After the swearing-in of the first Congress elected by unlimited corporate election spending, 2011 went down as the year Congress fiddled while America burned. Republicans and Democrats both took their turns engaging in their fair part of naked corruption.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on clandestine insider trading deals, where elected officials in Washington revealed key elements of legislation before passage, enabling financiers to turn huge profits. The National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Obama creates a legal gray area that could deny Americans due process rights. The same Congress that voted down creating millions of good-paying jobs for unemployed constituents without batting an eye is the same one seriously considering censorship of the internet.
Congress is well-deserving of its record-low approval ratings. In early December, Congress attracted thousands of activists for Take Back the Capitol, a week-long protest that staged dozens of sit-ins in Congressional offices and managed to shut down 4 blocks of K Street for an entire afternoon. That energy has persisted -- on the first day of the 2012 legislative session (and the fourth anniversary of Occupy Wall Street), Occupy is aiming to mobilize hundreds of thousands in Washington on Jan. 17.
At Occupy Congress' 11 a.m. national general assembly meeting, two solutions must be proposed -- to rally behind Sen. Bernie Sanders' Saving American Democracy amendment as a state-by-state effort to undo corporate personhood, and to immediately gather all numbers onto the steps of the Supreme Court in protest of the Citizens United vs. FEC ruling.
The corporate media's unkind one-sided Occupy coverage of our movement has hurt our image, steering focus on our camps instead of our cause. The news cameras' heavy favoring of the inarticulate and the unwashed has encouraged and enabled mainstream America to alienate and tune out family, friends and neighbors standing against a corrupt corporatocracy. Syndicated columnists and network commentators constantly accuse us of lacking focus or direction. But acting on these two solutions both solidifies the remaining resolve of the Occupy movement, and creates a winnable goal based on a central demand.
Just as Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge has become the rallying cry for conservatives at the federal and state levels, the Bernie Sanders anti-corporate personhood amendment can become a similar litmus test for all candidates who want support from the Occupy Movement. Just as Virginia's Ken Cuccinelli is rallying conservative state attorneys general to fight health care reform, progressive AGs can similarly mount a state-by-state campaign to challenge the constitutionality of Citizens United. Want the Occupy vote? Sign the anti-corporate personhood pledge.
Our constitution already makes it clear that no person may be owned by another person. Under that precedent, Wells Fargo would've never been allowed to acquire Wachovia. Newscorp, Disney, Viacom, CBS, Time Warner and GE wouldn't have been allowed to conquer the media.
A proposal to stand behind the Sanders amendment followed by mass arrests of thousands on the steps of the Supreme Court would be the perfect catalyst to a state-by-state movement focused on ending corporate personhood for good. When Occupiers get back to their cities, they could start by participating in Move to Amend's Occupy the Courts on Jan. 20.
While Occupy has made great strides in influencing the public dialogue, there is still a troubling void where a central, unifying rallying cry should be. Social movements can't be powered by raw emotion forever. If we want to win, 2012 must be the year we occupy SCOTUS.
Follow Carl Gibson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/usuncut
Azeem Ibrahim: Liberty or Security -- Why Can't We Have Both?
Brian Frederick: Stop Online Piracy Act and Sports Fans
Parker J. Palmer: Real-World Change Can Come From Within
Richard Brodsky: New Year's Omens in the Big Apple
Please come to the Occupy Congress Rally in Washington D.C. on January 17th on the Capitol Mall. We can show the country and the world that we are here and we are strong and committed to fighting for the middle class. We must use our power the way the Tea Party used theirs to gain political power in 2010. Although I disagree with their point of view very strongly, I respect how they worked hard to get the political power which it takes to pass legislation to make our lives better. We can do better, and I hope to see many of you in D.C. on the 17th to make your voice heard.
TRANSCEND 2012!!!!!!
www.movetoamend.org/occupythecourts
www.movetoamend.org/amendment
One of the main purposes of OTC is to introduce America to Move to Amend's proposed 28th Amendment. Unlike the other amendments that have been introduced into the House, and the Senate, recently, MTA's proposed 28th Amendment clearly, and unequivocally, states: 1) that rights recognized under the Constitution belong to human beings, ONLY. (With NO exceptions and NO loopholes); and, 2) that "Money is NOT speech." To read Move to Amend's proposed amendment, go to www.movetoamend.org/amendment. THIS is what an amendment that is serious about ending corporate personhood, and about getting money out of politics looks like!
Hope to see you all at OCCUPY THE COURTS on January 20, 2012!
ONWARD!
Steve Justino
Move to Amend, National Action Coordinator, OCCUPY THE COURTS - 1.20.2012!
Placing ads with media corporations is where most money in politics is spent. It is so refreshing for the media to continuously point out the evil of money in politics.
Following reports of serious financial abuses in the 1972 Presidential campaign, Congress amended the FECA in 1974 to set limits on contributions by individuals, political parties and PACs. But politicians exempted the commercial press.
