The wait is almost over—tonight’s Corporate Coup Report drops at 4pm ET / 5pm MT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET and you won’t want to miss it!

We’re so glad to have you back with us. If you’re wondering why you’re receiving this message, it’s because we’ve noticed that it’s been a while since you’ve engaged with us. We completely understand that life gets busy, but the fight to end corporate rule is more urgent than ever.

What We Do:

At Move to Amend, we are working tirelessly to end corporate personhood and the corrupting influence of money in politics through the We the People Amendment (H.J. Res. 54). This amendment aims to restore power to the people by ensuring that corporations no longer have the same rights as people and that money can no longer dominate our political system.

Why It Matters:

• Corporate control is preventing us from having REAL democracy.

• Citizens United and many other SCOTUS decisions gave corporations the ability to spend unlimited money on elections.

• We need bold action to ensure that our government works for the people, not corporate interests.

By re-engaging with Move to Amend, you’ll be part of a growing movement of everyday people taking action to protect our future and reclaim our democracy.

Stay Informed & Take Action:

• Receive regular updates on legislation, events, and how you can get involved.

• Stay in the know and sign petitions, attend rallies, and push for real change nation-wide.

Thank you for rejoining us in the fight to create a true democracy, one where the people’s voice is heard loud and clear.

At Move to Amend, we believe real change starts at the grassroots level, and we are proud to highlight the incredible work our affiliates and advocates are doing in their communities. This month, we are shining a spotlight on our dedicated affiliates from Move to Amend Miami County, Ohio, who have been making waves both locally and nationally.

Amidst the current political turmoil, you may have missed that the House of Representatives is working to pass a “budget reconciliation” bill by Memorial Day. A “budget reconciliation” provides specific details and changes to a previously approved comprehensive, outlined “budget resolution.” The House passed a budget resolution last month. The House “reconciliation” allows Congressional approval of a bill by bypassing or fast-tracking a “filibuster” (i.e. 60 vote majority support) in the Senate. Only a simple majority of 51 votes would be required for passage. 

The Republican-led House is touting a "big, beautiful" reconciliation bill that massively rewards corporations and the wealthiest, while punishing low-income individuals and families, along with millions of others.

By Barbara Laxon
[email protected] mailto:[email protected]
Bradford, PA
Created at age 12
 
Smog
 
Soft and muted, misty grey
The enveloping clouds have come to stay
But they are right and it must go,
It surely will look different though

The Return of The Mad King


We never thought to see such a thing

yet here it is with extra madness and

a certain darkness on which to bring
fight or flight and imagining

the worst or worse or a nothinging

or the resignation waiting in the wings

be prepared for somethingings

the show must go on regardless of an

audience or cast or even a stage to

stand upon or walk through or set

on fire yelling into the audience

he is back gather up your things and

be prepared.


- d.o.

BOP    Fret Not 

A flock of blue-black birds fly in circles, brush their wings 

against the glass wall…turn for a short flight toward  

the rocky shore…then return to the wall:  headfirst.  I fear 

blood-splattered panes.  Bashed heads.  Birdbrains! 

Fault-finding me, maligning barn sparrows scooping beetles 

and bees to feed their young. 

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 

For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 

Mea culpa, St. Francis.  My mind mutters…maledictions. 

Because Farrah must return to gang-controlled Port au Prince. 

Because children in Sudan will have no peanut paste.  

Because scraggly nettles and thornbush replace my lupines and columbines. 

Because of wicked acronyms: DEI DOGE AfG ICE.  Vile verbs: shutter  deport   disrupt. 

Fury buried deep in my bones leaches: Why did Uncle John vote for George Wallace?  

Edna Mae and Vivian can’t practice our choral piece here because they’re black? 

You really think the Pentagon Papers are a hoax?   I was a caged bird, no voice. 

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 

For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 

I am here at a monastery.  With the barn sparrows.  A silent retreat. 

A week to exorcise fears.  Not to hear: “love your enemies” or “it rains 

on the just and the unjust.”  Breathe. Meditate.  Ask for the grace of hope.   

Sing at the ocean’s edge with puffins and Pacific loons.   For mercy. 

No noise.                                                                                                    No words. 

