Will You Walk One Block Against Citizens United Corruption?: 99RISE Cressman & Kai - Defy!

[laserhaas]

Wooo Hooo - its early Saturday morning and yours truly is the first one to arrive at Los Angeles City Hall South Lawn to be part of the 99RISE movement's "March for Democracy" calling for attention/action against Citizens United.

OOPS, no one is here. Is it the wrong date? Am I in the wrong place?

I quickly call the number provided and there's no immediate answer. Then I look at my watch and go - oh {c}hit, it's only 6 a.m. - and I hang up quickly. A few moments later Kai Newkirk calls me back (pic just below). I quickly apologize - to the obvious rude awakened organizer. But Kai turned out to be oh so gracious as he thanked me for the good spirit and dedication of being the 1st to arrive.

It was a wonderful thing to see, reminding me of my days with Occupy in the beginning and Occupy Los Angeles, where I spend an entire month (before I was tipped off they were coming to arrest everyone - including yours truly).

On this day no police were present. The only thing odd was on gal who was working with a hoola-hoop for about 40 minutes during the speeches. Those speak outs against corruption weren't by people who just started getting into the fight against corruption fray - yesterday. Turns out that Derek Cressman (pic below Kai's - who is Democrat Candidate for California Secretary of State) is actually a scholar and long term activist against corruption in our elections. During Derek's speech he won my permanent attention as a Candidate for office who openly spoke out on the issues of corruption.

Did you know that, after Watergate, our elections laws were changed to "CAP" the maximum amount of money for all candidates to spend on their campaign and that the U.S. Supreme Court then ruled there's "NO such thing as fairness" in overturning the elections campaign funding cap as unconstitutional? (WOW)!

Derek Cressman knows that, educated me of that and more.


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Southlawn Speech Events

There were many people, from all over the country. Even a group from Riverside titled the 28ers. There was wonderful musical performances too. It began with a great speech by California Congressional Candidate Marianne Williamson, followed by the enlightening speech of Candidate Derek Cressman bold stance/speakout on corruption of our election process and the passionate, almost Kennedy-esque speech of Kai.

They all instilled a great sense of hope of Yes We Can Defedant Citizens United!

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CALL TO ACTION

I realize everyone across the country and/or the State of California can't go and march to Sacramento, California; but I have an good idea what you can do.

Will You Walk One Block Against Citizens United Corruption?

Even if its just two of you, three, or four - Or More, you can help make this effort/event a national treasure and fight corruption from where ever you are. Once this near month long MARCH, or perhaps once, twice a week - and your even daily - simply get a sign, sheet of power and say "We're With You". It really isn't too much to ask. 99RISE and the MARCH have websites and Twitter accounts (here) and (here). You can send in a picture of your solidarity against Citizens United.

Please consider doing at least a one block walk and Tweet, Facebook - PIN IT!

Donations - too - are welcomed (here's the link to the March's website once more)

I know we all care passionately about the Koch brothers and their ilk, doing the Karl Rove dance of corruption upon our country and the election process. If this idea of just doing a one block (or more) walk takes hold, we can send a chill down their stalwart spines.

As for me, just the possibility of giving Karl Rove and the Koch brothers a bad night's sleep - gives me great joy!

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[laserhaas]

1. Here's a link to the March route. IF you know friends to call and get them involved.

http://www.marchfordemocracy.org/march_route

[Le Taz Hot]

8. Wow!

Thanks for this. I signed up to march, host, feed, provide vehicle, etc., but couldn't find a travel route and timeline and you just provided it. I haven't heard back from anyone but I imagine everyone is super busy. I at least have a timeline for when they'll be here.

Thanks, laserhaas!

[laserhaas]

9. Thank YOU - Le Taz Hot - and PLEASE help get more support.

Together - we can do this - and start a mini movement

to assist the big push!

[laserhaas]

2. This picture in a picture "Journalism is Not a Crime" - is fantastic

https://twitter.com/kai_newkirk/status/465921778766712832

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. There was nothing "corrupt" about the Citizen's United ruling, unfortunately.

That's not to say it wasn't bad for America, but

a) I think, although I'm not sure that it was a correct interpretation of the constitution.
b) I am absolutely certain that it was a reasonable and legitimate interpretation of the constitution, even if incorrect.

The people to blame are the founding fathers, not the SCOTUS, and in their defence they could not reasonable have forseen how great the power of money to skew elections would become.

[laserhaas]

4. Evidently you aren't aware that "Color of Law" is a Civil Rights violation and a crime.

Money buying votes - IS the very definition of a corrupt process.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

6. I think we may be talking at cross purposes.

Are you arguing that the Citizens United ruling *permitted* behaviour which will probably result in corruption, or that it was in itself corrupt or arrived at for corrupt reasons?

I have been arguing that the latter is false; the former strikes me as a reasonable position, although easy to exaggerate.

[laserhaas]

7. Citizens United (akin to the 1970's overturn of CAP on election funding limits) = Corrupt premise

I would argue that "all" views (and it appears more than 2 are in your comment No 6) - have plausibility.

As to the mens rea of the 1970's overturn and ruling for Citizens United - we'll probably never know.

However;

As one who was at the MARCH and seeing Derek Cressman talk in scholarly manner about the corruption of the election process, I would leave the banter/debate on the intellectual level twixt you and he. I'm an less than formal educated person - who has a new/well found respect for the literal.

PACs and such are (obviously) a result - corrupt - of the Citizens United ruling.

The fact that the U.S. Supreme Ct concluded (in the 70's) that there's no such thing as "fair" in elections, to the point of ruling CAPS on the election funding process as UN-Constitutional

goes far beyond the debate of corruption.

[laserhaas]

5. Definition of Corruption

cor·rup·tion
kəˈrəpSHən/Submit
noun
1.

dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
"the journalist who wants to expose corruption in high places"

synonyms: dishonesty, unscrupulousness, double-dealing, fraud, fraudulence, misconduct, crime, criminality, wrongdoing; More
antonyms: honesty
the action of making someone or something morally depraved or the state of being so.
"the word “addict” conjures up evil and corruption"
synonyms: immorality, depravity, vice, degeneracy, perversion, debauchery, dissoluteness, decadence, wickedness, evil, sin, sinfulness, ungodliness; More
antonyms: morality, purity
archaic
decay; putrefaction.
"the potato turned black and rotten with corruption"
2.

the process by which something, typically a word or expression, is changed from its original use or meaning to one that is regarded as erroneous or debased.

synonyms: alteration, bastardization, debasement, adulteration More

[laserhaas]

10. The Braley for Iowa campaign joined in the Petition against Citizens United.

I asked them to consider joining in the MARCH for Democracy movement.

http://sign.citizens-against-citizens-united.com/braley