2 USC 431 (9) (B) (i) The term "expenditure" does not include any news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate;
The press exemption divides participation in America’s political process into two categories: The regulated majority, every living U.S. Citizen, candidate for office, political party and political organization and the unregulated commercial media.
The NRA bought a radio station. Should like minded citizens have to buy a radio station to exercise freedom of speech or a newspaper to exercise freedom of the press? Campaign laws that give megaphones to corporate media and muzzle the voices of grass roots enthrone corporate influence of elections?
Non-profits help level the playing field for flesh and blood vs. exempt corporate media.
Amendment 1: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
On Wikipedia lookup the words:
• “Assembly”: “Freedom of assembly, the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests.
• “Association”: “Voluntary associations, groups of individuals who voluntarily enter into an agreement to accomplish a purpose.” 501(c) non-profit organization is given as an example.
• “Coordination”: “Coordination is the act of coordinating, making different people or things work together for a goal or effect to fulfill desired goals in an organization. Coordination is a managerial function in which different activities of the business are properly adjusted and interlinked.”
In sports the lack of coordination leads to lost games. In orchestras the lack of coordination results in dissonance. Choreography without coordination lacks grace. Lack of coordination in business results in lost profits.
Oh well, I guess uncoordinated political campaigns are good training for political candidates that will work in our dysfunctional government.
There are few things more distinctly American than grassroots political activism. From town hall meetings and statehouse rallies to talk radio, blogs and “meet ups,” Americans are constantly finding new and innovative ways to participate in politics. Through such activities, people can alert elected officials to constituents’ preferences, educate fellow citizens about how to make their voices heard, and even persuade the public to adopt new views. In fact, it’s hard to imagine our system of government working without an active and engaged populace of grassroots activists.
But little-known laws existing in a majority of states threaten to strangle this kind of political participation with red tape, ensuring that the public square is occupied by only those established voices that have enough resources to overcome the immense burdens imposed by so-called “grassroots lobbying” laws. These laws require groups to register with the state and file frequent and detailed reports about their contributions, expenditures and activities.
http://instituteforjustice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3316&Itemid=165
More Democracy -
Real campaign finance reform with public financing of federal elections.
A constitutional amendment reversing the Supreme Court's bizarre rulings that under the First Amendment money is speech and corporations are people.
More Jobs -
A ten-year federal program that creates over 30 million jobs rebuilding America that includes infrastructure banks run by engineers, not politicians and a national clean energy initiative.
Pay for it by taxing all Wall St. financial transactions at 1% raises $400 billion a year, end the wars and reduce military spending.
End The Housing Crisis -
A national anti-foreclosure plan that is up to the scale of the problem would include principal write-downs of underwater loans, expanded refinancings for borrowers in high-rate loans, and forbearance for unemployed homeowners.
Reduce Financial Risk To Society -
Break up the biggest banks.
Reenact Glass-Steagall.
Abolish credit default swaps
Derivatives must be traded on transparent exchanges.
Ban "flash" trading.
Protect The Environment -
STRICTLY enforce the Clean Air Act.
A Fair Federal Tax Code -
The marginal tax rate raised to 50% on income between $500,000 and $5 million, 60% on income between $5 million and $15 million, and 70% on income over $15 million.
The estate tax should be 55% and kicks in after $5 million.
Capital gains should be taxed at 35%.
Eliminate corporate loopholes, unfair tax breaks, exemptions and deductions, subsidies, end offshore tax haven abuse.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Tell me how the Supreme Court made the wrong decision? Congress is forbidden from writing laws that abrdige freedom of speech, press and assembly to petition the government for a redress of grievances. In other words, Congress is to not write laws governing political campaigns!
Now only the corporate media, via exemption from campaign laws, enjoy those freedoms intended for flesh and blood. More campaign laws will only further muzzle the voice of the people and concentrate yet more power in the corporate owned media!
push election process was the Supreme Court and they are the ones that will have to overturn this
decision. Many more would be happy to join and support a focused cause such as this and put everyone's energy into it until it changes. Then go to the next one. There is far more power in large numbers of people protesting one important cause than a some numbers of people protesting alot of different causes.
The next cause should be Voters ID requirements changing in the states. Support the AG office in their response to fighting its constitionality.
Looks like that has already begun.
trust me, when CEOs are racking in $250mill+ from 5 to 6 year gigs, unions are not the problem of the society... the growing income disparity is, and you fix that through a more progresive tax system... The sad part of this is the generation fighting most of these ideas is the last one to enjoy it... The baby boomers were spoiled from reagans irresponsible short gain system and are leaving the bust results on Gen Y, while Gen X is throwing a tantrum with ears and eyes closed to reality...
Your suggestion has been increasingly tried for over 30 years with the same negatively trending results for ordinary citizens.
30 years is quite enough time to demonstrate the value of your suggestion. Your suggestion, as has been demonstrated by experience, is a bad one.