56 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 11 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County Launches Move to Amend The Constitution

By       (Page 3 of 8 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page.   1 comment
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Michael Bonanno
Become a Fan
  (7 fans)

Reclaim Democracy

Ultimate Civics

Velvet Revolution

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

. . . and growing . . .

David Cobb, the 2004 Green Party candidate for president, is a volunteer member of the DUHC Steering Committee. I spoke with David this morning concerning the high court's decision and about the MoveToAmend's goals.

MB: Representative Alan Grayson of Florida told Keith Olbermann yesterday that he's already proposed five pieces of legislation to combat the court's ruling legislatively.

Do you have any faith in a legislative response to the court's decision?

DC: Of course I support any and all efforts to improve the country through the legislative process, through campaign finance; I support publicly financed elections; I support efforts to require any corporate contributions to get a majority of shareholders; I support campaign limits; I support a number of legislative efforts to make elections more democratic, more fair. But at the end of the day, those legislative efforts aren't going to reach the core of the problem, which is the fact that the social, political and legal system is profoundly undemocratic. And that's the reason that the campaign to legalize democracy is trying to build a movement that will be commiserate with the level of the problem. That's not to say that I don't support the legislative efforts of progressives in Congress.

MB: Following up on that, it's my impression that the floodgates have opened for corporations to not accept any rulings by lower courts and to bring all rulings to The Supreme Court, at which time The Supreme Court will have no other option other than to side with the corporations as it did yesterday.

Even legislation might be challenged.

DC: Legislation will be challenged. That's always been the case.

Many of us have been working in the trenches trying to organize, agitate and educate people about the problems at the core level. So, forgive me if I'm not surprised or outraged about The Supreme Court decision. It was inevitable.

So, yes, we should engage in legislative response. We should have candidates running for office on a platform calling for real democracy and calling to challenge the legal doctrine.

But it's always been the case. There are thousands of laws at the local, state and federal levels that courts have overturned in the last hundred years. When Democrats were in the White House and had control of Congress. When Democrats were sitting at The Supreme Court.

My frame on this decision is not that it is merely a travesty for campaign finance laws. It goes deeper. It is another indication, glaring and specific, of how undemocratic our country is because a law that people care about was overturned.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Michael Bonanno Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Michael Bonanno is an associate editor for OpEdNews.

He is also a published poet, essayist and musician who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bonanno is a political progressive, not a Democratic Party apologist. He believes it's (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Teabaggers; Children of the Sixties?

It's OK to say "Merry Christmas"

Is The Constitution Really That Unfair?

Will "Americans Elect" Their President in 2012?

Why Anarchism, Communism and Libertarianism are Pipe Dreams

LA Socialist Party Local Holds Organizing Meeting (Discussion with Mimi Soltysik, Local Chair)

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend