Corporate power, big money and the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Move to Amend condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There must be an immediate ceasefire, withdrawal of troops, humanitarian aid and diplomacy.

There are many reasons for Russia’s invasion. Some concern politics, history, culture, and territory - including preventing NATO expansion. Not often mentioned, however, is that this small country has 5% of the earth’s natural and mineral resources, including coal, oil, natural gas (2nd most in Europe), lithium (for batteries), iron ore (for industry), titanium (20% of proven world reserves, for aerospace) and gallium (2nd most in world, for electronics). Ukraine is also incredibly rich agriculturally – 1st in Europe in arable land and 25% of the world’s volume of black soil - capable of meeting the food needs of 600 million people. 

This is more than a political war. It’s a resource war. 

This week marks the anniversary of First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti (1978) -- the very first case that defined "free speech" rights for corporations, laying some of the groundwork that would lead to the even more infamous Citizens United v. FEC (2010) ruling.

In this landmark case, the Supreme Court of the United States held that corporations have a First Amendment right to make contributions to ballot initiative campaigns.

This case is one of many examples of why overturning Citizens United is NOT enough.

Tomorrow is Earth Day -- and while planting a tree is a great way to spend the day, we can't forget that we are up against a powerful, extractive, and brutal system that our individual choices will never be enough to defeat.

Once upon a time, a man named Henry Ford found himself with an extra $60 million of capital, and decided it was in the best long-term interest of Ford Motor Company to reinvest that surplus back into the corporation -- hiring more workers, increasing their wages, and lowering the price of the products for consumers.

But brothers John and Horace Dodge, stockholders who owned 10% of Ford company shares, didn't like Henry's decision. It interfered with their short-term profits. So they sued him.

In Dodge v. Ford (1919), a landmark case decided 102 years this month, the Michigan Supreme Court held that Henry Ford could not lower consumer prices and raise employee salaries.

Our campaign goal is to secure 125 co-sponsorships for the #WeThePeopleAmendment (House Joint Resolution 48) before the end of 2022.

To achieve this goal we have identified 135 priority targets based on the previous co-sponsorship of the amendment, Pledge to Amend signers, caucus membership, location (districts, where Move to Amend, has passed initiatives), and voting record/time in Congress.

If your Representative is not on the list below you can definitely still target them, but we suggest starting with the closest Rep to you and recruiting constituents in that District to hold a meeting with their target Representative (or their legislative staff). 

Here's what you'll need to do:

1. Choose which Representative you're focusing on (see below for the target list, or if your Rep isn't on the campaign target list you can elect to lobby them instead)
2. Recruit 3-5 constituents to join you for the meeting
3. Schedule the meeting (a Move to Amend national organizer will join you for this meeting)
4. Organize a prep call to prepare
5. Hold the meeting and ask your Representative to co-sponsor HJR48
6. Follow up
7. If they don't sign on, time to escalate your tactics! We will help you plan an appropriate action from bombarding their office with phone calls, to organizing a letter-writing campaign to dropping in at their house with Move to Amend petitions! We will work together to decide on any appropriate escalation. 

We have provided you with all the tools and resources needed as well as organizing support. You will find the easy step-by-step instructions linked at the bottom of the page.  Expect that this effort will take 2-5 hours a week. 

Sign up below, then get started!

Kickoff Call

TAKE ACTION WEBINAR: Pledge to Amend

Campaign Targets

--> View targets on a spreadsheet (Google doc, opens in new window)

Sign up below to get started!

Campaign Resources

***Click on each task for related templates and instructions.

STEP 1 -- SIGN UP FIRST!

• Sign up to organize or participate in a lobby meeting on our website.

STEP 2 -- Recruit 3-5 Constituents to Commit to Join a Meeting with the Representative

• Send an email blast to the Move to Amend list asking people to sign up for the meeting
• Recruit your friends and neighbors through social media, email or text messaging
• Phonebank or text bank the Move to Amend list to ask people to commit to joining the meeting

STEP 3 -- Schedule the Meeting

• Contact your Representative's office and ask for a Zoom meeting

STEP 4 -- Prepare for the Meeting

• Post the meeting date and time to the Move to Amend website to help promote
• Review background information about the #WeThePeopleAmendment
• Line up a Move to Amend national organizer to join you for the meeting
• Hold a prep call to review meeting roles and make sure you are each clear on what you'll say and how to make sure to get to the ask
• Send a blast to constituents on the Move to Amend list a few days in advance to ensure the office gets calls to put the #WeThePeopleAmendment on their radar before your meeting

STEP 5 -- Hold the Meeting

• Follow an agenda because you'll only have 20-30 minutes
• Take good notes, keep track of any questions you get that you can't answer on the spot and commit to following up with the answer(s)
• Enter the details and notes to the Move to Amend national database
• Make a clear ask: Will you co-sponsor the #WeThePeopleAmendment (HJR48)?

STEP 6 -- Follow up!

• Send a thank-you email with any info requests to the staffer(s) and mail a thank you note to the Representative
• Send email blasts to constituents on the Move to Amend list asking them to call each week to keep the pressure up
• In 2 weeks send an email and/or call the office and ask for a response. Be persistent! Keep trying every 2-3 days until you get a response

STEP 7 -- Celebrate or Escalate!

• Often this is all it takes, especially for Representatives who agree with our goals. But if you don't have a commitment yet it is time to escalate your tactics. We will work with you to determine how to escalate appropriately, from stepping up the phone calls, to organizing a letter-writing campaign, to car parades around their office, to delivering Move to Amend petitions to their home, and more!

Ready to Sign Up?

Historically, this proverb has had positive connotations -- related to social and economic progress.

But this time? It's downright sinister.