Occupy Boston Live on Citizens United – Jan 14, 2012 (YouTube Video)

Watch me on Occupy Boston Live with Suffolk Law Professor Donna Palermino give a teach-in on the implications of corporate personhood, and what we can do about it.

YOUTUBE VIDEO:
Occupy Boston Live Citizens United Jan 14, 2012

Youtube: Cory Atkins challenges corporate money in politics

WATCH MASSVOTE”S YOUTUBE VIDEO:

Cory Atkins challenges corporate money in politics

On January 18, a dozen state representatives and state senators came together with citizens to say it is time to end corporate money in politics through a constitutional amendment.

Women’s Caucus Winter 2011 Newsletter

We’ve accomplished a lot, and we have serious momentum going into 2012. Here’s a preview of upcoming Women’s Caucus events between January and May: STEM Update; Go Red for Women; Domestic Violence Prevention Info Session; Women’s Health; Jane Doe White Ribbon Day & Advocacy Day; Equal Pay Day; and Unsung Heroines.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/77789660/Winter-Newsletter-January-2012#source:facebook

Herald Editorial: The campaign crusade

The campaign crusade

By Boston Herald Editorial Staff | Thursday, January 19, 2012 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Editorials

There is a process in place to amend the U.S. Constitution — a process as old as the document itself — and fortunately it involves more than getting a non-binding resolution passed by a single state Legislature.

Two local lawmakers have authored a resolution aimed at overturning the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United, where the court found that political spending is a form of protected free speech and that restrictions on corporate or union campaign spending were therefore unconstitutional. They held a press conference yesterday to push for passage of the resolution, which calls on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment that would “restore fair elections” and send it to the states for ratification.

They’re not alone, of course. The forces united against “corporate personhood” (and it’s always corporate personhood they decry, not union personhood) have been howling about the implications of Citizens United since the ruling two years ago this week.

The resolution, sponsored by Sen. James Eldridge (D-Acton) and Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord) warns of dire threats to our democracy, decries the “corporate takeover” of the First Amendment and proclaims that the free speech provision of the Constitution “was designed to protect the free speech rights of people, not corporations.”

Well, hey, who needs a Supreme Court when you have a couple of partisan politicians from Massachusetts who can interpret the Constitution all on their own!

The high court ruling upheld the right of the government to require disclosure of political spending which strikes us as more than reasonable. But if opponents of the ruling really want to take the necessary steps to overturn the decision by amending the Constitution by all means that’s their right (and some of those superPAC ads can be rather annoying).

But they’ll need more than purple prose to get it done.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/editorials/view.bg?articleid=1396974

Sign the petition to pass S.772 – Free speech is for people

Pass S772 – Free speech is for people

It’s time Massachusetts took a stand against corporate dominance in our democracy. The State Legislature should pass Resolution S772 to send a message to Congress that we, the people of Massachusetts, believe that free speech belongs to people, not corporations.

S772 declares that “the Commonwealth of Massachusetts hereby calls upon the United States Congress to pass and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to restore the first amendment and fair elections to the people.”

Sign the petition today.

http://action.massvote.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9251

SHNS – Super PAC Spending, Scotus Decision Ripped at Presser

STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS – AFTERNOON EDITION – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 2012

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

SUPER PAC SPENDING, SCOTUS DECISION RIPPED AT PRESSER: Advocates for voter participation joined eight lawmakers Wednesday to call for an end to a “corporate takeover of the First Amendment,” which they say has been fueled by a two-year-old Supreme Court decision that paved the way for unlimited corporate and union spending to influence elections, often anonymously. Sen. James Eldridge (D-Acton) decried the influence of corporate spending on Massachusetts policies. He described opposition to a bottle recycling law, “real health care reform,” and “fair taxation” as examples of policies that have faced corporate resistance, even before the Supreme Court decision, known as Citizens United. “Corporations are not people,” said Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord). “They have no allegiance to our country.” The Supreme Court decision, issued in 2010, concluded that corporations and organized labor could spend unlimited funds as independent expenditures intended to influence an election without specifically endorsing or coordinating with a candidate. The 5-4 decision has led to the rise of so-called Super PACS, vehicles for corporate political spending with few disclosure requirements, which have already shown an ability to inundate TV stations in Republican presidential primary states. Although Super PACS are forbidden from coordinating directly with the candidates they support, Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield) argued that there is little doubt candidates collaborate with supportive entities. “It’s a complete farce,” she said. The lawmakers, joined by officials from MassVote, Common Cause, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the League of Women Voters and Free Speech for People, called for the passage of S 772, a bill that would call on Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to “restore the First Amendment and fair elections to the people.” The bill’s preamble describes the Citizens United decision as “extreme” and argues that it will “unleash a torrent of corporate money in our political process unmatched by any campaign expenditure totals in United States history,” which “presents a serious and direct threat to our democracy.” In its ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that corporate speech can’t be restricted because of First Amendment free speech rights. “Because speech is an essential mechanism of democracy – it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people – political speech must prevail against laws that would suppress it by design or inadvertence,” according to the ruling, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, who joined the court’s four conservative justices in support of the ruling. “The Government may regulate corporate political speech through disclaimer and disclosure requirements, but it may not suppress that speech altogether.” Proponents of a constitutional amendment pointed to a May 2010 Suffolk University poll showing that 82 percent of Massachusetts residents disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling. 2:40 p.m.

