Keyan Bliss - Grassroots Director

Why I support Move to Amend

Hi Friends! It's Keyan Bliss. Please join me in helping raise money for the grassroots movement to end corporate rule and get big money out of politics by setting up a monthly donation to Move to Amend on this page!

As the grassroots volunteer coordinator for Move to Amend’s national coalition, I give $28/month to support our work for the 28th Amendment. I’m calling on you to help us continue this work by making a donation today!

For the past eight years, Move to Amend has been working to get to the root problem at the core of a dangerous 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission by amending the US Constitution to unequivocally state that constitutional rights belong to human beings, not corporations, and that money is not equal to “free speech” so it can be regulated in our political campaigns and elections.

For me personally, I've chosen to work with Move to Amend for the past 6 years for two key reasons:

1.Move to Amend is the only organization that is framing the issues of "corporate constitutional rights" and "money equals speech" beyond the obvious political implications -- we consider this as a human rights issue that intersects with every struggle for justice and equality today.

2. Move to Amend is the only amendment organization that centralizes the dismantling of oppression within its coalition building and grassroots organizing strategy.

As long as corporations are considered “persons” with inalienable human rights, and their political spending is considered “protected speech,” they will be able to assert those rights better than any real human being or our communities through their concentration of wealth. And so together, our coalition supports the We The People Amendment (introduced in Congress January 2017 as House Joint Resolution 48). This is the only proposed amendment in Congress that gets to the foundations of corporate rule to make clear that constitutional rights belong to human beings, not corporations,

and get big money out of politics in the same amendment, leaving for no loopholes.

In the last year alone, Move to Amend has more than doubled our number of HJR 48 cosponsors in the US House of Representatives, and have made good headway at getting the We the People Amendment introduced to the US Senate. Over 450,000 people have signed our national petition supporting this amendment. We have over 500 organizational endorsements, and over 800 local resolutions have passed in cities, towns, and counties across the country calling for a 28th Amendment. We’ve been on the ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we’ve won every single time usually in landslides over 60%, even 80%! We're also the only amendment organization that has any conservative political support, including a Republican co-sponsor and a Republican Party organizational endorsement.

There are a lot of worthy causes and movements to contribute your time and money to, but we can’t afford to lose sight of the systemic solutions like the We the People Amendment. And to be strong enough to dig deep to the root of the problem, we need a movement organization that can fund itself in a healthy, sustainable way -- independent from political and corporate influence. Please consider joining me as a monthly sustainer for the movement to amend the Constitution!

A sincere thank you for being part of our growing movement to achieve real democracy of, by, and for ALL people!

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How I've supported Move to Amend

  • published Timeline of Personhood Rights in Learn More 2020-03-10 16:04:27 -0700

    Timeline of Personhood Rights

    The Timeline of Personhood Rights was developed by Jan Edwards for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Jan led the effort to pass the first ever resolution to end corporate personhood in her town of Point Arena, CA in 2000. 
     
    This timeline is a great education tool to explain how corporations have used the legal system to gain constitutional "personhood rights" through court decisions and how people have organized to gain constitutional rights through amendments (with a few exceptions).

    Download

    There are three pdf files which correspond to three print sizes. The content information is the same on them all.
    • 24-inch timeline (click link to download PDF): designed to use the 24-inch roll of paper on a wide format machine. It should print out to be 24" x 130" (2 ft. x 11 ft.) 
       
    • 36-inch timeline (click link to download PDF): uses the 36-inch roll of paper on a wide format machine. It prints out to 36" x 200" (3 ft x 17 ft.) (approximate size of original version) 
       
    • HmPrint pdf (click link to download PDF): prints out on a home printer on 8 letter size pages set at landscape. The pages can be taped together to make a small timeline which is 8.5" x 88" (8.5 inches X 7 1/2 ft.)
       
    • Handout (click link to download PDF): the timeline is also available as a handout (still needs to be updated to include most recent cases). This document contains a longer explanation and notes to help presenters. Handout begins on page 11.
       
    Note from Jan (contains printer lingo that might help when you talk to your local print shop):
     
    Dave at my local shop said that he converted the pdf to a tif on his machine to print. Other shops may have other processes so it may not work everywhere, but it has so far.
     
    (He also said that Adobe illustrator said it was too large, but since he was converting pdf to tif it didn't matter.)
     
    He has what is called in the trade a Kip brand "black and white wide format printer".
     
    I was told that if you look for a shop that specializes in making blueprint copies for architects the prices are usually better and they will be sure to have the wide format machines.
     
  • published Some Questions and Answers for "America’s Businesspeople" About the We the People Amendment in Public Education Kit 2020-03-10 11:44:02 -0700

    Some Questions and Answers for "America’s Businesspeople About the We the People Amendment"

    This is an article published by the American Sustainable Business Council & Free Speech for People addressing concerns about an early amendment proposal seeking to abolish corporate constitutional rights.
    July 23, 2019
    American Sustainable Business Council & Free Speech for People

    The People’s Rights Amendment overturns the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling, a 5-4 decision of the US Supreme Court that decided that we, the American people, are not allowed to limit corporate spending in elections. The Court ruled that corporations—even transnationals— can spend unlimited amounts to help elect or defeat candidates for public office. The American people have overturned at least six Supreme Court cases by constitutional amendment in the past, and we need to do the same with Citizens United, which makes corporate money the same as “speech.”

    Most businesspeople, like other Americans, do not believe corporations are people, or that spending corporate capital in elections is constitutionally protected speech. Businesses are designed to provide a product or service, to employ people, and to build a strong economy. Many businesspeople exercise their rights to engage in the policy-making process, a right that should never be impeded, but allowing corporations to buy political influence undermines the political rights of all citizens, as well as competitive markets.

    The People’s Rights Amendment ends the misuse and abuse of people’s constitutional rights by multinational corporations to subvert democratically enacted laws and to gain advantage over competitors. The amendment makes clear that corporations are not people with constitutional rights and ensures that people, not corporations, govern in America.

    What will be the impact of the People’s Rights Amendment on day-to-day business operations? Do corporations have to be “persons” in order to function in our economy?

    The People’s Rights Amendment will have no impact on day-to-day or other operations of corporations. No activity of a business corporation requires the fabrication of corporate constitutional rights. The rights of individual people (doing business in a corporation or otherwise) are unchanged by the People’s Rights Amendment.

    For centuries, corporations were able to carry out their business purposes without the fabrication of constitutional rights, and until 1978 “corporate speech rights” did not exist. Until the Citizens United ruling in 2010, we were free to use federal law to control corporate spending in elections, and did so for more than a century.

    The People’s Rights Amendment restores core democratic rights to citizens without changing the productive role of corporations in our economy. State and federal laws define corporations and set the rules for the use of the corporate form. These laws are unaffected by the People’s Rights Amendment.

    Under state and federal law, corporations are “persons” for the purposes of contracting, suing, being sued, transacting business, and continuity of operations as people come and go. Under state and federal law, corporations are “persons” for numerous purposes, from trademarI protection to criminal prosecution. The People’s Rights Amendment has no effect whatsoever on those state and federal laws.

    The People’s Rights Amendment stops the radical and improper application of the “corporate person” concept to the rights of real people under the Constitution.

    The People’s Rights Amendment would not impact the day-to-day business of corporations, but would prevent misuse of our Constitution by corporations seeking to trump our laws. For example, Monsanto has used its corporate “speech rights” to striIe down disclosure laws and conceal its use of genetically modified drugs in food production. This would not be allowed after the People’s Rights Amendment. The People’s Rights Amendment would prevent corporations from claiming the constitutional rights of persons to strike down laws enacted by “we the people” through our elected state and federal governments.

