Democracy presentation-18 min - First Parish in Needham ... · Then came the Progressives, led by...
Transcript of Democracy presentation-18 min - First Parish in Needham ... · Then came the Progressives, led by...
Welcometo“FixingOurBrokenDemocracy.”Thispresentationisabouttheneedfora
constitutionalamendmenttooverturntheSupremeCourtdecisionknownas“CitizensUnited,”whichendowedcorporationswithconstitutionalrightsintendedtoprotectlivingindividuals,andopenedthefloodgatestothecorruptinginfluenceofunlimitedpolitical
spending.
MynameisPaulLauenstein.I’mnotapolitician.I’mnotaprofessionalactivist.I’mjusta
retiredprintshopownerandaconcernedcitizen.
LikemanyAmericans,Iseeapoliticalsystemthatcaterstopowerfulspecialinterests.
That’swhyIvolunteermytimetohelpbuildthebroadmovementweneedifwewanta
democracythatservestheinterestsofallAmericans.
1
TheEconomist,awell-respectedweekly,recentlydowngradedtheUnitedStatesfroma
“fulldemocracy”(countriesshownindarkgreen)toa“flaweddemocracy”(countries
showninlightgreen).
TheUnitedStatesshouldnolongerbeconsideredabeaconofdemocracyfortherestof
theworld.
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Inastudyofalmost1,800policyinitiatives,politicalscientistsfromPrincetonand
Northwesternfoundthatthepreferencesofaveragecitizenshavealmostnoeffecton
governmentpolicies.However,theyfoundthatthepreferencesofeconomicelitesmatter
alot.TheyconcludedthatAmericaismoreofanoligarchy–whereasmallwealthyelite
rules–thanademocracy,wherethepeoplerule.
Let’stakealookathowwegotintothissituation,andwhatwecandotofixourbroken
democracy.
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WhenAbrahamLincolngavehisfamousGettysburgaddress,thememoryoftheAmerican
Revolutionwasstillfreshinthemindsofhisgeneration.Theyrememberedthesacrificesof
theirforefathersinoverthrowingthetyrannyofKingGeorge.Theyalsorememberedthe
economicoppressionoftheEastIndiaCompany,aglobalcorporationthatmonopolized
tradeinthecolonies,andhowthecoloniststhrewtheteaintoBostonHarbortoprotest
thatoppression.
Standingontheblood-soakedbattlefieldatGettysburg,Lincolnutteredtheseimmortal
words,“…weherehighlyresolve…thatgovernmentofthepeople,bythepeople,forthe
people,shallnotperishfromtheearth.”
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Lincoln'sgenerationfoughtabloodyCivilWartoholdthenationtogether,hopingthat
governmentof,byandforthepeoplewouldprevail.
However,withinafewdecades,theRobberBaronsoftheGildedAge–bigindustrialists
suchasRockefeller,VanderbiltandJ.P.Morgan–weremakingamockeryofthatvision.
TheGildedAgebroughtextremesofbothgreatwealthandgrindingpoverty,astheRobber
Baronsmadehugefortunes,takingadvantageofcheaplaboratatimewhenworkershad
almostnorights.Itwasalsoatimeofcorruptioningovernment.Lobbyistsstalkedthe
hallsofCongresswithmoneyandgifts,tobribepoliticiansintowritingthelegislationthat
corporationswanted.
Soundfamiliar?
Corporatetycoonswantedtogettheirbusinessesoutfromundergovernmentcontrol.Led
bytheboomingrailroadindustry,stepbystepthroughthelate1800s,theymanipulated
andbribedstatelegislaturesintoliftingtherestrictionswrittenintocorporatecharters,
andbynowtheyhadtheireyesonthebiggestprize:theconstitutionalrightsofnatural
persons.Theyknewthatcorporationscouldmanipulateconstitutionalrightstoavoid
compliancewithlawstheydidn'tlike,apracticethathasbeendubbedthe"corporate
veto."
