning Citizens United and wouldn't accept any money from any corporation.
Some will say: "Hey, doesn't this contain the seeds that could undermine the movement?"
My answer is this: I think that could be consistently and easily turned around and, instead of being a liability, this is a huge opportunity. I say that because, the more attention the coverage of this SUPERPAC TO END ALL PACS draws to the absolute absurdity of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, the more support there will be for a constitutional amendment effectively overturning Citizens United. Please allow me to explain how the virtuous cycle would go:
This is as much about drawing attention to Citizens United as it is about raising money for ecents and activities associated with Citizens United. Think about it: We now have an established PAC that can effextively destroy all PACs. That's powerful, not just from a financial standpoint, but also from a PR perspective.
We need to Occupy the media. We can Occupy the media physically in a nonviolent way AND we can also OCCUPY THEIR ATTENTION, getting countless stories about the terrible impact of Citizens United in all the mainstream press on a consistent basis. The press will cover the balance in that superPAC and the use of funds relentlessly. What an opportunity for drawing attention in unlimited and interesting ways to Citizens United!!!
SO........One way we could OCCUPY THE MEDIA in the very short term is to start pouring money into the SUPER PAC that was started to benefit the OCCUPY movement. The SUPERPAC would obviously have 100% transparency and should be completely and totally devoted to supporting efforts and events that help achieve a constitutional amendment to effectively OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED supreme court decision.
The media will cover this new SUPER PAC's fund balance and the use of funds RELENTLESSLY. This provides not only super strong funding source for Occupy activities related to overturning Citizens United but it also gives us endless opportunities to spread messages via mainstream media.... They would cover this like a horse race and would be fascinated endlessly with the new and innovative ways the money is utilized to help overturn Citizens United. This will, in turn, bring Citizens United into Americans' living rooms each evening and will thereby exponentially increase support for overturning that terrible decision.
And Americans can very easily show their support for overturning that lousy supreme court decision by donating dollars to the fund that is 100% devoted to supporting efforts and events that promote the achievement of a constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizens United. Could be a virtuous cycle.
I believe this is yet another way to Occupy the media. Don't get me wrong. I would also love to see us PHYSICALLY Occupy the media in all sorts of non-violent ways (heck, we should surround FOX with a crowd of 200,000 protestors as far as I'm concerned). I think the incredible attention that would arise from having active SUPER PAC called "Overturn Citizens United" would be yet another way to Occupy the media. In this case, instead of Occupying their building, we're Occupying Their attention.
It looks like Occupy Alabama has finally realized as a group that if we want change we're going to need to get into politics and try to unseat those who disagree with our aims. 2012 is passing us by as we speak, which is quite sad, but it's entirely possible that we could put at least one or two of our people in Congress by 2014 if we set that as an explicit goal and work towards it. If we succeed in even one district it sends a message to the rest of DC that they have to start taking us into account if they want to keep their jobs. The Tea Party did it, the Populists did it, the Green Party does it on occasion, and generally speaking it works.
I completely agree with you that Citizens United is at its core a dirty ruling; it allows corporations and other groups to create war chests that can be spent across the country with little to no accountability and thus in effect it allows them to buy candidates. That said, since the law threw the floodgates wide open for anyone who wants to buy politicians, there is nothing in the law that says we can't do the same. Assuming that Occupy Alabama has a team of activists capable of raising large quantities of money from small donors in a short time period (which is definitely possible) it is entirely possible to build a People's SuperPAC and use that money as a counterbalance to people like Grover Norquist. Is it enough right now? Probably not. Is it better than nothing? Absolutely.
Now, I'm assuming that they're not going to go out and start soliciting corporate funding for it because that goes against everything we stand for, but imagine the power that an independently aligned national coalition of small donors would have to influence this country during elections season. We could throw our people (actual OWS'ers with community organization/activism/legal backgrounds or OWS sympathizers in that category) into Democratic and Republican primaries across the country, and even if we only take one or two seats most legislators will think of the Tea Party and be less willing to ignore our interests. There is no surefire way to win, but the one surefire way to lose is to walk away from the game.