Press Conference – Wed. Jan. 18 at 11 A.M. Rm. 437 – MA Lawmakers & Activists Call for the End of Corporate Political Spending

PRESS RELEASE:

Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Common Cause Massachusetts, Corporate Accountability International, Free Speech for People, Greater Boston Coffee Party, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Nurses Association, Mass VOTE,

Public Citizen

For Immediate Release: Jan. 18, 2012

Contact: Trevor FitzGibbon, 202-506-7162 or 202-406-0646, trevor@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Mark Hays, 508-414-1722, mhays@citizen.org * Pam Wilmot, 617-962-0034, phwilmot@gmail.com *Avi Green, 617-542-8683, agreen@massvote.org

Massachusetts Lawmakers and Activists Call for the End of Corporate Political Spending

On Anniversary of Citizens United Decision, Massachusetts Pushes For a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn It

BOSTON – In the days leading up to the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Massachusetts lawmakers joined state and national organizations and activists today at the state Capitol to support a state legislative resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to overturn the ruling and restore fair elections and constitutional rights to the people.

S. 722, “The People’s Rights Resolution,” introduced by State Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and State Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord), decries the court’s ruling as a “serious and direct threat to our democracy.” If passed, the resolution would have the Massachusetts Legislature call upon the U.S. Congress to “pass and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to restore the First Amendment and fair elections to the people.”

“The Citizens United decision dramatically dilutes the voice of every American who does not control a large corporate treasury,” said Eldridge. “The health of our democracy and the integrity of our political system are at stake, and the only effective, long-term solution is to pass a constitutional amendment that will overturn this misguided, destructive decision.”

The assembled lawmakers and organizations also urged the Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee to advance this resolution by scheduling a hearing next month as well as a vote to bring the resolution to the floor.

“Our democracy is at risk,” said Representative Atkins. “The Citizens United decision opened the floodgates, allowing unlimited corporate money to flow into politics. We must pass a constitutional amendment stating that people, not corporations, have a right to free speech. Only by preserving the voice of individual citizens can we protect our democracy.”

In the wake of the Citizens United decision, campaign spending by outside groups has skyrocketed. In the 2010 election cycle, the first since the Supreme Court decision, outside groups spent nearly $300 million.

“The fundamental question facing the nation today is whether people or corporations shall govern in America,” said John Bonifaz, the co-founder and director of Free Speech For People, a national campaign launched on the day of the Citizens United ruling to press for a 28th Amendment to the Constitution to overturn the ruling and make clear that corporations are not people with constitutional rights. Free Speech For People has targeted Massachusetts as one of the first states to pass a state legislative resolution in support of such a constitutional amendment. “With the passage of this resolution, Massachusetts can help lead the way in restoring American democracy to the people,” Bonifaz said.

Super PACs have emerged as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision, amassing huge amounts of money used for attack ads, such as those aired recently leading up to the Iowa caucuses. Super PACs are expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in the 2012 elections. All of this corporate money promises to help make this election record-setting.

“Big corporations aren’t run by the 99 percent – or even by the 1 percent. Rather, they are run by a super-wealthy 0.01 percent,” said Avi Green, Executive Director of Mass VOTE. “Politics should be for all of us – not just the super-wealthy and the big corporations they control.”

The press conference is part of a nationwide week of action calling for the Citizens United decision to be overturned. From Massachusetts to California, events are planned to highlight the need for the federal government to take action to protect our democracy from corporate dominance.

“The groundswell of national grassroots activity in support of a constitutional amendment we’re seeing is tremendous,” said Mark Hays, campaign coordinator for Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People Campaign. “With this sort of momentum, we’re ready to write the next chapter of our campaign to ensure that democracy is for people, not corporations.”

Cities across the nation have voted to rid elections of corporate cash. In Massachusetts, local groups are planning actions across the state around the anniversary – including rallies and educational events on Jan. 20 and 21 – and are advancing local resolutions similar to S. 772 to build support for its passage.

“We need short-term responses to this disastrous decision, such as increased disclosure,” said Pam Wilmot, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “But we can only reverse it and reduce money in politics with a constitutional amendment. Passing S. 772 will put Massachusetts on the forefront of that critical effort, which, as the cradle of liberty, is where we should be.”