Fordecades,lawyersbroughtcaseaftercasetotheSupremeCourtdemanding
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Theystakedtheirclaimonthe14thAmendmentof1868,whichaffirmedthatnewlyfreed
slaveswerecitizens.The14thAmendmentguaranteedall“persons”equalprotectionofthe
laws.
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Upuntilthistime,ithadbeenunderstoodthatacorporationwasaseparatekindof
person,anartificialperson.Whatdoesthatmean?Well,let'ssayagroupofpeoplewant
togointobusinesstogether.Theyfilewiththestateforacharter.Oncethecharteris
granted,thelawtreatsthebusinessasifitwereone"person,"sothatitcandothingslike
enteringintocontractsandfilinglawsuits.Thisgivesthecorporationalimitedkindoflegal
personhood.
Andthat’sfine.Corporationsneedtobeabletofunctionthatway.
(click)Butthat’sreallydifferentfromsayingthattheyhavealltherightsofpeopleunder
theConstitution.Thesearenaturalrightsthatareinherentlypartofwhoweareashuman
beings.Thereisnothingnaturalorinherentaboutacorporation.It’salegalarrangement
createdbyanactofstatelaw.
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Sotheaimofthe14thAmendmentwastoensurethatflesh-and-bloodpersonswhohad
beenabusedforsolongasslaveshadequalprotectionofthelaws.
Butwhatactuallyhappened?
Between1890and1910theSupremeCourtheard307casesregardingthe14th
Amendment.Mostoftheminvolvedcorporations,notAfricanAmericans.
Corporationshadtheresourcestomanipulatethelegalsystemtotheiradvantage,while
formerslavesdidnot.
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TheGildedAgedidnotlastforever!
Relyingonconstitutionalrightssuchasfreedomofspeech,freedomofthepress,and
freedomofassembly,peoplefoughtbackingreatmovementsforchange.
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ThesemovementsincludedthePopulistsinthe1890’s,ledbyWilliamJenningsBryan,who
demandedthedirectelectionofsenators,citizenballotinitiatives,andotherexperiments
indirectdemocracy.
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ThencametheProgressives,ledbytrust-busterTeddyRoosevelt.
Hesaid,“Corporateexpendituresforpoliticalpurposeshavesuppliedoneoftheprincipalsourcesofcorruptioninourpoliticalaffairs.”
11
In1920,afterdecadesofstruggle,womenfinallygottherighttovotewiththepassageof
the19thamendment.
Depression-erareformssuchassocialsecurity,unemploymentinsurance,FDICandGlass-
SteagallstabilizedtheeconomyandledtoagoldenerainAmericaafterWorldWarII.For
decades,prosperitywaswidelysharedasthemiddleclassgrew.
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Inthe1950sthroughthe1970stherewereotherremarkablepeople’smovements,suchas
theCivilRightsMovement,
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theanti-warmovement,
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andtheenvironmentalmovement.
OnEarthDay,20millionAmericansfromcoasttocoastdemonstratedinthestreetsto
protestpollution,oilspills,andotherharmscausedbycorporations.
EarthDaywonthesupportofRepublicans,Democrats,andallkindsofAmericans.Itledto
thecreationoftheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,thepassageoftheCleanAirand
CleanWaterActsandmanyotherlawstoprotectoursharedenvironment.
Lincoln'svisionofgovernmentof,byandforthepeoplewasbecomingareality.
However,corporateAmericawatchedthesedevelopmentswithgrowingalarm,and
embarkedonacounterstrategy.
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Thistwo-minuteclipfromHeist:WhoStoletheAmericanDreamshowswhatthat
corporatecounterstrategywas.
16
ThePowellMemoandChamberofCommercestrategychangedoursocietydramatically.
LewisPowellwasatobaccoindustrylawyerbeforeNixonappointedhimtotheSupreme
Court.TherobeheworeonhisfirstdayasaSupremeCourtJusticewasagiftfromthe
PhillipMorrisCompany.
