Reformist legislation like H.R.1. are good in that they mitigate corruption and protect and expand voting access in the short term. But it's still playing defense. We need a long game too -- that is why it's critical that we continue to push hard for HJR48, the #WeThePeopleAmendment, in order to have genuine DEMOCRATIC POWER FOR THE PEOPLE.
So. Here's the deal on the For the People Act (H.R.1): H.R.1 is a package of democracy reforms introduced in early January in the U.S. House Representatives. A companion bill, S.1, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate.
Highlights of the bill include:
- Expand and improved voter access
- Promote voter integrity (e.g., restore Voting Rights Act, DC statehood, end voter purges, end gerrymandering
- Ensure election security
- Disclosure of dark money political contributions
- Voluntary public financing of elections based on small individual donations -- funded by a surcharge on corporate lawbreakers and wealthy tax cheats
- Strengthen oversight of campaign finance laws
- Strengthen ethics laws
- Impose greater ethics enforcement
HOWEVER...
The For the People Act does NOTHING to end corporate constitutional rights. It can’t. It’s just a legal framework. Only a constitutional framework (i.e. a constitutional amendment like our We the People Amendment) can abolish corporate constitutional rights that are fundamental impediments to real democracy “for the people.”
On Thursday, Jan 21, we launched our 2021 campaign: Move the 117th Congress to Amend Campaign with a Kickoff Call!
GOAL: 100 House cosponsors for HJR 48, the #WeThePeopleAmendment, in the first quarter of 2021
Reformist legislation like H.R.1. are good in that they mitigate corruption and protect and expand voting access in the short term. But it's still playing defense. We need a long game too -- that is why it's critical that we continue to push hard for HJR48, the #WeThePeopleAmendment, in order to have genuine DEMOCRATIC POWER FOR THE PEOPLE.
√ Democratic power “for the people” to force the labeling of dangerous ingredients in foods is impossible so long as corporations have First Amendment rights “not to speak”
√ Democratic power “for the people” to conduct surprise inspections to protect workers, consumers and the environment is impossible so long as corporations have Fourth Amendment search and seizure rights.
√ Democratic power “for the people” to ensure a livable world by mandating fossil fuel corporations to keep coal, oil and gas from being mined, drilled and fracked is impossible so long as corporations have Fifth Amendment “takings” rights
√ Democratic power “for the people” to intentionally favor local businesses over chain stores is impossible so long as corporations possess Fourteenth Amendment equal protection rights.
Democracy for the people only goes so far without the power of the people to control their/our own legal creations -- corporate entities.
Democratic reforms within For the People Act are good as far as they go, but they don’t alter the fundamental constitutional ground rules that allow corporations to circumvent democratically enacted laws and regulations. Even if H.R.1 passed, there’s no way to protect it from being gutted by the Supreme Court with their agenda of allowing corporations to wield the Constitution to overturn legislation that doesn’t suit the corporate bottom line.
Comprehensive democracy that benefits people, communities and the planet is beyond the law. It MUST include amending the U.S. Constitution.
Let's do this!