To learn more, visit: www.FreeSpeechForPeople.org, www.DemocracyIsForPeople.org and www.United4thePeople.org.

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AG Martha Coakley Supports Constitutional Amendment to Reverse Citizens United, corporate “rights”

I spoke at a briefing organized by Free Speech for People (Jeff Clements)and MassVOTE concerning the need for MA-based organizations and their constituencies to join the state and federal campaigns working to pass resolutions at all levels of government. This call for the passage of a constitutional amendment transcends party lines, and Congress needs to hear from as many elected and citizen groups as possible. Our founders wrote “we the people, not we the corporations.” It is up to us now to defend and restore our democracy.

AG Martha Coakley Supports Constitutional Amendment to Reverse Citizens United, corporate “rights”

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Jeff Clements

Attorney General Martha Coakley today became the first sitting Attorney General in the nation to call for a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC and the Supreme Court’s fabrication of corporate Constitutional rights to unlimited corporate election spending. Here’s her press release from her office, with a link to her letter to Massachusetts legislative leaders considering a resolution calling for the 28th Amendment.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            MEDIA CONTACT:

December 8, 2011                                                                  Melissa Karpinsky/Emalie Gainey                                                                                                           

(617) 727-2543

AG COAKLEY SUPPORTS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO LIMIT UNLIMITED, UNDISCLOSED CORPORATE SPENDING IN ELECTIONS

In Letter to State Judiciary Chairs, Urges Passage Of Resolution Supporting Federal Constitutional Amendment To Reverse Citizens United Decision 

BOSTON – Stating that individual voters are being increasingly disenfranchised by the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars of undisclosed contributions by corporations, Attorney General Martha Coakley today voiced her support for a federal constitutional amendment to make clear that corporate spending is not free speech.

AG Coakley expressed her support in a letter to the Chairpersons of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, Senator Cynthia Creem and Representative Eugene O’Flaherty. In the letter, she supports passage of Senate Bill 772, “Restoring Free Speech,” which is a resolution that calls for a federal Constitutional Amendment to reverse the United States Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

The federal amendment has been proposed with bipartisan support by Congressman James P. McGovern. The state Resolution was introduced by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Cory Atkins.

“As we have seen, average citizens are feeling increasingly disenfranchised and believe that our current political system favors the wealthy few instead of the public good,” AG Coakley said in her letter. “Individual people’s voices will continue to be steadily drowned out if corporations are allowed to spend billions in unreported and unaccounted funds to influence elections. The passage of the Resolution would send a strong message that it is time to put the electoral process back in the hands of the people, not corporations.”

In January 2010, the United States Supreme court handed down its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The Supreme Court ruled that restrictions on corporate political campaign advertisements violated the First Amendment’s free speech protections, thereby allowing corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections.

That decision has resulted in a torrent of undisclosed corporate and special interest money into the electoral process through 501(c) non-profit organizations which are not required to disclose their donors. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the amount of money spent by non-party committees during the 2010 Congressional elections was more than $300 million, more than four times the amount spent during the 2006 Congressional elections.  The 2012 election will be the first presidential race since the Citizens United ruling.

A copy of the Attorney General’s letter can be found here.

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Dept. of Public Utilities’ Public Hearings – part of investigation into Oct. 29 snowstorm

Below is the Department of Public Utilities’ Notice of Public Hearings, Request for Comments, and Petitions for Intervention, for National Grid, NSTAR Electric Company, and Western Massachusetts Electric Company, as part of our investigation into the October 29, 2011 snowstorm. Below is a summary from the Notices of the schedules for the public hearings. Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

National Grid:

Monday, December 5, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

East Longmeadow High School, 180 Maple Street, East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Belchertown High School, Room 317, 142 Springfield Road, Belchertown, MA 01007

Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

DCU Center, 50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA 01608

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Brookfield Town Hall, 6 Central Street

Brookfield, MA 01506

Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Tyngsborough High School, 36 Norris Road, Tyngsborough, MA 01879

NSTAR Electric Company:

Tuesday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. Maynard Town Hall, 195 Main Street

Maynard, MA 01754

Western Massachusetts Electric Company:

Monday, December 5, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Duggan Middle School, 1015 Wilbraham Rd, Springfield, MA 01109

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Greenfield High School, 1 Lenox Ave., Greenfield, MA 01301

Cory’s CCTV Show – D. Harrington of Acton, a jr. at Umass Lowell converted his car to electric

Watch my most recent local access t.v. show with David Harrington, a Jr. at UMass Lowell from Acton who converted his car to electric and has traveled to India to help with similar projects!

Umass Lowell student David Harrington of Acton and Rep. Atkins on "Discussing the Issues with Cory Atkins"

http://origin.peg.tv/pegtv_player/index/T00341?autostart=true&height=240&noplaylistskin=true&video=42040&width=320