WhilehewasontheSupremeCourt,Powellhelpeddecideanumberofcasesthat
expandedthepowerofcorporations.
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InBuckleyv.Valeo,thecourtruledthatgovernmentcan’tlimittheamountofmoneythat
candidatesspendonelections.Thisisthedecisionthatcreatedthenotionthat(click)moneyequalsspeech!
(click)InFirstNationalBankvBellotti,theCourtruledthatlimitingcorporateexpenditures
toinfluenceballotinitiativesconstitutesaviolationoftheirFirstAmendmentspeechrights.
Decisionsliketheseledtomoremoneyinelectionsandmorecorporateinfluence.
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Corporationshavebecomesosuccessfulatwinningconstitutionalrightsthattheycan
exercisewhatauthorJeffClementscallsthe“CorporateVeto.”Thismeanscorporations
canusetheirnewfoundconstitutionalrightsincourttoavoidcompliancewithlawsthey
don'tlike.
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Inhisbook,“CorporationsAreNotPeople””Clementsdescribeshowcorporationsuse
constitutionalrightstocircumventlawsprotectingourhealth,safety,andenvironment.
Andtheyhavedonesohundredsoftimes!
Onesuch“corporateveto”happenedrighthereinMassachusetts.
20
RecognizeJoeCamel?Themascotcreatedtomarketcigarettestokids?
In1998Massachusettspassedalawtoprotectchildrenbybanningcigaretteadvertising
within1,000feetofschoolsandplaygrounds.TheSupremeCourtstruckdownthelaw,
sayingitviolatedtheFirstAmendmentspeechrightsoftobaccocompanies.
Thiscaseraisesthequestion:whatisthemeaningoffreedom?Doesitmeancorporations
arefreetodobusinessregardlessoftheconsequencesforsociety?OrdoesitmeanWethe
Peoplearefreetoprotectourchildren,regardlessoftheconsequencesforcorporate
profits?
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WithitsinfamousCitizensUniteddecisionof2010,theSupremeCourtstruckdownsome
ofthefewremainingcampaignfinancerestrictions.
Basedonthedoctrinethatartificialentitieshaveconstitutionalrights,andmoneyisaform
ofFirstAmendmentspeech,theSupremeCourtopenedthefloodgatestomoneyin
politics,andcorporatedominationofourdemocracy.
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Fourjusticesdissented.JusticeJohnPaulStevenssaid,“Corporationshelpstructureand
facilitatetheactivitiesofhumanbeings,tobesure,andtheir‘personhood’oftenservesas
ausefullegalfiction.Buttheyarenotthemselvesmembersof‘WethePeople’bywhom
andforwhomourConstitutionwasestablished.”
InthewakeoftheCitizensUniteddecision,thingshaveonlygottenworse.
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In2014,theSupremeCourtissuedanother5-4decisioninthecaseofMcCutcheonv.FECthatstruckdowntheFEC’slimitonhowmuchanindividualmaycontributeduringatwo-
yearelectioncycle.McCutcheon’sattorneysarguedthatcampaigncontributionsarea
formoffreespeech.
Asaresult,billionairessuchasSeanMcCutcheonmaynowcontributemillions.
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OutsidespendingonelectionshasskyrocketedsincetheCitizensUniteddecisionin2010.
Corporateexecutivesfocusonprofit.Theybuypoliticalinfluencebecauseitoffersahigh
returnoninvestment–usuallyattheexpenseoftherestofus.Inessence,itamountsto
legalizedbribery.
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SenatorJohnMcCainsaid,“MoneydoesbuyaccessinWashington,andaccessincreases
influencethatoftenresultsinbenefitingthefewattheexpenseofthemany.”
Heco-authoredtheBipartisanCampaignReformAct,whichlimitedmoneyinpolitics.
