The interview also includes some of Cobb’s thoughts on the Green Party and a referendum in Florida. From Creativing Loafing (the unedited interview can be read here):
CL: Tell us about the push to get a constitutional amendment passed to address the issue of corporations.
David Cobb: Let’s begin by acknowledging that people from across the political spectrum, from the left to the right to the center, all agree that corporations have way too much power. We believe at www.movetoamend.org that it’s even beyond the issue of corporate power. Unelected and unaccountable CEOs are ruling over us, they are literally making the fundamental decisions that affect our lives on a day-to-day basis. A linchpin doctrine that legalizes their authority is the doctrine of corporate personhood. Corporate personhood is a doctrine that says a corporation is a person under the constitution with constitutional rights. If any person, corporation or human person claims that their constitutional rights are being violated, it means that they are arguing in court that some democratically enacted law is an illegitimate law, because it infringes on their core rights.
But how would your constitutional amendment stop what corporations are doing right now?
Well, the point is that right now corporations can go into court and overturn democratic-enacted laws that attempt to protect the environment, that attempt to protect workers, that attempt to protect our safety and health, that attempt to protect our electoral process, [and] the doctrine of corporate personhood is the argument by which corporate lawyers overturn those laws. So, if we abolished corporate personhood at the constitutional level, we the people could actually create those laws, and frankly those laws that were once on the books, that, for example, prohibited corporate money in elections, that prohibited corporations from engaging in monopolies and trusts, and that prohibited corporations from engaging in activities that polluted our air and waters and our streams.
@Michael Cavlan RN
“Where is your source in the serious dip in resources and potential collapse of the GP on the National?”
http://www.fec.gov
campaign finance reports & data
George in # 3 and Deran in #6.
Where is your source in the serious dip in resources and potential collapse of the GP on the National?
Sadly, I also expect the GP to loose ballot access all over the country in this election cycle.
Minnesota used to be considered one of the GP’s most organized states and if none of their candidates obtain 1% or more than the Minnesota GP will loose ballot access here.
Don, you are right about David Cobb and Pat Dont Vote for Me LaMarche.
Sad.
Oh well. Carry on building and organizing an opposition to the rottenn, corrupt, pro-war two party system.
Ah the sting and resentment of the suicide compact of P2004 Cobb Head and ‘Don’t Vote For Me’ Patricia LaMarshe! Hated still after six years!
and the ongoing tea party doubts ………. ” Republican candidates are running for Senate seats all across the country.
Their mission is to obstruct and repeal, turning back the clock on President Obama’s agenda-from health care, to the economy, to education.
In short, the Tea Partiers are the most extreme candidates the GOP has to offer.
Take Christine O’Donnell, the Sarah Palin-backed Tea Party Senate candidate in Delaware.
She’s so far out of the mainstream that even the Delaware Republican Party has called her “reckless,” “hypocritical” and “dishonest.” ”
[a] tea parties, *eyes open*
[b] keep our United States Senate Dem!
[c] not one word of what is best for the nation
[d] Dems stink
[e] so does DSCC
It seems the US national GP as constituted by the cadre of the Green Politics Network (GPN) has gone the same way as the first US GP. rather than Green Party Conservative’s boosterism, I think the most interesting thing is the strength of many of the constituent state parties of the existant US GP. Illinois seems a major center of independent progressive politics via the state GP. For instance.
To me, these events seem to underline the opportunity for a broader, deeper Left movement. Something that has a stronger critique of neo-liberal classical economics, that undercuts the faux anti-Oligarchism of the tea partiers, and promotes sustainable economics.
Has the national Green Party done anything significant in the past few years (or since Nader’s campaign, for that matter, although I haven’t been paying attention that long)? If they have actually “collapsed” for now I’m not sure that’s such a terrible thing – I’m not sure it means much at all.
George,
Thanks. May explain the recent departure of Green Party’s national director.
The facts on the ground for the Green Party across the world, and the United States are spectacular. A record number of Green Party candidates. A record amount of money raised by Green Party candidates.
Many Green Party candidates in position to be elected in November.
The Green Party of the United States has always been decentralized. So these developments are in character.
In perhaps-related news, FEC reports of the Green Party of The United States seem to indicate that their National Party has actually collapsed, with receipts falling from numbers like 50,000 a month down for the latest month to under $10,000, debts expanding, and disbursements coming to a stop.
Boston media consortium recently sent me a letter saying that they will exclude me from their major October debate unless my campaign meets their arbitrary fund raising goal.
And we are also approaching a September 24 deadline for raising enough money to qualify for state matching funds.
If my seat is empty, then the three insider candidates I’m running against will make sure that voters only hear only about more of the small-time reforms that amount to more of the same.
We’ve already raised over $80,000 in total. But we need to raise an additional $47,000 in the next 6 days in order to both ensure debate inclusion and secure public matching funds.
I’m not a Beacon Hill politician. So I’m not collecting big checks from a political party machine, from lobbyists, or from favor-seeking CEOs. I’m counting on people like you to open up their checkbooks and make [Lake: average poor people pony up *]
Friends of Jill Stein, 12 Locust Avenue, Lexington, MA 02141. Every dollar up to $250 will help us qualify for state matching funds – in which case the value of your donation will be doubled.
please consider making a donation to my running mate. His contributions also count toward my requirement for state matching funds. Friends of Rick Purcell, 99 Martin St., Holyoke, MA 01040.
* [Lake: I personally strangle hold big time cash infusion so I can beg on the street so I can then beg to Washington ………… Oh look, there’s another commercial, on PBS, (so called) non commercial tele vision!]
[changeformissouri] Carpool to the EPA Hearings in Chicago and Louisville
…
girlwithanidea
…
[email protected]
EPA Coal Ash Rule hearings are within driving distance of St. Louis and Labadie Environmental/Sierra Club and others are planning a trip to participate. If you are interested, please contact Patricia Schuba ([email protected] or [email protected]) early this coming week (for Chicago) and by Sept 23rd for the Louisville hearing.
http://www.epa.gov/coalashrule
Labadie Environmental = http://www.leomo.info\
and websites Blog From The Bottoms.
Hearing details:
CHICAGO IL – [Lake: sorry, sorry, sorry]
LOUISVILLE KY – Tues Sept 28th, again all day
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THE TREK W/ US, PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS ON THE RULE KNOWN BEFORE NOVEMBER 19TH DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. EASIEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO GO TO:
http://www.leomo.info Take ACTION tab
http://www.earthjustice.org Urgent Actions link
Labadie Environmental and Sierra Club have been circulating comment cards for about 2 months.
Patricia Schuba
Labadie Environmental