Forum Post: Proposal for transforming protest demands into the law of the land and people power

'We the People of the United States of America'

“We The People” initiative

• Initiative to form a consensus of our collective interests that distills the aims and specific demands of 'Occupy Wall Street' protests into two pieces of legislation designed for submission to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate for two separate up-or-down votes.

'The People's Act' – Legislative Item #1

• a piece of legislation comprised of comprehensive social-economic reforms of the political process, with an emphasis on the role and function of money in our political system and process (elections).

'Amendment XXVIII' – Legislative Item #2

• a piece of legislation that addresses and redresses social justice issues, with an emphasis on equality, equity and rights.

October 15th - December 31st (Launch “We The People” Reform initiative)

• a critical mass of protest synergies agrees on terms to launch the drafting of legislation as outlined below; open call for and selection of persons to form a 50 member (one per state as determined by state and local protesters) drafting committee.

January 1st New Year's Day (Drafting committees formed and finalized)

• open collaborative participation in support of drafting legislation that resembles wikipedia style submissions and editing. 'We The People.org,- .com. - .edu etc site serves as host of master documents for drafts of the 'Act' and the 'Amendment', edits, submissions to draft 'Act' and 'Amendment' must be approved by a simple majority of the perspective members on the 50 member drafting committee.

January 4th – March 30th (Draft outline of 'The People's Act' and 'Amendment XXVIII')

• general outline of first drafts with bullet point summations of key points of the proposed legislation for comment, debate and on-line voting on overall legislation as well as specific potentially contentious parts of each legislative item. Early March: discussion and debate pauses for 50 member committee to consider and revise initial drafts to be posted and voted for on-line.

April 1st – June 29th (1st Final Draft of 'The People's Act' and 'Amendment XXVIII')

• first final draft of 'Act' and 'Amendment' posted on-line for public review and consideration followed by a popular on-line vote on the 'Act' and 'Amendment' with real time disclosure and display of voting results.

June 30th July 4th (On-line voting and registration for 'Act' and 'Amendment')

• on-line registration and voting for 'Act' and 'Amendment' takes place simultaneously with final results posted on website: by end of day - Independence Day.

July 5th (CBO submission - scoring and analysis of legislation) -sponsored by House, Senate or President, a 'citizen submission of legislation' – the 'Act' -to the Congressional Budget Office for scoring or a reliable alternative that would yield the same kind and quality of result and analysis.

July 15th – July 28th (Draft, enlist and vote on U.S. Legislators to sit on 'Super committee' – 'The People's Committee of Congress')

• select members of Congress are asked to serve on a NON-government 'We The People' version of the 'Super Committee' tasked with putting the 'Act' and 'Amendment' through a Congressional style committee process in anticipation of their submission to Congress employing the full commitment of their congressional staffs and expertise during the August recess.

August 1st – August 31st ('People's committee' meet during Congressional recess period to review and comment on draft 'Act' and 'Amendment'.)

• Legislators who agree to serve on the 'People's Super Committee' – meet during the scheduled August Congressional Recess to review the draft 'Act' and 'Amendment' for the purpose of submitting specific proposals and revisions necessary to ensure compliance of the draft legislation with Congressional rules and procedures as both pertain to the submission and passage of each piece of legislation.

August 31st Public Consideration of Congressional input

• specific proposals and revisions submitted by the 'People's Super Committee' are posted on-line for discussion, consideration, revision, adoption, adaption and finally voting.

September 6th Labor Day Weekend

• on-line vote on the specific proposals and revisions submitted by the 'People's Super Committee'

October 11th (2nd Final Draft of 'Act' and 'Amendment' posted on-line for debate and commentary)

• based on the outcome of the vote on the specific proposals and revisions

Election Day Tuesday November 4th 2012

• National On-line vote for or against 'The People's Act' and 'Amendment XXVIII' – same day and time of U.S. Presidential Election-

77 Days between election and inauguration November 4th – January 20th

• intensify campaign to submit 'The People Act' and 'Amendment XXVIII' to either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate for up-or-down votes.