These funds from this new SUPER PAC should be 100% transparent and 100% devoted to benefitting efforts to overturn Citizens United. In addition to raising a boatload of money that can directly help push for constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizens United, the rising balance and uses of funds from this "PEOPLE'S SUPERPAC TO OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED will inspire all sorts of national coverage, bringing Citzens United into people's living rooms all over America on a consistent basis.
The mainstream national media will be beside themselves covering the fund balance like a horse race. This will draw attention, not only to the general absurdity of the Citizens United decision but it will also draw specific attention to the corporate interests supporting Romney etc. They will also cover the endlessly interesting ways the money is being used exclusively to promote efforts and events that will effectively overturn Citizens United supreme court decision with a constitutional amendment.
Brilliant ARod. I think you're exactly right.
Could there lie within this the germs to discredit us?
I think that could be consistently and easily turned around and, instead of being a liability, this is a huge opportunity. I say that because, the more attention the coverage of this SUPERPAC TO END ALL PACS draws to the absolute absurdity of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, the more support there will be for a constitutional amendment effectively overturning Citizens United.
Please allow me to explain how the virtuous cycle would go:
This is as much about drawing attention to Citizens United as it is about raising money for ecents and activities associated with Citizens United. Think about it: We now have an established PAC that can effextively destroy all PACs. That's powerful, not just from a financial standpoint, but also from a PR perspective.
We need to Occupy the media. We can Occupy the media physically in a nonviolent way AND we can also OCCUPY THEIR ATTENTION, getting countless stories about the terrible impact of Citizens United in all the mainstream press on a consistent basis. The press will cover the balance in that superPAC and the use of funds relentlessly. What an opportunity for drawing attention in unlimited and interesting ways to Citizens United!!!
SO........One way we could OCCUPY THE MEDIA in the very short term is to start pouring money into the SUPER PAC that was started to benefit the OCCUPY movement. The SUPERPAC would obviously have 100% transparency and should be completely and totally devoted to supporting efforts and events that help achieve a constitutional amendment to effectively OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED supreme court decision.
The media will cover this new SUPER PAC's fund balance and the use of funds RELENTLESSLY. This provides not only super strong funding source for Occupy activities related to overturning Citizens United but it also gives us endless opportunities to spread messages via mainstream media.... They would cover this like a horse race and would be fascinated endlessly with the new and innovative ways the money is utilized to help overturn Citizens United. This will, in turn, bring Citizens United into Americans' living rooms each evening and will thereby exponentially increase support for overturning that terrible decision.
And Americans can very easily show their support for overturning that lousy supreme court decision by donating dollars to the fund that is 100% devoted to supporting efforts and events that promote the achievement of a constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizens United.
Could be a virtuous cycle.
I believe this is yet another way to Occupy the media. Don't get me wrong. I would also love to see us PHYSICALLY Occupy the media in all sorts of non-violent ways (heck, we should surround FOX with a crowd of 200,000 protestors as far as I'm concerned). I think the incredible attention that would arise from having active SUPER PAC called "Overturn Citizens United" would be yet another way to Occupy the media. In this case, instead of Occupying their building, we're Occupying Their attention.
Well thought out.
I like it, I think they should take corporate money too, like the fictional Catholic Church on HBO, I’d take money from Tony Soprano if it gets the job done. But seriously this is a good a idea, we have to use the rules we have, it would be like not kicking an extra point cause we thought it was cheating. I also like “Americans for a Better Tomorrow Tomorrow” I have a dream that Jon and Steve will pull their teams together, get Mark, Bill, Warren and George to fund them in style and let them lose.
Colbert: I Am a Super PAC!
"SO........One way we could OCCUPY THE MEDIA in the very short term is to start pouring money into the SUPER PAC that was started to benefit the OCCUPY movement. .."
How much has OWS raised in total? Is it even two million bucks? I doubt it! People's movements can't compete with the checkbooks of the Koch bros, or Little Napoleon Bloomberg or Sheldon Adelson. Even if we could raise millions this way the TV stations, although they use the public air, can censor out what they want to censor out.
We have a chance here to raise both awareness and major dollars to focus on one thing: supporting events and activities that will result in constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizen United.