         Space 

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 

For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 

“We Are the Scorpion in Your Jackboot” – Doug Rawlings, a poem from a March 21 action in Portland, Maine, targeting banks that invest in fossil fuels. Rawlings is editor of Peace & Planet News, published by Veterans For Peace.

“Corporate America
be forewarned:
We are your karma
We are your Orion
rising in the night sky
We are the scorpion
in your jackboot
Corporate America
be forewarned:
We will not buy
your bloody parades anymore
We refuse your worthless praise
We spit on
your war memorials
Corporate America
be forewarned:
We will not feed you
our bodies
our minds
our children
anymore
Corporate America
be forewarned:
If we have our way
(and we will)
the real war memorials
will rise
from your ashes”

"Birth of We, The People" – Gus Speth’s vision of a new democratic framework free from corporate influence.

"Birth of We, The People" poem
Gus Speth

"If we could restart the US of A,
where then would we begin
to give the clock new spin
and take the role creators play?

We will mainly focus on the Founders
and their badly flawed creation,
the much-revered Constitution.
On it the country nearly founders.

To start, there will be no first sin.
Humans will not be slaves.
Our story better then behaves,
so much evil gone with the wind.

Our democracy very nearly dies
when states not people vote.
It’s time for us to now demote
the not-so-great Great Compromise.

 The Electoral College must also go.
The popular vote is ignored.
The People once again get gored.
To that, our new democracy says no.

All this is made worse when corporations
are “people” and their money “speech.”
They now have extraordinary reach,
matching the power of ordinary nations.

The Commerce Clause must be rethought.
It can block community action
and easily undermine local traction.
Our priority cannot be to have things bought.

It is odd that states control elections.
The foundation of national government
easily shaken by corrupt state ferment.
We’ll make a new deal for voters’ selections.

We will enshrine the right to privacy,
making it explicit in our new document.
There, it would be the Choice complement
to all the other rights we see.

The right of individuals to carry a gun
wasn’t there, until in 2008 the Court said yes.
We will reclaim gun control from this mess
and return our streets to having fun.

We humans invented having rights,
but gave them all to ourselves.
Omitting “rights of nature” compels
action to correct the oversight.

We know we can’t start America again.
It is a day dream that comes to this end.
But there is much that we can mend
if together we make history bend.

For our democracy’s shortfalls
there are now work arounds.
We can get to better ground,
bursting new and ancient walls.

Government of, by, and for the people,
that is the essence of democracy,
the meaning of popular sovereignty,
the bright light in the steeple."

"The Goose and the Common" – — The Privatization of Public Space" / Anonymous
An anonymous poem from the 18th century critiquing the privatization of public resources, resonating with today’s struggles against corporate land grabs.

The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose off the common
But leaves the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from the goose.

The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who takes things that are yours and mine.

The poor and wretched don’t escape
If they conspire the law to break;
This must be so but they endure
Those who conspire to make the law.

The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
And geese will still a common lack
Till they go and steal it back."

The Corporate Coup & The People's Stand
by Bryson Cline (16 years old)

They bought the elections, they silenced the poor,
Stacked up their profits and on our backs that are sore.
A government stolen, its power misused,
By hands that see people as tools to be used.

Laws for the wealthy, deals made in smoke,
A system where justice is nothing but a joke.
They call it free speech, but dollars decide,
Whose voice will be heard, whose rights denied.

Yet in the shadows, a movement ignites,
Rising like dawn, reclaiming our rights.
No longer will money determine our fate,
The people unite before it’s too late.

The We the People Amendment stands bold,
A promise of freedom that cannot be sold.
No more shall corporations pretend to be men,
Their rule must end—Move to Amend!

They call it democracy, but we see the game,
Where money buys power and justice is maimed.
Corporations whisper, their pockets run deep,
Drowning out voices, making laws cheap.

But people are rising, their voices are strong,
A movement is building, we’ve waited too long.
From cities to towns, we take  the pen,
Demanding real change—Move to Amend!

From cities to towns, the message will spread,
A government truly by people, instead.
We rally, we fight, we take back our land,
For a future where justice is ours to command.

So stand with us now, make your voice known,
Sign the petition, let seeds of change be sown.
The tide is shifting, the people defend,
Together we rise—Move to Amend!