    Following the passage of the amendment, we expect a more free, fair, and competitive marketplace where small and medium size businesses will be less likely to face a competitive disadvantage due to political favoritism.

    What effect will the People’s Rights Amendment have on our ability to use corporate entities in our business dealings?

    None. The People’s Rights Amendment does not limit in any fashion the many ways in which people and the states can design and use corporate or other economic legal entities.

    The People’s Rights Amendment simply states a fundamental truth: whatever corporate entities the state or federal governments create do not have constitutional rights. Instead, their rights and obligations are set out in state and/or federal corporate and other laws.

    The corporate form has huge advantages, and we support state policies that encourage easy incorporation. We just should not confuse those policy advantages with constitutional rights.

    Does that mean people will lose their rights when they do business in the corporate form?

    No. The People’s Rights Amendment protects all rights of all people, whether or not they own, run, work for, or buy from corporations.

    Whether the rights at issue are speech, due process, or any other human right, the people involved in a corporation—the CEO and executives, employees, shareholders, or other people in a corporation—retain all of their rights as people.

    The People’s Rights Amendment simply means that we will not allow courts to pretend that corporations are people when it comes to the Constitution.

    What about property rights? Will this change shareholder rights? Rights to due process?

    The People’s Rights Amendment protects all constitutional rights of people, whether it is property rights or other rights.

    Take an egregious hypothetical example, just to illustrate: Say the government decides it needs computer technology for some reason, and enacts a law requiring that Apple deliver all of its intellectual property to the United States government. Apple sues to block the law, claiming that the government is taking private property without due process in violation of the 5th Amendment (or the 14th Amendment, if a state government tries this). Does Apple have a constitutional right not to have its property taken without due process?

    The Due Process Clause says that “no person” can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process. Apple is not a “person” under the Due Process Clause, but there are plenty of real people involved in this hypothetical who do have due process rights not to have the value of their Apple shares rendered worthless by government seizure without due process. Nothing about the People’s Rights Amendment would prevent those real people from protecting their rights.

    The claim could be brought directly by the corporation using statutes such as the Federal Tort Claims Act. The claim could be brought by the corporation, which may be deemed to have standing to raise the rights of its shareholders. The claim could be brought by the shareholders as a class.

    Another possibility to litigate the question may include challenges to the Constitutional power of the federal government to take such action, an approach taken when the Supreme Court invalidated the Truman Administration’s nationalization of the American steel industry in 1952. The People’s Rights Amendment does not empower the government to seize property or do anything in violation of our liberties.

    The specific approach for enforcement of corporate property rights would depend on the circumstances and on the jurisprudence developed by the Court after the ratification of the People’s Rights Amendment. On top of all of this, people, businesses, and legislators are extremely unlikely to sit idly by while government seizes property. It is not the unconstitutional concept of corporate rights that blocks such government overreaching, but a healthy Constitution of checks and balances, liberties of the people, and an active, engaged citizenry. The People’s Rights Amendment promotes all of this.

    What will be the impact of the Amendment on company political action committees (PACs) and employee contributions?

    The People’s Rights Amendment will have no impact on laws that apply to political action committee (PAC) contributions and individual contributions made by company employees or others. Instead, the People’s Rights Amendment overturns Citizens United, and restores to the people and our elected representatives the power and the duty to enact laws and regulations that ensure elections are free, fair, and serve our democracy.

    The People’s Rights Amendment does not say what those rules should be. Rather, the Amendment says that we the people and our representatives should make those rules.

    Congress and the states will be free to decide upon the rules for PACs, employee contributions, or even, for that matter, corporate spending in elections. The People’s Rights Amendment clarifies that corporations do not have constitutional “rights” to trump those rules and striIe down the election laws that Congress and the states enact.

    Will the amendment impact my ability as a business leader to lobby on behalf of my company or with a trade group?

    No. The People’s Rights Amendment protects all the rights of people to associate and petition government, to speak, and to lobby.

    The People’s Rights Amendment does not make or change any lobbying rules. It may allow Congress or the states to make such rules, and we believe that reform of our lobbying laws is overdue.

    Between 1998 and 2010, the US Chamber of Commerce spent $739 million on lobbying. Pharmaceutical and health care corporations spent more than $2 billion on lobbying in the past twelve years. Three corporations seeking military contracts, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lockheed and Boeing, spent more than $400 million on lobbying. The list goes on.

    The People’s Rights Amendment will allow (but not require) Congress and the states to regulate corporate lobbying in an even-handed way. Corporations will not have a “right” to “speaI” through election cash from corporate treasury—which many believe is a way of bribing elected officials—or to corrupt our lawmaIing. At the same time, the People’s Rights Amendment protects the rights of human beings to say anything they want, and to argue, inform, appeal to, and petition our representatives for anything at all, including about laws that affect our own businesses or the industries in which we work.

    The People’s Rights Amendment merely distinguishes between people and corporations, so our government remains a government of, by, and for the people.

    Are there aspects of the corporate rights doctrine not related to campaign finance that will be addressed by the amendment?

    Yes. The fabrication of “corporate rights” under the Constitution goes beyond elections and money in politics. Citizens United is the extreme extension of a corporate rights doctrine that courts have used with increasing aggression and hostility to the judgment of people and our elected representatives since 1980.

    The courts have used the fabrication of corporate rights, particularly corporate “speech,” to striIe down a wide range of common-sense laws in recent years, from those concerning clean and fair elections; to environmental protection and energy; to tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and health care; to consumer protection, lotteries, and gambling; to race relations, and much more.

    Examples include laws to ensure an even playing field between local, regional, or national businesses that compete with multinational corporations, such as laws to protect consumer choice by requiring disclosure about food products derived from genetically modified drug treatments for animals, or laws to protect the public interest, such as limitations on cigarette advertisements near schools, or energy conservation requirements for utility corporations.

    A new corporate “due process” theory has turned federal judges into overseers of state juries and courts, so that jury awards may be overturned if federal judges decide they are “too high.”.- These “rights” have been used almost exclusively by multinational corporations to evade accountability for harmful products or actions.

    Even if we think punitive damages need oversight and reform, most businesspeople do not want to twist our Constitution to prevent our government of the people from deciding on the best course. Even as shareholders, we do not need a corporate constitutional “right” to striIe down decisions of a state jury because a federal judge might have reached a different conclusion. In a case where a punitive damages judgment is a real constitutional issue, it would be because of the danger that such a judgment might, in essence, completely confiscate shareholders’ property. If it ever came to that (it never has), the human beings who are shareholders have due process rights to make any valid constitutional argument about that “confiscation” without the need to fabricate improper corporate constitutional rights.

    In a few other instances, courts have treated corporations as people with Constitutional rights, such as under the Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. The People’s Rights Amendment changes nothing about the rights of human beings, including the rights of employees, executives, and others against search and seizure. There is no such thing as a corporate constitutional right, but that does not relieve the Courts from ensuring that the government does not violate the rights of people who work in or who own corporations, or anyone else.

    What about freedom of the press and media — are they not all corporations?

    The People’s Rights Amendment will not limit freedom of the press in any way whatsoever. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as well as freedom of religion, assembly, and petition. All of these are rights of the people. In addition, the People’s Rights Amendment explicitly reaffirms these freedoms.

    A ban on corporate general treasury money to run political advertisements is not the same as a ban on editorials or commentary by the press. A free press is critical to freedom and democracy. No speech, press, or other rights of the people are impacted by the People’s Rights Amendment.