One way we could OCCUPY THE MEDIA in the very short term is to start pouring money into the SUPER PAC that was started to benefit the OCCUPY movement. The SUPERPAC would obviously have 100% transparency and should be completely and totally devoted to supporting efforts and events that help achieve a constitutional amendment to effectively OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED supreme court decision.
The media will cover this new SUPER PAC's fund balance and the use of funds RELENTLESSLY. This provides not only super strong funding source for Occupy activities related to overturning Citizens United but it also gives us endless opportunities to spread messages via mainstream media.... They would cover this like a horse race and would be fascinated endlessly with the new and innovative ways the money is utilized to help overturn Citizens United. This will, in turn, bring Citizens United into Americans' living rooms each evening and will thereby exponentially increase support for overturning that terrible decision.
And Americans can very easily show their support for overturning that lousy supreme court decision by donating dollars to the fund that is 100% devoted to supporting efforts and events that promote the achievement of a constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizens United.
Could be a virtuous cycle.
I believe this is yet another way to Occupy the media. Don't get me wrong. I would also love to see us PHYSICALLY Occupy the media in all sorts of non-violent ways (heck, we should surround FOX with a crowd of 200,000 protestors as far as I'm concerned). I think the incredible attention that would arise from having active SUPER PAC called "Overturn Citizens United" would be yet another way to Occupy the media. In this case, instead of Occupying their building, we're Occupying Their attention.
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How should the money be used?
It looks like the repeal of Citizens United is getting some legs, so how about a PAC to eliminate PACs?
Wouldn't that be ironic?
Poetic. Use a favored tool of corruption to eliminate corruption.
Irony, used for a positive outcome.
I will search later to see how this PACs formation is progressing.
In the meantime you might enjoy this.
http://www.hopewellproject.org/ People send this link viral!!!!!!!!!!!
Game changing corruption buster?
Hopewell looks interesting.
I'll do what I can to get the word out.
Check this out.
http://ecat.com/
Hope would seem to be forever on the horizon, but this one is being built.
Very interesting. Worth talking about and spreading the word for further investigation.
http://ecat.com/
I like that.....
I think I could dig up a little money to give to that cause!!!!!!!
Keep this thread high for a few days and see if the PAC takes off...................:)
If funding movement for the elimination of PACs / constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizens United were the clearly stated goals of this particular PAC and it had its own website, it could attracted millions of donations that could add up to tens of millions of dollars....Very useful to have a war chest specifically designated for effectively overturning Citizens United.
Anything to move forward, and garner guaranteed, positive press, can only be a good thing..
Oddly enough, whether one is comfortable or uncomfortable about Occupy having a SUPER PAC to raise money specifically to end PACs, one must admit that such an effort is likely to raise 1,000 times as much money with the news coverage as a "SUPER PAC" as would be raised if it was a general campaign where $ goes into a credit union account called "Free America" and isn't associated with the PAC system.
Like it or not, the national press would cover the dollar amount in that superpac like some kind of horse race and would be absolutely fascinated to know how it's used. In addition to providing major funding for the movement, this SUPER PAC would provide endless opportunities to spread the word about all sorts of issues and opportunities for Americans to take their country back from corporatist hijackers who have inserted themselves between the people and their government. What has occurred is nothing less than a coup by corporate America. And the jig is up!
Finally, a nationally known easy way for Americans to show their support of the Occupy movement with real dollars that will directly find efforts that will help dramatically shift the balance of power back to the people. 100% of the funds should be devoted to efforts and events that help achieve a constitutional amendment to effectively overturn Citizens United supreme court decision that gave corporations the power to buy elections.
oh, that is a good one.
In educating are base in the fastest ways of fixing the system. Sorry to be so general and cliche but education is the foundation in efficient action. We need to fix education for the youth.
This is very innovative for us and good from what I understand.
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It will be fascinating to watch the reaction both from supporters and detractors and will also be interesting to see how much money is raised. In the age of the Internet, Facebook and twitter, it could be HUGE. It was inevitable it would happen. How should the money be used. The person who set this up has vowed 100% transparency down to the penny.
It feels exciting & empowering. Solidarity!
I think its hypocritical
We need to play their game to beat them or they will always win. Change from the inside.
Even if doing this end up funding the movement to successfully overturn Citizens United?
