From Credo Action -- January 29, 2010:
Tell President Obama and the Congressional leadership to save our democracy.
We need to stop the corporate takeover of our electoral process.
We cannot have a government that is bought and paid for by huge multinational corporations. We need a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I support Rep. Alan Grayson's "Save Our Democracy" platform. Put the full power of your office behind these six simple reforms to stop corporations from taking over our democratic process.
More than 80,000 CREDO Action members have already signed to stop the Big Business takeover of our government. With your help, we can get to 100,000! Help keep the momentum going by signing this petition.
We deserve a country where our elected officials are not bought and paid for by Big Business. But last week's Supreme Court decision in the case Citizens United vs. FEC overturned over a century of precedent and opened the floodgates for unlimited amounts of corporate money to flow into our political system. Shockingly, the court's decision may even allow foreign corporations and large multinationals to manipulate our elections.
Progress on any issue we care about depends upon our ability to stop the corporate takeover of our electoral process. If we do nothing, this ruling has the potential to undermine the very foundation of our democracy.
Click here to automatically sign our petition to President Obama and the Congressional leadership telling them they must enact strong laws to save our democracy from the pernicious influence of corporate money.
Representative Alan Grayson has been one the most forceful voices in responding to this crisis. He has introduced a number of bills as part of a "Save Our Democracy" initiative to blunt some of the worst implications of the Supreme Court's decision.
The Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act (H.R. 4431): Implements a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns.
The Public Company Responsibility Act (H.R. 4435): Prevents companies making political contributions and expenditures from trading their stock on national exchanges.
The End Political Kickbacks Act (H.R. 4434): Prevents for-profit corporations that receive government money from making political contributions, and limits the amount that employees of those companies can contribute.
The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act (H.R. 4432): Requires publicly traded companies to disclose in SEC filings money used for the purpose of influencing public opinion, rather than for promoting their products and services.
The Ending Corporate Collusion Act (H.R. 4433): Applies antitrust law to industry PACs.
The End the Hijacking of Shareholder Funds Act (H.R. 4487): This bill requires the approval of a majority of a public company's shareholders for any expenditure by that company to influence public opinion on matters not related to the company's products or services.
Without these types of laws, it will be even harder for candidates and elected officials to stand up to Big Business. Even before the decision, we too often saw the interests of Main Street subverted in favor of the interests of Wall Street. But with the Citizens United decision now the law of the land, large corporations have the power to spend unlimited amounts of money from their general treasuries to buy elections.
To put things in perspective, the roughly $745 million Barack Obama raised to run for President (which was the most money raised by any candidate ever to run for office in the U.S.) is dwarfed by the $45 billion in profits a single company (ExxonMobil) made in 2008.
We have heard that the Democratic leadership in the House and the Senate will be deciding in the next few weeks upon a legislative package to push in response to the Citizens United decision. We need to ensure they respond boldly.
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16 comments:
"Save Our Democracy"
This is not a democracy. We are a republic. I think that Supreme Court made a decision on that. Do you suggest that we no longer honor the decisions of the Supreme Court? Because you don't agree with the decisions?
You mean like SEIU? They gave MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars.
The LA Times reports California government officials believe the Service Employees International Union (SIEU SEIU), a major contributor to Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign, may have had:
“… inappropriate influence over the Obama administration’s decision to withhold billions of dollars in federal stimulus money from California if the state does not reverse a scheduled wage cut for the labor group’s workers.”
You mean that kind of influence?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8474611.stm
BBC News Article: "Why do people often vote against their own interests?"
Very interesting!!
"Why do people often vote against their own interests?"---Anon2
Very simple. Some people put the good of the country ABOVE their own interests.
And, some people are fooled and conned by the Cons.
Why do you think Cons are called "Cons"?
And, they're so good at it.
I think that having to even WONDER why "some people would vote against their own best interests" says it all. You are supposed to put your country first. That is how it works best. What has gone wrong is the prevailing attitude that you vote for what the country can give you("ask not what your country can do for YOU, ask what YOU can do for your country"--great words from a great man. Remember?)
Unfortunately we are seeing this attitude in the form of GREED in our government officals as well as in the general population. Thomas Jefferson said, that the "only thing that will threaten to bring this Republic down, is INDIDUAL GREED." (another great man)I think that we are seeing the results of that very thing.
Until we change our attitudes and put the good of our country first, we will not see a real change. Won't matter if it is a Democrat or Republican in charge or majority in congress or senate. Greed knows no party lines---as we well know.
"Representative Alan Grayson has been one the most forceful voices in responding to this crisis."
Alan Grayson is a loon. I would not be so quick site him. He is on his way OUT as he has quickly become an embarrassment to his state!