    Will an amendment impact the ability of non-profit associations and unions to give in elections as well?My church/synagogue/mosque/religious center is a corporation: how will the amendment affect that?What about non-profit corporations? Will this silence them?

    The People’s Rights Amendment will have no impact on people’s rights to freedom of association or freedom of religion. Freedoms such as religion, speech, or assembly are not predicated on the creation by the state of corporate entities with tax-deductions and other state- based advantages.

    The federal law (the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002) struck down by Citizens United equally applied to unions, non-profits, and for-profit corporations.

    If union activity, charitable activity, or advocacy activity is done by a corporate entity, the corporation is expected to comply with laws applicable to corporations.

    Whatever corporate form and rules government comes up with must be even-handed and apply equally to all religions and all points of view. Government cannot say Protestants but not Unitarians can organize their church under a non-profit corporation law. Government cannot say a synagogue but not a church can get tax-deductible contributions to its non-profit corporate entity because it would violate the Establishment Clause. That has nothing to do with whether those people use a corporation to organize the institution.

    There is no reason to be afraid of a fair rule for all that says anyone who wants to organize their church using a corporate form can do so, but they must comply with corporate (and other laws). That has always been the way it has worIed and the People’s Rights Amendment does not change that.

    What about freedom to associate? Corporations are just like any other association.

    A corporation is not just like any other association of people. A corporation is a specific creation of state or federal statute that may only be used for purposes defined by the statute that permitted the creation of the corporation. “Those who feel that the essence of the corporation rests in the contract among its members rather than in the government decree . . . fail to distinguish, as [those in] the eighteenth century did, between the corporation and the voluntary association.”1

    That distinction has always been true and is true now. A corporation is a government-created structure for doing business, and is available only by statute.2

    We, as people, have the right to associate. We have a choice to incorporate, if we like the balance of benefits and burdens of incorporating.

    I think there might be unintended consequences for our economy—corporations are essential now. Could this amendment upend the complex workings of corporations in our economy?

    The People’s Rights Amendment does nothing to change the role of corporations in our economy. The responsibility for defining the economic role of corporations would remain where it had always been before the Court fabricated corporate rights: with the people and our elected representatives. The corporate entity will continue to be a very useful economic tool. Ending “corporate person” rights in the Constitution has nothing to do with federal and state laws that maIe corporations liIe “persons” who may enter into contracts, sue and be sued, etc.

    In fact, the People’s Rights Amendment, while not intended as an economic reform, will probably help the economy. Corporate “rights” (which is really about multinational corporate power) are harming the American economy. The vast majority of businesspeople and corporations do not need or want “rights” to defy democratically enacted laws or to be pushed into buying more and more political ads. The People’s Rights Amendment would not upend anything about corporations in our economy except the abuse of the Bill of Rights by multinational corporations seeking to attack our laws.

    Won’t this lead to big government? Government telling us how much we can spend and so on. I’m against regulation.

    Then you should support the People’s Rights Amendment. This Amendment is not regulation. It is about liberty for us as people to debate and decide for ourselves what size government should be or what regulations make sense.

    If corporations are not “persons,” how will they be prosecuted in court? Will they have due process? Equal protection?

    After the People’s Rights Amendment, corporations will still be able to use the court system, of course, and they may even raise and argue constitutional claims; but they will do so as corporations, not as people. This is related to what lawyers and judges call “standing” to maIe arguments. Just as an environmental organization has “standing” to argue about a river because the organization has human beings in its membership who are personally affected by the pollution in the river, a corporation will sometimes have “standing” to argue the claims of its employees or shareholders.

    The People’s Rights Amendment will force courts to address the heart of the matter: What human rights are affected when a corporation challenges democratically enacted laws?

    Thus, when BMW Corporation claims, for example, a $2 million punitive damages judgment violates its due process rights because the judgment is “excessive,” the Court will need to be clear that the due process rights belong to the human shareholders who will be affected by the judgment, or the CEO, who might get a lower bonus as a result of it. Whether that violates the due process rights of the people who lose money due to such a judgment can be determined by the Court, without pretending that the corporation itself has constitutional rights.

    Today, the playing field is not level; the largest, global corporations have far more power in the legislatures and the courts than all other businesses. After the People’s Rights Amendment is added to the Constitution, all of our rights as people, as well as the checks and balances of our Constitution and our democratic process will ensure a level playing field for all businesses.

    Business and businesspeople will continue to have strong, influential weight in legislatures and agencies after the People’s Rights Amendment. There are many tools to address improper rules or regulations that do not require creating constitutional rights for corporate entities.

    How can I get involved to help the campaign for the People’s Rights Amendment?

    Free Speech For People and the American Sustainable Business Council are partners in a national non-partisan campaign to overturn the Citizens United ruling and to enact the People’s Rights Amendment. We are reaching out to people across the country and across the political spectrum to join us. We would welcome hearing from you about other ways you might like to get involved, including co-hosting a public event in your community or joining our speaIer’s bureau. Please contact us here and here.

     

    1 Oscar Handlin & Mary Flug Handlin, Commonwealth: A Study of the Role of Government in the American Economy, Massachusetts, 1774-1861, 92 & n.18 (New York Univ. Press 1974).

    2 Harry G. Henn & John R. Alexander, Law of Corporations, West Hornbook Series, 14-35 (3d ed. 1981).

    ➤ English PDF
  • published Movement Education Program 3.0 in Learn More 2020-03-05 10:22:02 -0800

    Movement Education Program

    The newest version of the Movement Education Program can be found HERE. Please enroll in this free, self-paced, online program! For affiliates, non-Move to Amend groups, Advocates, and individuals. 

    Archive: MEP 3.0

     

    Welcome to the Move to Amend Movement Education Program 3.0!

    This Movement Education Program is a process designed to help Move to Amend leaders become more effective organizers.

    At the end, we should be better equipped to build authentic and trusting relationships with people from groups hardest-hit by structural oppression, and with organizers on the frontlines of the struggle against injustice and corporate rule.

    Specifically, at the end of the program your affiliate group will have all the tools to build two documents:

    1. An Internal Democracy Agreement, where you’ll apply the intersectional feminist analysis and processes you learn about during these sessions.

    2. A Solidarity Outreach Plan which will inform your work as a group operating in solidarity with other fronts of struggle in your community.

    Some of you have gone through an earlier iteration of the Movement Education Program, and we think you’ll find this manifestation to be more thorough, efficient, and there are new materials to help you refine the Solidarity Organizing Plans you made last time. For some of you, this is a new journey! Welcome all.

    Completing this Movement Education Program is required of all Move to Amend affiliate groups.

    While Move to Amend does not expect volunteers to take on educating the general public about oppression and racism as a primary role, it is still critical to understand the close relationship between structural oppression based on race, class, gender, etc. and the current dire state of our democracy. We must be skillful at building solidarity and trust across differences in order to grow a mass movement strong enough to win against corporate rule.

    Here is a snapshot of the program. It works best if all -- or nearly all -- affiliate volunteers participate. Affiliates who have completed the process will also need to identify how to bring new members through this Movement Education Program as part of their orientation and deepening involvement.

    This process should take your group about 5-7 months and should begin within 2-3 months of affiliating.

    Click here for information about how to schedule your session one conference call with the National Team

    Session One: create a foundation of understanding of corporate constitutional rights and understand why Move to Amend comes at movement building through an anti-oppression lens and has a commitment to solidarity organizing.

    Sessions Two & Three: grow our knowledge and awareness of the realities of oppression and racism within our institutions and groups.

    Pause and Reflect: check-in to make sure the group is ready to move into planning phase. Also a chance to check in with new members who have joined since the group started and make sure they are up to speed, and pull in less involved affiliate people at this point.