ThatlawwaseffectivelyinvalidatedbytheCitizensUniteddecision.
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Remember,thisnationexistsbecausepeoplestoodupagainstanoverwhelming
concentrationofpower.TheykickedtheEastIndiaCompanyoutofthiscontinententirely!
Anditdidn’tendthere.Generationaftergeneration,people’smovementshavefoughtto
realizetheidealsofdemocracy.
BigchangecanbeachievedwhenWeThePeopledecidewe’vehadenough!
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ManypeoplethoughtHillaryClintonwouldwintheelectionandappointnewSupreme
CourtjusticeswhowouldoverturnCitizensUnited.However,theelectionresultsprovedthataconstitutionalamendmentistheonlylastingwaytooverturntheSupremeCourt
rulingsattherootoftheproblem.
UntilnoweverygenerationofAmericanshasamendedtheConstitution.Nowit’sourturn.
RestoringtheauthorityofWethePeopleoverpowerfulspecialinterestsisthegreat
challengeofourgeneration.
Wemustwinanamendmentthatachievestwocoregoals:
First,therightsprotectedbytheConstitutionaretherightsofnaturalpersonsonly(i.e.
artificialentitiessuchascorporationsdonothaveconstitutionalrights).
Thisisreferredtobytheslogan“CorporationsarenotPeople.”
Second,thespendingofmoneytoinfluenceelectionsisnot
protectedfreespeechundertheFirstAmendment,andthereforeCongressandthestates
mayregulateit.
Thisisreferredtobytheslogan“MoneyisnotSpeech.”
Oncewewinsuchanamendment,wecanpasscampaignlawsthatcannotbeinvalidated
bytheSupremeCourt!Thenwecanelectrepresentativesaccountabletoordinarypeople.
Withdemocracyworkingbetter,wecantakeonsolvingthemanycrisesfacingourcountry!
Thatisaplan!
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TherearetwowaystoproposeanamendmenttotheConstitution–a2/3voteby
Congress,oraconventioncalledby2/3ofthestates.Theproposedamendmentmustthen
beratifiedbyatleast3/4ofthestatesbeforebecomingpartoftheConstitution.
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Massachusettsisoneof19statesandover700citiesandtowns,includingBoston,New
York,LosAngeles,ChicagoandPhiladelphia,thathaveformallycalledonCongressto
proposeaconstitutionalamendmenttooverturnCitizensUnited.
However,despitehugebipartisandemandfordemocraticreform,Congresshasstillnot
proposedtheamendmentweneed,andtheydonotappearlikelytodosoanytimesoon.
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ThisJanuarymarkedthe8thanniversaryoftheCitizensUniteddecision.
WithCongressseeminglyparalyzed,it'stimeforthestatestocallforanamendment-
proposingconvention.Sofarfivestateshavedoneso.
Massachusetts,thecradleofAmericandemocracy,shouldjointhem!
If34statestakethisaction,aconventionofdelegatesfromthestatescanproposean
amendmentwithoutwaitingforCongress.
Althoughtherehasneverbeenanamendment-proposingconventioninU.S.history,this
tactichassucceededseveraltimesinpressuringCongresstopre-emptivelypropose
neededamendments.
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WethePeopleMassachusettsisworkingtopasstheWethePeopleAct,andhave
Massachusettsjointheotherstatesthathavealreadycalledforanamendment
convention.
Sofar85statelegislatorshaveco-sponsoredourbill,butweneedevenmoresupportto
getthelegislaturetovoteonit.
Somelegislatorssaytheyarenothearingfromtheirconstituentsonthisissue.
Andthat'swhatitcomesdownto.It’suptous.Are“WethePeople”readytodowhatit
takestorealizeLincoln'svisionofgovernmentof,byandforthepeople?
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Thecaptionofthiscartoonreads,“…withlibertyandjusticeforsale.”
Whatkindofexampleshallwesetforourchildren?Whatkindofworldshallweleavefor
them?
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