You may have heard about Atlanta’s “Cop City”, a massive police training ground slated to be leased to the APF (Atlanta Police Foundation) on a huge swath of the Atlanta forest – a critical greenspace known as one of the “lungs of Atlanta.” A massive coalition of organizations, community leaders, activists, clergy and local residents have been protesting the creation of this urban warfare center since 2021. If so many people are against its creation, why was the lease signed over?

Image credit: https://stopcop.city/what-is-cop-city/

THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE?

The fight against Cop City is now entering its third year. The idea was first introduced in January of 2021, as a proposal for the creation of an advisory council that would “explore” the idea of a state-of-the-art police urban warfare training ground. The proposal immediately drew fierce opposition from a large and diverse coalition that included environmental justice organizations, the Mvskoke Creek Nation, clergy, abolitionists, local neighborhood associations, and more – because the fight against Cop City is at the intersection of so many fronts of struggle: racism, police militarization, colonialism, gentrification, and reckless environmental destruction in the face of impending climate collapse.

Hi, I'm Thom Hartmann – author and progressive political commentator. Many of you know me from my nationally syndicated radio show, the Thom Hartmann Program.

I'm also a longtime supporter of Move to Amend! Please join with me in supporting their work to pass a Constitutional amendment to end “corporate personhood” and get big money out of politics by becoming a monthly donor.

The Move to Amend Coalition is a grassroots campaign to amend the Constitution to state that artificial entities such as corporations, unions, and non-profits do not have inherent rights under the Constitution, and that money is not political speech so campaign spending can be regulated. Move to Amend focuses on movement building and community organizing, emphasizing leadership from communities most impacted by corporate power such as people of color, low-income people, women, LGBTQIA+ people and youth.

Move to Amend is structured to empower grassroots community leaders through affiliate groups and advocates that organize locally for the passage of the We the People Amendment. The coalition’s “We the People Amendment” was introduced in Congress in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. Representative Pramila Jayapal introduced the We the People Amendment into the 117th Congress as HJR48.

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.

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

But this time? It's downright sinister.