    Sessions Four & Five: self-assessment and planning discussion to culminate in a written “Solidarity Outreach Plan” to serve as a companion to the affiliate’s “Action Plan”, laying out local efforts toward the national ten year strategy and to decide on a set of “Internal Democracy Processes and Protocols.”

    Topic

    Session

    Length

    Affiliate Participation

    National Team Participation

    Introduction

    Session One

    90 min

    In person if possible. By video chat or phone is also ok.

    National Team member(s) facilitate by phone and take notes for the group.

     

    Session Two

    90 min

    In person if possible. By video chat or phone is also ok.

    Send notes to [email protected]

     

    Session Three

    90 min

    In person if possible. By video chat or phone is also ok.

    Send notes to [email protected]

     

    Pause & Reflect

    60 - 90 min

    In person if possible. By video chat or phone is also ok.

    Send notes to [email protected]

    Planning

    Session Four

    2 hrs

    In person.

    National Team member(s) facilitate by phone and take notes for the group.

     

    Session Five

    3 hrs

    In person.

    National Team member(s) participate IN PERSON if at all possible, otherwise by phone, and take notes by phone.

     

    Building

    Develop Your Plan!

    As needed

    Use the templates from Session 4-5 to write your plan. Refer to Session 4-5 notes and this planning guide. Can schedule a separate meeting or fold into one or more regular affiliate meetings

    Send final written plan to [email protected].

     

    SESSION I: Introduction

    Objective: Define oppression and solidarity and intersectionality, learn how corporate rule benefits from oppression, and learn how oppression damages democracy and our chances of winning this fight against corporate rule, and why we need an intersectional approach to understanding different people’s experiences.

    Format: Conference Call with all affiliate members + 2-3 members of National Team. National will assign note-taker.

    Time: 90 minutes

    Videos & Readings

    Revisit from your pre-affiliation orientation

    Discussion Questions

    1. What were your general reactions, thoughts and feelings, about these materials? Were you familiar with the concept of intersectionality before these readings?

    2. We all feel the effects of unchecked corporate power. Discuss why some people feel the effects of corporate power more than others.

    3. Why is addressing oppression related to ending corporate personhood and money as speech? How is it related to democracy?

    4. If you like, share an experience when you were aware of privilege you carry. Did that experience inform your analysis or worldview?

    5. How might we practice solidarity organizing on a local level? What would it look like to stand in solidarity with other organizations or groups who are organizing for social justice, without an agenda of recruiting people to Move to Amend?

    Session 1 Facilitation Resources

    SESSION 2: Developing a Framework for Intersectional Solidarity Organizing and Anti-Oppression 

    Objective: Study how white supremacy and other oppressions show up in human relationships and explore how we can build our Move to Amend groups so that all people can participate fully, making it possible for us to win our fight against corporate rule.

    Format: Affiliate meeting in-person.

    Session Time: 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on number of participants. Affiliate member(s) take notes

    Videos and Readings

    Discussion Questions

    1. What emotional response did you have to these readings/excerpts?

    2. Can you recall an instance in which the denial of ageism / sexism / racism / classism / homophobia / ableism was accepted, or even mandated? Looking back, how could you have participated in that situation in a more productive way? For example, your boss made a racist joke and interrupting the situation felt unsafe?

    3. Have you ever been in a situation in an activism or organizing space where you noticed microaggressions occurring? Did the group address it? What did the group do?

    4. If and when a microaggression or abuse of power occurs within our affiliate group, what are some qualities that would help us handle it (ie compassion, active listening, etc.)

    5. Sometimes in activist groups leaders emerge for various reasons, however, as we strive to truly be a people’s movement with room for everyone, we have to be intentional about generating a people-driven movement.  What strategies did SNCC implement to generate a people-driven Civil Rights movement into the culture rather than a leader-driven movement?  What are the advantages?

    6. How can we intentionally craft the culture and dynamics of our Move to Amend affiliates so that those who are part of populations which have been historically oppressed, feel safe, welcomed, and that there is a place for them to participate fully? How can we build trust with communities who are not represented in our meetings?

    Session 2 Facilitation Resources

    SESSION 3: Building a Culture of Trust 

    Objective: Learn about tools, culture, and processes that can help to make space for people with different life experiences, intersecting identities, and needs. Make a historical connection between the Women’s Suffrage Movement and gender justice today.

    Format: Affiliate in-person meeting . 90 minutes. Please assign note taker from within the group.

    Readings & Videos

    Discussion Questions

    1. What were your emotional reactions to these readings?  Did you have any thoughts about how oppressive behaviors might show up in your affiliate group or other places?

    2. How might the language we use in our activist spaces affect how safe people feel joining us?

    3. How does the 19th amendment struggle relate to the way women are organizing and struggling still today? How can we learn from the history of feminism and women’s struggles for liberation and apply lessons to the current moment?

    4. Some of the terms and ideas you read about in this session may have been new to you. How can we integrate new ideas and information into our group culture?

    Session 3 Facilitation Resources

    PAUSE & REFLECT

    Now that you have completed the first three sessions of the Move to Amend Movement Education Program, it’s time to take stock and assess whether you are ready to proceed into the planning your Internal Democracy Agreement and Solidarity Outreach Plan.

    Objective: Collect and review notes from previous sessions, look at the templates you’ll be building within the following sessions, assess your affiliate’s current group culture, and assess readiness to move forward.

    Format: You can schedule a separate meeting to accomplish this self-assessment, or fold these topics into one or more regular affiliate meetings. These can be done by phone, but in-person is better.

    It is ideal for this "pause and reflect" conversation to happen with all affiliate volunteers together, even those who may not (yet) have participated in the Movement Education Program. Plan for 60-90 minutes, depending on size of group and facilitation style.

    Don’t forget to send notes/results to National Team at [email protected].

    Pause & Reflect Discussion Guide

    * Please note the readings for session 4 below.

    Session 4: Organizing for Liberation: Democratic Practice within the Affiliate

    Objective: Preparing to grow our own internal diversity and inclusiveness across all groups and identities, as well as our internal democratic practice.

    Format: All affiliate members in person + 1 or 2 members of National Team by phone or video conference. Have National Team facilitate if possible. See the Agenda & Facilitation Guide for more details.

    Session Time: 2 - 2 ½ hours

    Logistics: Affiliate volunteers ideally meet in-person for both sessions 4 and 5 . Ideally, remote participants join by video-conference (Google Hangouts & Skype are free) or each on a separate phone line. This

    Facilitation: Two or more National Team members will ideally co-facilitate sessions 4 and 5. This allows all affiliate volunteers to participate directly, rather than putting one or two in a neutral role as facilitator(s). The National Team session participants should be the same for both Session 4 and 5 .

    Note-taking: There must be a note-taker for this session. Ideally it should be a co-facilitator from the National Team, so all affiliate members can participate fully. The notes will need to be shared out promptly so they can be used as part of Session 5.

    Readings

    Preparation

    Review the notes from the "Pause & Reflect" session.

    Agenda & Facilitation Guide

    Session 5: Developing a Local Plan for Solidarity Organizing and Movement Building

    Objective: Lay the foundation of a plan to engage in solidarity with a variety of community groups whose work relates to our mission of building a vibrant, inclusive, and accountable democracy.

    Format: All affiliate members in person. 1 National Team (board) in person as facilitator if possible. Other 1-2 members of National Team by phone or video conference.

    See Agenda & Facilitation Guide for more details

    Session Time: 2 - 2 ½  hours

    Logistics. Affiliate volunteers should all meet in-person for session 5. Remote participants (National Team or other) join by video-conference (Google Hangouts & Skype are free) or each on a separate phone line.