"America Incorporated" – Sheldon Firem
A powerful critique of corporate personhood, capturing the essence of corporate power through the voice of a fictional corporate entity.

AMERICA INCORPORATED

Sheldon Firem

Call me Industry.

Citizen!

I am the Corporate Citizen.

I am your liege.

Your rights are my rights.

I outrank you, I out-maneuver you, I outspend you.

Democracy is my sandbox.

Full disclosure, I rent your federal, state, and local elected representatives. Why buy the whole cow?

My fathers are many: nineteenth century railroad magnates, robber barons, steel executives, and oil moguls. I was conceived in the belly of their coffers, birthed in the 1886 Supreme Court case, Santa Clara v. Southern Pacific Railroad, and found my voice in the 2010 Citizen’s United case. The Fourteenth Amendment was my midwife.

My mothers are many: Congresspersons, Cabinet members, state legislators, governors, mayors, trustees, and board members. Ironically, they all suckle on my teats.

While I am not expressly mentioned in the Constitution, Citizens United has given me my constitutional voice and an open checkbook.

I speak with my voice and hard cash. Your elected representatives habitually have their hands in my deep pockets. They dine with me over escargot and dine with you over turbot.

More to the point.

Citizen, you have been uppity of late demanding consumer rights and protections.

Billionaires and millionaires have taken notice. Your corporate overlords are displeased.

Remember your place!

We record and remember your keystrokes.

Last time I looked, you are a consuming robot, a customer masquerading as a citizen. Your freedom is in “free-delivery,” your “cred” is in your credit score, and your malleable personality is reliant on purchasing product.

You need “X” to tell you the truth, Tik-Tok to entertain you, a screen to sedate you, and a performative, partisan politician to silo you. Commercials are the “crack,” and influencers are the “speed” that keep you up at night. You main-line with your laptop never thinking to look out the window.

I compose your thoughts so you do not have to wrestle with reality or trouble with truth.

America’s home-grown, political autocrats jerry-rig your elections by gerrymandering your districts. The Democratic and Republican Parties pimp their principles in statehouses and dimly lit Capital staircases to win my approval.

Donelon Mump and Elonald Trusk are the useful Frankensteins that are conceived in this blessed union of Free Market corporate citizens and pandering politicians.

My ubiquitous commercials are your true love, home, purpose, and sustenance. They will sustain you. Domestic corporations wake you up in the morning, and global, multinational corporations rock you to sleep at night.

You have ears to hear and eyes to see my digitized streaming. Forget yesterday’s news and remember tomorrow’s Super-Bowl commercials. Commercials are the message. The weather, celebrity scandals, house fires, car crashes, and unsedated sportscasters are filler and fodder.

Allow my unceasing “breaking news,” addictive ads, and chuckling news anchors to break your spirit. Your desire to entertain your own thoughts and plan your own life is socialism. Pledge allegiance to unfettered capitalism. In Christmas sales and Easter discounts we trust.

Swim in my corporate “Shark Tank.” “Americans Got Talent” for depleting their savings accounts. My digital billboards will direct you to the promised land. I am working on converting the sun into one large LED light that flashes the message, “Eat at Joe’s.”

Advertise yourself to data brokers and data thieves. Sell your confidential soul for a Slurpee coupon. Your home is a good domicile for mortgage brokers. Your life is a good investment for futures traders.

Narcissistic politicians, fad-men, ad-men, and corporations will lead you out of that Sodom of independent thought and Gomorrah of authentic emotions. Sail with them upon the swirling waters of the New York Stock Exchange.

Citizen, you are my property and I am your purpose.

I am the true citizen, the Corporate Citizen.

I am your liege.

Your rights are my rights.

I outrank you, I out-maneuver you, I outspend you.

“Veni, Vidi, Veci.”

Representative democracy was once a pretty concept.

Now, democracy is my sandbox and oligarchy is your home.