Hey CJP, I see an Anonymous posting, I wonder if it's BBs old Anonymous buddy?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/29/gop-adopts-platform-test-_n_442776.html
PURITY TEST for GOP Candidates.
Reeks much like the Hitler era.
DO act and THINK alike.
How about people stop nitpicking on Semantics? A Democracy and a Republic ARE BASICALLY THE SAME THING. Saying it's not a democracy, it's a republic is like saying, "No my hair isn't red. It's red gold." Those who claim such are missing the point.
When corporate takeover of government happens that is fascism, pure and simple.
“Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power.” And this so-called decision by the Court proves that.
Corporations taking over our Supreme Court to regulate voting, and we all know there are too many RIGHT wing judges on that bench, is the obvious and blatant fascism that Adolf Jr started when he stole the presidency over 10 years ago.
The only thing they're going to do is continue the right wing cheating, so they can steal more elections. Talk about voting against your own interests. Is this Nazi Germany or the US (using Godwin's Law automatically loses the argument because my point is valid). This country nearly turned into a carbon copy of then and I have nearly 400 examples that show it.
This decision IS un-American and stomps again on the Constitution, which is there to stop these sociopaths from destroying the country and to keep them in line. And yes, including those on the Supreme Court Bench.
And who is putting their own interest over the good of the country? The Right Wing. It’s their way or else and they’ll do everything they can to stop us from fighting back. Blind obedience to the REICH-wing has gone too far. Enough is enough.
The right wing also stole the “election” the 2nd time where they changed votes automatically on voting machines, which are “regulated” by... Guess who? Yes, Republicans. You do the math.
Germany learned. Obviously America didn’t. The last thing we need is a bunch of little Frieslers on the Bench. Is the Supreme Court turning into the “People’s” Court, which is everything but?
Excellent comment, Anonymous.
By the way, what are the "400 examples" to which you refer?
"It’s their way or else and they’ll do everything they can to stop us from fighting back. Blind obedience to the REICH-wing has gone too far. Enough is enough."
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It's their way or they'll start a civil war, so they pretend. Thanks be to God thats they be Chicken Hawks.
Practicing my bro talk, as I have watching "The Wire" a lot. Through season 4, one more season to go. Time said it was the best series of the decade. Another big name critic said it was the best series of all time. Damn, I just wish the cons read and watched more high quality material. Instead of Faux News.
OMG! I should have known...Seriously, the article posted was actually ANON2? That figures...
"Reeks much like the Hitler era.
DO act and THINK alike."---Anon2
I will go very slowly, so that she can understand this: Facsism - takes - over - business. It is government control of business. Facsim is very much like Marxism. If you go back in HISTORY you will see that the symbols, the propaganda, even the salute, was very similar (and in some cases identicle) to Marxism. Before Hitler invaded Russia, Stalin thought Hiltler was a really peachy kinda guy!
Mussolini was first a Marxist.
I know you guys like to throw around the "Hitler" thing, but it really is inaccurate, and shows a lack of knowledge of history.
Might I suggest that you go to the library and get a book on this. Find out a bit about Facsism before you make these statements.
"How about people stop nitpicking on Semantics? A Democracy and a Republic ARE BASICALLY THE SAME THING. Saying it's not a democracy, it's a republic is like saying, "No my hair isn't red. It's red gold." Those who claim such are missing the point."--Anon2
of course...)
Again, I will have to point out for you that there is a difference between a Democracy and a Republic: (simple stuff. Didn't you guys ever take a Am. government, or Civics class?)This is usually covered in high school level US history.
These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and (b) The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority.
In a Democracy, The Individual, and any group of Individuals composing any Minority, have no protection against the unlimited power of The Majority.
The following website makes this very clear, and is a good start to help with this concept.
http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/aspects/demrep.html
Our Constitution provides safegards to protect everyone.
I can only assume from the silence, that you are actually reading something in the hopes that you can prove me wrong. Good!
I encourage that. Start with the difference between democracy and Republic, then take on Facsism.
Let's be clear on this, it's not the consrvatives that are taking over, it the neo-cons and the corporate whores. Conservatism and liberalism are good for america, but these clowns that call themselves conservatives, are far from conservatives. It is so blantantly obvious who's interest they have in mind, yet these "stupid" people follow them blindly into the fire. I am honestly shocked at the stupidity of the extreeme right and left wing nut jobs, and the people who follow them.
One more point, When they say "if you don't like america, leave" is that the most un-american thing you've ever heard? I mean really, this country was founded on dissent, with the idea that if you don't like something in america you can try to change it. or am I off base here? (Please excuse my spelling)
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