    Facilitation: We strongly recommend that a National Team member be asked to facilitate session 5. This allows all affiliate volunteers to participate directly in planning, rather than excusing one or two play neutral role as facilitator(s). If at all possible, the National Team will send a geographically-close Board member to facilitate in person.

    Note-taking: There must be a note-taker for this session. Ideally it should be a co-facilitator from the National Team. Please be sure the National Team has the notes from all of you sessions. This will help us understand how to provide better support.

    Preparation

    (1) Everyone should review these key readings as a refresher and have them at hand for meeting:

    (2) Review the notes from the "Pause & Reflect" session and Session 4.

    (3) Skim the reflection and action questions in the Agenda & Facilitation Guide below. This will prepare you for the bulk of the discussion.

    Agenda & Facilitation Guide

  • published MTA Affiliation Application in Affiliate Organizing Kit 2020-01-27 15:24:25 -0800

    Join the Move to Amend Coalition Today!

    ​Move to Amend is a grassroots movement to amend the US Constitution to make clear corporations are not people with constitutional rights and money is not free speech. We have local organizations and representatives growing in communities across the country who are working to educate their local communities and elected officials, bring people together to join the movement, and mobilize their communities to pressure state and federal legislators to take action on the We the People Amendment.

    Our grassroots leaders come from all walks of life in support of our mission to amend the Constitution! When several volunteers are ready to team up and represent Move to Amend locally, they will form an MTA Affiliate group. Not all MTA Affiliates get started the same way and sometimes it takes time, so the first step is to become a local Advocate and be the first to represent Move to Amend in your community! 

    If you're just getting started forming a MTA group, we encourage you to take a look at our "Five Easy Steps to Start a New Group" and related materials in the Affiliate Organizing Toolkit to get started.

    What You Need to Know to Affiliate With Move to Amend

    When you are ready to join Move to Amend, the first step is to become a local Advocate and be the first representative for Move to Amend in your community. When several volunteers are ready to team up to support our mission, they will form local Affiliate group to represent Move to Amend together as a coalition! 

    Move to Amend's grassroots activities fall into three main categories:

    • Education - Polling shows that 80% of American public agrees with us that corporations shouldn’t have same rights of human beings and campaign spending should be limited, but they don’t know about our campaign or how to do it. That's why we need to educate! We table at local events and go door-to-door with campaigns like We the People Listening Project to gather individual stories about their struggles with corporate rule. We write and publish letters to the editors of local and state news sources to highlight the destructive impacts of corporate rule in our daily lives. We organize public talks, teach-ins, and presentations to other groups connected the dots between current issues they care about and the nature of corporate rule.

    • Lobbying & Bird Dogging - We target candidates for local, state and federal office with questions at campaign forums, candidate surveys and letters to the editor to help raise awareness about Move to Amend and the We the People Amendment amongst candidates and the public at election time. We write, call, and visit our elected officials at their offices and in public events to support the We the People Amendment, and advancing the principles of participatory democracy. Ultimately, we need the 28th Amendment to be seen as a litmus test issue for whether people will vote for a candidate or incumbent official running for office. 

    • Resolution & Ballot Campaigns - These serve as an organizing tool to mount pressure, which put state and federal representatives on notice that their constituencies want to see them pass the amendment. We have helped passed resolutions in over 800 towns, cities, and counties across the country calling for the 28th Amendment, including 20 state legislatures! We've been on the local and state ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we have won every single time, usually in landslides of over 60% and even 80%! 

    All MTA Advocates are expected to work to build excitement at the local and state levels about being part of a larger movement, and about the process of movement building itself. All MTA Affiliates should strive to empower their members, and help them develop the skills they need to be effective. Move to Amend National staff will provide training and support through the Movement Education Program, our Take Action Webinars, and other resources for organizers of all experiences. In addition, we will provide information on locally available resources and trainings, and will assist local organizations in establishing channels of communication so that they can educate and support one another in their growth.

    The Affiliation Process

    The goals of this process are to assure that Move to Amend applicants understand:

    1. The Move to Amend campaign, its goals, values and strategies
    2. The criteria we expect them to fulfill as local representatives of Move to Amend
    3. The resources available from the Move to Amend National Team to assist them in community organizing to fulfill the criteria.

    Application Process

    1. Before filling out the application, all applicants should have read these articles to be sure Move to Amend's principles and background are understood by everyone (affiliate applicants should be sure to have a group discussion about them):
    2. After reading and/or discussing the articles as a group, please fill out the application and submit it to [email protected] for review by the National Move to Amend Team. 

      If you're applying to be an Advocate, please download the Advocate Memorandum Of Understanding and Advocate Application. 

      If you are applying to be an Affiliate group, please download the Affiliate Memorandum Of Understanding and the Affiliate Application.
      (Please note that you will need a minimum of five members to start a Move to Amend Affiliate, as we've found that teams of less than five struggle to form an effective group. If you have less than five folks but still want to form an Affiliate, please contact us so we can discuss how to help you grow.)

    3. We will then schedule an orientation conference call with applicants. This call will provide a chance for applicants to ask questions, and serve to establish shared goals, ideas and expectations. If you're an Affiliate, please plan to have as many of your group's leadership on this call as possible.
    4. Upon approval by the National Team, applicants will be asked to return their signed Memorandum of Understanding within two weeks. The National Team will then create all affiliated social media, email, website and database accounts for the advocate/affiliate. 

    If you have any questions, please contact the Affiliate Support Team at [email protected] or call 916-318-8040. 

    Important Information

    Support for Advocates & Affiliates Provided by Move to Amend National

    • Material generation for local organizing, national action and event opportunities
    • Web, telephone, and in-person conferencing/networking opportunities
    • A dedicated page on the MTA website for each group to serve as their official webpage
    • Access to Move to Amend petition signers within a group's geographic area
    • Database infrastructure to support local organizing and public engagement
    • Online and in-person training opportunities and strategy discussions
    • A @movetoamend.org email address for each group
    • Social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for each group (if your group wants to use social media)
    • Transparency on decisions made by the MTA National Board and Staff
    • Support and mentorship via telephone and email as much as possible within our resources

    Affiliated members are also eligible to participate in national organizing work through our National Committees and Caucuses, provided those individuals meet requirements and expectations as outlined by the Committees.

    Move to Amend Organizing Principles

    Move to Amend is a national, non-partisan (not affiliated with any political party), grassroots coalition and welcomes engaging communities of people with diverse viewpoints. In our vision to make real the promise of democracy, Move to Amend adheres to the following Core Principles:

    1. Anti-Oppression and Solidarity Organizing helps us develop relationships with those on the front lines of struggle against the impacts of corporate rule, including communities of color and other marginalized communities, our essential and immediate allies in the work ahead. Only through the talents, experience and wisdom of all persons is mutual governance and a system rooted in justice possible.
    2. Coalition and Movement Building is integral to connecting numerous issue communities to the legal roadblocks of corporate constitutional rights and money as protected political speech. The power of a movement rests on the common ground, the shared vision and strategies, among its participant members and groups. That ground is the result of focused listening, learning, talking, and evaluating together.
    3. Grassroots Organizing is the key to building capacity. Personal relationships are still the best way to spread our message and find support. Deep change takes root from below and is nurtured by the life and community around it. That nurturing is delivered through the arts and skills of local democratic organizing.
    4. Dedication to Political Education is an ongoing, necessary process to absorb the lessons of history and the successes or failures of past people's movements and move forward to victory with intentionality. We cannot change where we are unless we know how we got here. What's the story? What went wrong? What were the forces at work? Through this mutual understanding we are better equipped to rethink that story and engage one another in creating a new story that makes real the promise of democracy.
    5. Political and Economic Independence allows us to go forth unencumbered by partisan politics or the quid pro quo associated with corporate or wealthy funders. It is essential to attaining and sustaining government of, by and for the people.