Move to Amend Poems – By Greg Coleridge

February 2014

 This Sunday is the Academy Awards
Which will be seen by the hordes

But a film that wasn’t nominated
Shows how we’ve been dominated
By those who’ve ruled, plundered and oppressed
Hijacking those for democracy who have pressed

Persons of the wrong gender, ethnicity and race
Have never had in this nation an authentic democratic place

The film also shows how rights for corporations & big money
Are as realistic as the Easter Bunny
This entire system of oppression, oligarchy and corporatocracy
Is documented in the short film, “Legalize Democracy”

[Note: Legalize Democracy is produced by Move to Amend]

May 2019

No decree, regulation or law is sufficient
No election of any public official is efficient

Not simply about Citizens United cursing
Nor even Buckley v Valeo reversing

The only way to set our sites
To abolish corporate constitutional rights

Is an amendment to end corporate personhood
-- a big step toward making government good

And the only proposed Constitutional Amendment that is great
is the We the People Amendment, H.J.R. 48

January 2020

For the past decade, Move to Amend has tried to help others set their sights
On not only the need to abolish big money in elections and corporate constitutional rights

But to also end all oppressions and to understand that we’re facing multiple crises at their heights
That can only be solved not piecemeal, but systemically, which is as clear as day is to night

The power of those we face — corporations, the political elite, the super rich — have incredible might
Which use it to distort, distract, co-opt, threaten, legally bribe, and/or confuse many people from seeing the light

That authentic justice, peace, a livable world and democracy is a possible future that is bright
But can only be achieved by a powerful, independent democracy movement that has real nonviolent bite

MTA is doing its part to work for systemic change, despite finances that have always been, especially now, tight
Yet, we’ll together — despite the odds, powers-to-be, even pandemics — continue this now-more-than-ever-important fight.

November 2021

Among some groups the current trend
It to just work to Citizens United end
But what we feel
And what we spiel
If that corporations are NOT people, my friend

<><> 

Claims that corporations are persons by the High Court
To existing Amendments have been a major contort
So one must ask
And seek to unmask
What up their noses did and do Justices snort

<><> 

While a democracy crisis equaled the capital breach
As well as the twice Congressional efforts to impeach
But just as much a threat
Has been the High Court’s duet
Rulings that corpses are people and money is speech

<><> 

Is it enough for the Constitution to be reformed
Or is it so fundamentally deformed
That the only solution
For a democratic evolution
Is for it to be transformed

At Move to Amend, we believe that real change comes from the ground up—and this month, we’re shining the spotlight on the incredible work being done by our Affiliate groups. From local petition drives to grassroots education, these groups are powering the movement toward the We the People Amendment (H.J.Res. 54).

We want to highlight the importance of our Affiliate Report submissions—these forms are not just a tool for tracking activities, but a way to showcase the relentless efforts of our base. Whether we're applying for grants or simply demonstrating the impact of our work, these reports are a vital part of making our collective efforts visible. They help us not only prove the impact we’re having but also inspire others to take action in their communities.

Here’s a look at the recent activities reported by our Affiliates:

This Earth Day, while the world pauses to honor our planet, we invite you to go deeper—to the root.

Because what’s killing the Earth isn’t just climate change. It’s not just pollution, deforestation, or rising seas.

Over the course of a powerful and packed week in Washington, DC, the Move to Amend national team and supporters met with members of Congress and their staff to build crucial support for the We the People Amendment (H.J.R 54): a constitutional amendment to end corporate constitutional rights and eliminate big money from our political system.

We have some exciting news to share with you—we’ve picked up 20 new co-sponsors since last month! That’s a huge step forward in our mission to pass the We the People Amendment (House Joint Resolution 54). We’re now up to 48 total cosponsors in Congress, and we couldn’t be more grateful for your continued support.

This is a major win, and it shows that our message is starting to stick. But here's the thing: we’re not done yet. Far from it.

At Move to Amend, we know that the fight to restore power to the people cannot happen in isolation. It’s a fight that intersects with the struggles of various movements pushing for justice in this country and around the world. This is why we were proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of passionate activists in Washington, D.C., at the recent Hands Off protest and the subsequent Defend the Students, Let Gaza Live March.

These actions were not just demonstrations against specific policies but were powerful statements about the deep-seated injustice that corporate control perpetuates across our political system. From the attacks on students' rights to protest to funding genocide to the ongoing attacks on reproductive rights, it is clear that corporate rule fuels injustice and inequality.

Affiliate & Advocate Spotlight: Santa Clara County Move to Amend & Sunrise Movement RGV