Tomorrow is election day. Please vote if you already haven’t by mail or in person.
But voting isn’t enough. We also need a People’s Movement like Move to Amend to abolish corporate rule, an essential step toward achieving legitimate democracy.
Electing better representatives at every level of government who represent the interests of voters rather than large donors is critical. That can be a challenge, especially when candidates swimming in campaign cash from the super rich and business corporations flood our airwaves, mailboxes and inboxes.
Candidates supporting justice, peace, a livable world and greater people power must rely on volunteers and increasingly on grassroots donations to legitimately compete. And the more small financial contributions candidates receive from the grassroots, the more accountable in principle they should become since voters and donors become one-in-the-same.
Of course, ALL candidates now appeal to everyone and everywhere for funding, especially given the rising costs of political campaigns. Many of the same candidates asking you to donate $10 in an email showing them dressed in shirts with rolled up sleeves or denim blouses also receive mega funding from the super rich, corporate PACs and so-called “independent expenditures” from Super PACs that can amount to millions of dollars.
Virtually all candidates appeal for grassroots financial support, whether they're well-funded or not, Grassroots-based groups working to build power independent from elected officials and political parties like Move to Amend face a significant challenge to financially survive in major election years like 2024.
Get ready to be called, mailed, texted and door-knocked more than you have this year the closer we get to the 2024 elections for President, 1/3rd of the U.S. Senate, all U.S. House members, many Governors, State Senators and Representatives and even some local offices. It’s an extremely important election year. Voting, volunteering and contributions matters.
Yet, whatever amount of “democracy” that’s ever existed in this country has always consisted of more than elections.
Self-rule includes active involvement in groups that educate, advocate and organize for change – both short and long term.
Elected representatives, no matter how responsive they are and remain to their constituents, have limited power to achieve needed change operating “inside” our political system. Essential are “outside” powerful People’s Movements that are legitimately inclusive, grassroots-based, and politically and economically independent from governments, major foundations, business corporations, political parties and the super rich.
Your support of Move to Amend is helping build a People’s Movement to abolish “corporate personhood” (corporate constitutional rights) in all its forms and to end the doctrine that political money in elections is First Amendment-protected free speech. The 72 House of Representative co-sponsors of the We the People Amendment, HJR54 are the most we've ever had this early in the Congressional session. Move to Amend is legitimately inclusive, grassroots-based, and politically and economically independent.
Elected officials are constitutionally boxed in to limit the corporate influence over virtually every single aspect of our lives: housing, food, health care, employment, energy, education, transportation, entertainment, ensuring a livable natural world.
Only a People’s Movement can amass the power to constitutionally end corporate rule.
People’s Movements have led the way historically for profound legal, social, economic, political and constitutional change. The colonial revolution, abolishing slavery, creating the 8 hour workday, women’s right to vote, establishing Social Security, protecting the environment, stopping nuclear energy, ending wars, indigenous rights, civil rights, voting rights, LGTBQ+ rights are just some examples.
The narrative is always the same of successful People’s Movements: form organizations, educates the masses, changes the culture, exerts power on the system prompting responsive elected officials to call for change that drags other officials, including sometimes Supreme Court justices, along or bypasses the Court altogether by enacting constitutional amendments.
Two take-a-ways:
1. Electoral politics is very important in getting the best candidates on the ballot and electing them in 2024 and beyond.
2. People’s Movements are just as, if not more, important – especially those focused on systemic change like Move to Amend and precisely right now when so many problems seemingly are beyond marginal change. Volunteer. Also donate what you can. Set aside a percentage of your “political change budget” now and in 2024. Becoming a monthly sustainer will ensure you’re dedicating a financial portion of what you feel is equivalent to the need to constitutionally abolish corporate rule. Just as grassroots-dependent candidates can’t legitimately compete without grassroots financial support, neither can grassroots-dependent organizations like Move to Amend. It’s that simple.
Also simple is the fact that regardless of who’s elected tomorrow or next year, we’ll never have a legitimate political system that affirms human rights and the right to a livable world until we Legalize Democracy by abolishing corporate constitutional rights.
Your support has made and will continue to make a difference in helping grow our Move to Amend movement.
In Solidarity,
Keyan, Michael, Katie, Margaret, Alfonso, Jessica, Jason, Tara, Ambrosia, Cole, Shelly, George, Daniel, Jennie & Greg
- Move to Amend National Team