    We believe we will only succeed if its local organizations build a broad-based movement in communities across the country. To this end, all MTA grassroots leaders are expected to gain the skills needed to build a movement that is inclusive across lines of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and socio-economic class. 

    To assist local organizations in this process, the national Move to Amend organization will provide training and support through the Movement Education Program and other resources. In addition, we will provide information on locally available resources and trainings, and will assist local organizations in establishing channels of communication so that they can educate and support one another in their growth.

    Expectations & Responsibilities for Affiliation

    • Share local membership/supporter/organizing lists with the national Move to Amend organization by collecting petitions and regularly uploading data to the Move to Amend database
    • Keep your web page on movetoamend.org current and updated with relevant and appropriate content
    • Regular use and enhancement of MTA's database infrastructure
    • Participation in monthly Coalition Conference Call
    • Active participation of MTA's Movement Education Program (completion of the current program and continuation of the process as it evolves)
    • Submit brief periodic reports to keep MTA National updated about your local activities (monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly)

    The above expectations are outlined in more detail in the Memorandum of Understanding, which must be signed by all advocates and/or affiliate leadership before your affiliation.

    Criteria for Affiliation with Move to Amend

    • Acceptance and support for the We the People Amendment and our Core Principles
    • Support for Move to Amend's emphasis on movement building and grassroots organizing
    • Has applied to Move to Amend for affiliation and has provided leadership contact list and other documentation with that application.
    • Has implemented a functional structure that allows for new people to participate and get involved and also make decisions democratically, with accountable leadership, and a commitment to anti-oppression (leadership and involvement of women and people from oppressed communities such as people of color, LGTBQ+, etc.)
    • Has a history of networking with other organizations (eg. social justice, labor, environmental, faith, etc.), or is involved in that networking from the start of formation.
    • Evidence of good faith efforts to achieve gender balance in group leadership and organization.
    • Evidence of good faith efforts to empower individuals and groups from oppressed communities, through, for example leadership responsibilities and alliances with community-based organizations.
  • published Citizen's Guide to Phone Lobbying in Political Organizing Kit 2019-10-30 17:27:16 -0700

    Citizen's Guide to Phone Lobbying

    Lobbying is an effort made to influence the actions of elected officials. Your elected officials are in office to represent you, their constituent. It is their job to listen to your concerns and to take  them into account when making decisions. 

    Whether we're meeting in-person or calling over the phone, we use lobbying to:

    • Educate our legislators about corporate constitutional rights, money in politics, and its connections with issues we care about.
    • Identify whether they are a Move to Amend supporter, an opponent, or undecided  
    • Move supporters to become champions, or undecided individuals to become supporters  
    • Soften or neutralize our opponents' arguments against Move to Amend

    With the following steps, you can ensure a successful call to your legislator and build your own experience with making the pitch for the We the People Amendment!
     

    Pre-Call Preparation: 

    Become acquainted with what you will be asking for. Check out these resources:

    Practice telling your story. We encourage you to practice telling your story in advance to increase confidence for your call.

    Learn more about your Senators and Representatives. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with your Congress members’ priorities and views by visiting their websites at www.senate.gov or www.house.gov. Also check to see if they have co-sponsored any of the competing amendment resolutions.

    PLEASE NOTE: As of March 2020, the We the People Amendment is only proposed in the House of Representatives, not the Senate. Be sure to not confuse the two when making the call to your legislator.

    Be prepared to talk with your legislator’s staff. Your legislator's assistants will almost always answer your phone call. Staff may be young, but they are instrumental in shaping the legislator’s views. It is not unusual for the legislator to defer to his/her staff for an opinion on your issue. It is important to demonstrate respect to everyone you encounter during your call.
     

    Call Tips

    Call as a group if possible. There is always strength in numbers. Whether you can call in over a speaker phone or call individually, make sure only one person is talking at a time. If you're calling as part of a phone bank, try to stagger your calls (one call after the other) to improve your chances of getting through to a person. 

    The constituents are most important. The legislators’ primary concern is whether you can elect him or her into office. If you live in the district, you are important. The spokesperson should begin the call by identifying himself/herself as a constituent and introducing all participants, and briefly identify your request early in case time runs short.

    Cover the priority issue. Now is the time you’ve been waiting for. Tell your story, and explain why passing the We the People Amendment is important to you. Make your remarks brief and to the point. Encourage them to learn more and do more.

    Stay on topic. Be careful: a little chit-chat is acceptable, but be sure to stay on topic and not be drawn into storytelling—you’ll never know where the time went! Be concise and stick to the issue at hand, but do not rush the conversation. Don’t make statements that assume that others share your political views and be respectful when talking about all political leaders.

    Solicit the legislator’s views on this issue. Review your request and do some research on your legislator. Has your legislator taken the Pledge to Amend? Have they endorsed other amendment measures? If they have shown support for similar measures thank them appropriately and encourage them to sign on to the We the People Amendment.

    Always be polite & courteous. Treat your legislator's staff as an extension of themselves. If there is disagreement, avoid arguing with your legislator or their staff. Listen to his/her perspective and then present your views. You will enhance your effectiveness if you can demonstrate a willingness to participate in a friendly exchange of ideas. Record the response of your legislator to facilitate follow-up.

    ​Conclude your call. Thank them for their time and offer to be a resource to them going forward. Offer to followup with an email containing more information. Ask to followup in a week or two to see how their internal discussion on this issue is going.

    Follow up! Remember: if you live in the district, you are important. You never reason to contact your legislator or their staff, so don't hesitate to call, email, or visit their office until they give you a clear answer. 

     

    Phone Script for your House Representative:

    “Hello, my name is [name] from Move to Amend. May I speak with my Representative or their legislative staff?” (Write down the staffer’s name. Be sure to get the correct spelling.)

    I am a constituent of Representative [NAME] and I'm calling to ask [HIM / HER] to co-sponsor House Joint Resolution 48, the We the People Amendment, and discuss the importance of addressing the problem of big money in elections and corporate influence over the political and legal process. 

    If a staff person answers, you should not expect a response -- they only keep a tally of public opinion. But if they ask you for more information about House Joint Resolution 48 and Move to Amend, go into deeper detail (Click here to see the current list co-sponsors):

    The We the People Amendment was introduced in the House of Representatives in February 2019 with 10 original co-sponsors. As of today, it has picked up 72 co-sponsors.

    For the past ten years, the Movement to Amend the Constitution has been clear: We must both abolish corporate constitutional rights AND get big money out of politics. It is not enough to simply overturn Citizens United, we must go to the root of the problem.

    Tens of thousands of volunteers across the nation have been building a grassroots movement over the past six years from the bottom up. Over 450,000 people have signed our petition supporting the We the People Amendment. 

    This movement came from everyday people taking this issue to their city governments, to town hall meetings, to candidate forums, to newspaper opinion pages, and to the ballot box directly. Over 800 cities, towns, and counties have now passed amendment resolutions. We have been on the ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we have won every single one, usually with landslides of over 60%!

    Polling shows 80% of the American public believes that corporations should not have the same rights as people. State legislatures have been pressured to stand up as well, with 19 states passing resolutions calling for an amendment.