Yeah, even if.
The key is to get a Constitutional Amendment passed for election reform and keeping special interests out of DC to end corruption. Pressure from street actions historically forced these... think Prohibition. The Womens Temperance Union, Anti Saloon League, and other grass roots groups took street action against a decidedly male powered establishment and forced a Constitutional Amendment to be written and passed. Some attacked saloons directly, some occupied Washington DC, where a flame was kept lit 24/7 for their cause. They didn't fund thieves in DC to do their bidding but put public pressure on them to instill change.
The quickest way to loose credibility is to go down the path of the Washington political machine.
So how do we make the things you're suggesting happen?
By continuing in the manner that we were. The occupations worked, and well. They rattled the local machines so much that legislation was passed to limit the encampments.
More street protests, more marches on DC with other groups like Hospital Workers Union, or Vets. Think of the Million Man march on DC that MLK pulled off for the Civil Rights movement.... or the Vietnam AntiWar marches... more street action, that's what the politicals fear the most, that is what historically worked to initiate change.
The Tea Party has been in Congress for two years now. What have they accomplished, and they have a PAC as well.
The people have to move in the streets, the schools, the workplaces. that's where the 99% is strong.
I agree that such protests are vital but that requires raising a lot of funds...if we're going to get to the scale you suggest.
I agree, but a PAC is NOT the way.
OK. How do you raise the funds?
A PAC is a vessel, one used for political funding as you know. It will still need donors in the manner that OWS needs donors currently. The thought that since it will be used for a single focus purpose that the vessel may draw more donors is important, as the movement is currently viewed as out of focus.
But isn't this putting the cart before the horse? Shouldn't there be a tangible reaching out and uniting of all the OWS groups around the country, polling them for what are the most critical and vital issues to address? As of right now OWS LA is the only group to have written a definitive list of demands.... not grievances but demands. Until coherence is achieved we are blowing in the wind.
I am a member of other forums not dealing with politics and the conservatives on these forums are having a field day pointing out the shear hypocricy of this move, and I have to agree. The press will do the same thing.... I'm telling you this is a bad move. One does not fight evil with the same evil you deplore. Working within the system is how this movement will be co-opted. The machine has way more power and money then OWS will dream of having.
Then there is the little thing about integrity.
A PAC in and of itself won't raise you any money. It's just a cute way to get around federal campaign donation limits.
You're absolutely wrong. This new SUPER PAC to benefit efforts to overturn Citizens United will inspire all sorts of coverage.
The mainstream national media will be beside themselves covering the fund balance like a horse race. This will draw attention, not only to the general absurdity of the Citizens United decision but it will also draw specific attention to the corporate interests supporting Romney etc. They will also cover the endlessly interesting ways the money is being used exclusively to promote efforts and events that will effectively overturn Citizens United supreme court decision with a constitutional amendment.
You know, I seem to remember politics being a money game even before Citizens United. Sure it would be good to reverse it, and I hope we can, but let's not dream that this is how the 99% is going to claim democracy for itself.
It's how the 99% will be co-opted.
I think there are liberals who won't go all the say with OWS. Some of them are going to split off and pursue various petition drives and are going to campaign for Obama. If OWS stays true to itself the 99 won't be coopted.
NEGATIVE coverage. It indicates a huge lack of integrity with the movement.
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/blog/what-occupy-wall-street-has-super-pac
http://www.ology.com/politics/occupy-wall-street-forms-super-pac-without-any-sense-irony/02162012
"So who’s Thornton? If he’s the same fellow in this article from the Decatur Daily (same name, same age, same location) – he’s a mental health worker with serious alleged mental health troubles himself." http://biggovernment.com/bshapiro/2012/02/17/occupy-gets-a-pac-but-is-the-founder-a-nut-case/
Pretty unnecessary for a NON poltical movement. Get money out of politics unless it's ours!!!!
Funny that you think anyone will listen to you when you have the word "whore" next to the word "zen" in your name.
sat·ire [sat-ahyuhr] Show IPA
noun
the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.
a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.
Dumbocrats
Dun(ces)
Satire is dead.
All movements are political regardless of people being aware of the definition & history of the word politics. To be human is to be political regardless if one is in denial of the fact.