    At this point, the legislator or their assistant may ask for contact information in case they wish to followup. Or they may respond by engaging in conversation, which will be a good opportunity to solicit their views on the issue or explain why the We the People Amendment is important to you. Whatever their response, conclude your call with the following:

    Please join your colleagues by co-sponsoring the We the People Amendment to let your constituents know you will do all you can to defend our Democratic Republic and We the People against special interests with deep pockets who are corrupting our democracy.

    To sign on as a Co-Sponsor of this important Resolution, please contact Rep. Pramila Jayapal's office, the bill's lead sponsor.

    Thank you for your time.

     

    Phone Script for your Senator:

    Hello, my name is [NAME]. May I speak with the Senator or their legislative assistant? (Write down the assistant’s name. Be sure to get the correct spelling)

    I am a constituent of Senator [NAME]. In February 2019, the We the People Amendment (House Joint Resolution 48) was introduced in the House of Representatives and I'm calling to ask Senator [NAME] to work with Move to Amend to sponsor this resolution in the Senate and discuss the importance of addressing the problem of big money in elections and corporate influence over the political and legal process.

    If a staff person answers, you should not expect a response -- they only keep a tally of public opinion. But if they ask you for more information about House Joint Resolution 48 and Move to Amend, go into deeper detail:

    The We the People Amendment was introduced in the House of Representatives last February with 10 original co-sponsors. As of today, it has picked up 72 co-sponsors.

    For the past ten years the Movement to Amend the Constitution has been clear: We must both abolish corporate constitutional rights AND get big money out of politics. It is not enough to simply overturn Citizens United, we must go to the root of the problem.

    Tens of thousands of volunteers across the nation have been building a grassroots movement over the past ten years from the bottom up. Over 450,000 people have signed our petition supporting the We the People Amendment.

    This movement came from everyday people taking this issue to their city governments, to town hall meetings, to candidate forums, to newspaper opinion pages, and to the ballot box directly. Over 800 cities, towns, and counties have now passed amendment resolutions. We have been on the ballot over 300 times -- in liberal and conservative communities alike -- and we have won every single one, usually with landslides of over 60%!

    Polling shows 80% of the American public believes that corporations should not have the same rights as people. State legislatures have been pressured to stand up as well, with 19 states passing resolutions calling for an amendment.

    At this point, the legislator or their assistant may ask for contact information in case they wish to followup. Or they may respond by engaging in conversation, which will be a good opportunity to solicit their views on the issue or explain why the We the People Amendment is important to you. Whatever their response, conclude your call with the following:

    Please join your colleagues in the House by introducing the We the People Amendment to let your constituents know you will do all you can to defend our Democratic Republic and We the People against special interests with deep pockets who are corrupting our democracy.

    To introduce this important Resolution, please contact Rep. Pramila Jayapal's office, the bill's lead sponsor in the House of Representatives.

    Thank you for your time.


    Post-Call Followup

    Thank Yous. Send a thank you message to your Legislator or their staffer following the call. Thank the legislator and/or staff person for their time and reiterate your “ask” that they co-sponsor HJR 48 in the House or a companion bill in the Senate. If this is an email, be sure to send it the same day or by the next day. If this written letter, put it in the mail as soon as you can -- preferably the same day.

    Follow Up! One of the most important aspects of lobbying is the follow up. It will be important to follow up within 1-3 weeks (or no later than a month) if your legislator or their staff person did not give you a clear answer, or gave you a positive answer but then did not follow through with their commitment. It can help to set up an in-person District meeting as part of this follow up.

    Whether this is done by phone, email, or at their state district office, the staffer and legislator will know you are serious when you follow up. Always be friendly and polite, and offer to provide additional information if it will help them to make a decision.


    Lobbying Resources

  • published Political Organizing Kit in Take Action Toolkit 2019-10-25 17:24:07 -0700

    Political Organizing Kit

    Our goal to amend the U.S. Constitution to restore our democracy is a long-term campaign that will require the support of a large number of legislators and because large corporations will resist. Most people will support our efforts if we reach out to them, but this fight will take coordinated outreach to elected officials and candidates to build support for the We the People Amendment.

    This Volunteer Kit provides guidance and resources for new and seasoned grassroots leaders on how to:

    • Educate & lobby elected officials and candidates running for local, state, and federal office
    • Develop materials & talking points to educate elected officials about our campaign
    • Organizing phone banking & meetings with elected representatives to get support for MTA resolutions & WTP Amendment
    • Recruit & train volunteers in our campaign demands & lobbying skills

    The Path to the 28th Amendment

    We believe the demand for an amendment must come from a mass movement that is broad, deep, conscious and educated. So our strategy aims to help nurture and build such a movement that crosses race, generational, and class lines so we are powerful enough to pass the 28th Amendment. 

    The Constitution’s Article V provides for 2 paths in the amendment process:

    • 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress (or 290 House Representatives, 67 Senators) make a proposal
    • 2/3 of the state legislatures (34 states) call a constitutional convention (aka an Article V Convention). 

    In either scenario, ratification will require 3/4 of the states (38 states) must vote to adopt the proposed amendment for it to become law, which can be done through state legislatures OR through state conventions (i.e., direct votes by the people). Therefore, in order to succeed, we must mobilize people across the country to put pressure on their elected officials. Effective local organizing is vital to our success.

    For information on Move to Amend's strategy for passing the We the People Amendment, read Move to Amend's Ten-Year Strategic Plan.

    For information on Move to Amend's position on an Article V Convention, read our longer article on the issue.

    Educating & Lobbying Your Legislators

    Amending the constitution will require action from state legislators, and most likely federal legislators as well. Educating the public and passing local resolutions are your first priorities, but you may want to consider lobbying as well.

    Many people react negatively to the idea of lobbying since they associate it with powerful corporations and other "special interests". However, lobbying is simply the act of educating an elected official and urging him or her to take a particular action.

    Lobbying is a valuable skill, and one often underutilized by local grassroots organizations. Lobbying is a form of advocacy directed at influencing the actions of elected officials. Your elected officials are in office to represent you, their constituents. It is their job to listen to your concerns and to take them into account when making decisions. However, elected officials are not mind-readers -- you must tell them what you want them to do. Lobbying is how you do that.

    Whether we're meeting in-person or calling over the phone, we use lobbying to:

    • Educate our legislators about corporate constitutional rights and money in politics
    • Identify whether they are a supporter of Move to Amend, an opponent, or undecided  
    • Move supporters to become champions, or undecided individuals to become supporters  
    • Soften or neutralize our opponents

    You can ask state legislators to sponsor (or at least vote for) a resolution calling for a constitutional convention, and federal legislators to propose (or at least vote for) the actual amendment. It is a useful tool for organizations working for the public good.

    Check out these helpful resources to become acquainted with what to ask for:

    Writing & Calling Your Legislators

    You can also lobby through letters, postcards or calling campaigns. These methods have the advantage of not requiring people to be in the same place as the legislator. If you can organize a large number of constituents to write or call, legislators will take notice.

    Tools:

    Bird-dogging Your Candidates & Legislators

    The term "bird-dog" comes from hunting; the bird-dog's job is to flush the birds out of the bushes and into the open. Politicians are like the birds--they try to keep their positions hidden behind vague rhetoric. Bird-dogging is a tactic where we go to where the candidates and elected officials are and get them on record answering our questions about the issues that matter to us. The goals of bird dogging are to:

    1. Educate the candidate 
    2. Educate the public and media
    3. Make the candidate make a public comment about our issue
    4. Gather video content to use as leverage on social media and in person to get them to do what we want

    When birddogging a candidate or elected official you’ll have a very short amount of time to get across your question in an effective way. Using tightly crafted questions, the successful bird-dog forces candidates to reveal their position on an issue.

    Tools:

    Meeting Your Legislators

    One way to lobby your legislators is to meet with them.

    You can set up a meeting either in their place of work or their district office when they are home between legislative sessions. To request a meeting, call or email their office. Every office differs in their preferred scheduling process, so ask which process to use. Give your name, your organization, and explain why you want to meet with the legislator. Be persistent if you don't get a response!

    Tools:

    Move to Amend Lobby Packet

    When meeting with your legislators, we recommend you put together a folder with the following printed materials to leave with the legislator or staffer (ideally both -- bring a couple copies in case you meet with both staff and the Representative): 

    Here are optional materials you can add to the packet that will help further educate the legislator and their staff:

    Sample Packets:

    Passing Local Resolutions

    We encourage all local organizations to consider working to pass resolutions in support of amending the constitution in their local communities. This is a great way to educate the public and to send a strong signal to legislators that people care about these issues. The ways in which you can pass a resolution will depend on the laws in the state and locality where you live.

    Tools:

    Collaborate with Endorsing Organizations

    One way to influence future legislators is through the questionnaires and interviews that many organizations use when deciding which candidates to endorse. Find out if organizations that support your efforts or are part of your coalition endorse candidates running for state or federal office, and encourage them to include questions about undoing Corporate Personhood and amending the Constitution.

    This sends a signal to candidates that their position on these issues may determine their endorsements, and also allows you to hold them accountable once elected if they fail to follow through on their promises.

    Tools:

    Talking Points

    Below are informative resources for how to talk about Move to Amend and the We the People Amendment with candidates & elected officials:

    Videos & Webinars

    Below are additional trainings on how to engage in lobbying & birddogging for the We the People Amendment:

  • published Solicit Organizational Endorsements in Outreach & Engagement Kit 2019-10-24 13:36:16 -0700

    Solicit Organizational Endorsements

    When a prominent local, state or national organization states its support for Move to Amend and our effort to amend the Constitution, this can educate its own members and also attract press coverage.

    In addition to working to pass resolutions in your community, your group should encourage organizations to endorse Move to Amend or to pass their own organizational resolutions. Organizations can also be asked to endorse a local campaign to pass a resolution at the community level.

    Few things are more effective in building a large network of support than connecting with other already established groups or organizations. These groups have done the groundwork of building a following, so by linking in with their group, you gain access to a large number of already active people. And since corporate power is at the heart of so many issues, there are likely many groups interested in this topic.

    Check out our current list of endorsing organizations. This list will give you good ideas for local groups to reach out to. Perhaps there is a chapter of a national endorsing organization in your town - this would be a great place to start. If the national organization has already endorsed the We the People Amendment, don't let that stop you from approaching their local branch. Ask if you can give a presentation at an upcoming meeting to let the group's members know how they can get involved in local MTA efforts. Also look for chapter-based organizations whose chapters have endorsed the We the People Amendment in other localities, even if the national organization is not yet on our list.

    If You're Already Part of an Ally Group

    If you are part of an existing organization that is interested in Move to Amend issues, you may wish to bring a group together within the organization to work on them as an Amendment Working Group. The best way to do this will depend on your organization's structure and primary focus.

    One way to start is by educating people in your organization about the Citizens United v. FEC decision, Corporate Personhood and related issues, and by explaining how these are linked to your organization's primary focus. For example, if your organization is a labor union, you can discuss how corporate influence results in policies that favor management's interests over those of workers. If you are part of an environmental group, you can explain how Corporate Personhood limits our ability to enforce environmental regulations. If you belong to a faith-based organization, you can talk about how treating profit-driven corporations the same as human beings is a moral issue.

    Once people in your organization understand why these issues are important and relevant to them, suggest forming a new committee, broadening the activities of existing bodies, or otherwise integrating Move to Amend issues into the work of your organization.

    Related Resources

  • published Outreach & Engagement Kit in Take Action Toolkit 2019-10-21 18:03:00 -0700

    Outreach & Engagement Kit

    We aim to amend the U.S. Constitution to restore our democracy. This is a long-term campaign, because it requires the support of a large number of legislators and because large corporations will resist. However, most people will support our efforts if we reach out to them.

    This Volunteer Kit provides guidance and resources for new and seasoned grassroots leaders on how to:

    • Identify local events & opportunities to engage the community, educate about our campaign, and mobilize for actions
    • Connect with supporters & organizations through tabling, teach-ins, public talks, and other Move to Amend activities
    • Represent the coalition locally to community organizations and other potential partners to grow the coalition through endorsements and resolutions supporting the We the People Amendment

    Bringing Move to Amend to Your Community

    Polling shows that 80% of American public agrees with us that corporations shouldn’t have same rights of human beings and campaign spending should be limited, but they don’t know about our campaign or how to do it. That’s why we need to educate!

    Organizing local events can be used to educate the public, to recruit members to your organization, to build relationships with other organizations, to get press coverage, and to raise money. Our grassroots leaders organize events like: 

    • Public talks, teach-ins, and presentations to other groups to earn their support.
    • Petitioning and tabling at local events, rallies, etc.
    • We also stand in solidarity with marginalized communities and other groups by attending and sharing events they organize, building trust and authentic relationships in order to connect their causes with our cause to end corporate rule.

    Tools:

    Webinars:

    Engaging Your Community & Organizations

    As you grow your local coalition, we encourage you to reach out to a broad spectrum of people, and to refrain from involving members of only one partisan group. Remember that diversity brings strength to organizations, and work to create a welcoming environment for everyone. If your membership reflects the diversity of your community, you will be more effective and less vulnerable to opposition than an organization that reflects the views of only a few community members. 

    Take care in developing the group that will form the core of a new organization: making contact with people beyond your own circle and being willing to spend sufficient time in the development stage can pay off in the long run. Because our culture restricts our vision, it is important to actively reach out to the community to acquire diverse opinions and perspectives. Strive to create dialogue around how the goals of the organization will change as it is enriched by a variety of people bringing new opinions to the table. Expect resistance inside yourself to this process. When we passionately wish to begin a project, we are likely to be attached to our own vision of the goals, our methods and the contribution we make. This can make it hard to open up the process and collaborate, but doing this can lead to better responses to complex issues.

    Tools:

    Webinars:

    Building Local Coalitions

    If you are interested in bringing together a coalition of organizations, the first step is to carefully consider what role you expect the coalition to play. A coalition can be formed with a broad mission (such as working on Move to Amend issues generally) or to accomplish a specific task (such as conducting a resolution campaign). Of course, a coalition formed around a specific task may continue on after the task is accomplished and move on to broader, longer-term collaboration.

    First, have a conversation within your own organization about forming a coalition. Then reach out to the leaders and members of other groups to present the idea and ask for their input. Explain the link between Move to Amend issues and each organization's primary focus, and describe clearly how participating in a shared effort would achieve specific goals. Once you have generated interest, set up a time for representatives of the prospective coalition partners to meet in person or conduct a conference call. Discuss the role of the coalition, identify goals and specific tasks, and create a timeline by which to chart progress. Select future meeting dates, decide how you will keep in touch between meetings, and discuss outreach to other organizations to grow the coalition.

    Tools: 

    Talking Points:

    Webinars:

Keyan Bliss

Keyan Bliss

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https://minneapolisnaacp.org/
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Move to Amend is a coalition of hundreds of organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals committed to social and economic justice, ending corporate rule, and building a vibrant democracy that is genuinely accountable to the people, not corporate interests. We call for an amendment to the US Constitution to unequivocally state that inalienable rights belong to human beings only, and that money is not a form of protected free speech under the First Amendment and can be regulated in political campaigns.

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