Wolf-PAC speech: HJM4000 & the 28th Amendment; how we're getting money out of politics.
People keep asking, so I'm posting this here so I can link to it, this is the updated version of the speech I gave in February to the 1st LD. This is for Washington State, if you're from somewhere else, feel free to AMA and I'll see what I can find out for you, or join your state's group.
HJM4000 & the 28th Amendment: How we're getting money out of politics.
When is a democracy not a democracy? Princeton and Northwestern university studies have found that the United States is now an Oligarchy.
I'm going to tell you how we're working to restore our representative republic and how you can help.
Free and Fair Elections do not exist nationally right now and political outcomes are increasingly disconnected from popular opinion, as powerful outside interests have used obscene wealth to rig the economy and our government in their favor.
Over 86% of Americans believe it’s important to eliminate the corruption in our politics. When asked what they mean by “corruption” they talked about the influence of political donors and special interest groups. That means 86% of the people in our state and 86% of voters in our district.
86% of Americans want money out of politics. That's you, that's me, that's libertarians, republicans, independents, that's everyone except the people supporting the citizens United decision, whether out of short-term self interest or just ignorance.
In recent polls this issue rates as the #1 concern in the country - higher than jobs, the economy and national security! Why? Because voters know this is the problem we must fix first!
Members of Congress themselves have asked that we “free them from fundraising” (40-75% of a congressperson's time is spent fundraising- how much could get done if this weren't the case?) , and others state plainly that “the current Congress is incapable of proposing an amendment.” Congress could not even pass something as simple and decent as the DISCLOSE Act, which would merely illuminates the sources of the money pouring into our politics, we don't even know how much of it comes from foreign interests.
We're working to take donors and lobbyists out of the equation.
We have the oldest constitution in the world, and the SHORTEST constitution in the world, it is very hard to make changes to it, though we are the only generation that hasn't.
We need a new amendment to restore Free and Fair elections because no law passed at the state or federal level can be protected from the Supreme Court without an amendment.
There are only 2 ways to get an amendment: 2/3 of Congress can vote to propose an amendment or -and this is rare, but actually much more doable- 2/3 of the states (34) can demand a convention to propose an amendment.
Now, the first option is out - asking Congress to fix Congress is like asking cancer to cure cancer - so we need a national convention of the states to propose this amendment. Our Founding Fathers gave State Legislators this tool specifically for times like this, in case our federal government became unresponsive to the will of the people.
We are calling for a LIMITED convention under article V of the constitution. There is precedent for this.
We are calling for a 28th Amendment will guarantee that elections are free of the corrupting influence of excessive spending by outside interests, and fair enough that any citizen can run for public office.
The historical record is clear: if you need an amendment, this is how you get it. Most amendments to our Constitution started with states first calling for a convention. We have the Bill of Rights (10) because New York and Virginia called for a convention to propose those amendments.
Also, 4 out of the last 11 Amendments began with state-level resolutions just like ours and then Congress ultimately proposing the amendment themselves. Most notable of these, is the 17th Amendment. (ie. the direct election of Senators)
In the early 1900’s the American people wanted to be able to elect their Senators directly (they used to be elected by appointment) but Congress refused to act. So the states took matters into their own hands and began calling for a convention one by one, for this one purpose. When the states got close to the ⅔ needed to force a convention, Congress decided to propose the amendment themselves. The threat of a convention is the strongest possible way to pressure reform. We need an amendment now, and history shows us that this is the way to make it happen.
Either way it's proposed, it must be ratified by both chambers of 75% of the states before it becomes part of the Constitution.
Every generation has passed a constitutional amendment except this one. It's not something to arbitrarily aspire to, but have we ever needed one more than we do now?
HOW: One state at a time, put them on the board. We're Targeting legislators who aren't used to being targeted by a mass movement. You get 200 people in a house meeting when there's usually ten, you'll have their attention to say the least. We don't have to take all 50 or all 34 at the same time, once the bill is passed, it stands. This can take ten years, or it can take as little as 18 months.
VT, IL, CA, NJ are all on board and there are 19 in the pipe. This time last year we had zero.
HJM 4000, Washington's bill, had a House State Government Committee hearing Jan 22nd. The bill needs to be passed on to the rules committee next January, so we need people to get support from our legislators.
How do we know our plan is working? Because The Koch brothers are on to us. They're sending their shills -like Americans for Prosperity- to speak against us at state meetings.
That means we need more people than ever to help us. Get in on this, join us and 18,000 other volunteers across the country. Sign up at wolf-pac.com, come to the state hearings on HJM4000, contact your legislator. Join me and other citizens across the nation in contacting voters and asking THEM, the constituents, to contact their state legislators and to support the bills.
Duty
Since 1978 our representative democracy has been extracted from us. This happened on OUR WATCH. We're relying on our state legislators to deliver us from a bought and ineffective congress through this bill. I'm not a soldier, I didn't sign a blank check with my life to the US Government, but I sure as heck want to make sure the people who DID get the democracy and the representative republic they risked and gave their lives to defend.
Get money out of politics. Help us. Help You. Help America, let a new free and fair elections amendment be part of your legacy.
The worst thing that can happen at this point is nothing.
Thank you.
Wolf-pac.com
HJM4000 & the 28th Amendment: How we're getting money out of politics.
When is a democracy not a democracy? Princeton and Northwestern university studies have found that the United States is now an Oligarchy.
I'm going to tell you how we're working to restore our representative republic and how you can help.
Free and Fair Elections do not exist nationally right now and political outcomes are increasingly disconnected from popular opinion, as powerful outside interests have used obscene wealth to rig the economy and our government in their favor.
Over 86% of Americans believe it’s important to eliminate the corruption in our politics. When asked what they mean by “corruption” they talked about the influence of political donors and special interest groups. That means 86% of the people in our state and 86% of voters in our district.
86% of Americans want money out of politics. That's you, that's me, that's libertarians, republicans, independents, that's everyone except the people supporting the citizens United decision, whether out of short-term self interest or just ignorance.
In recent polls this issue rates as the #1 concern in the country - higher than jobs, the economy and national security! Why? Because voters know this is the problem we must fix first!
Members of Congress themselves have asked that we “free them from fundraising” (40-75% of a congressperson's time is spent fundraising- how much could get done if this weren't the case?) , and others state plainly that “the current Congress is incapable of proposing an amendment.” Congress could not even pass something as simple and decent as the DISCLOSE Act, which would merely illuminates the sources of the money pouring into our politics, we don't even know how much of it comes from foreign interests.
We're working to take donors and lobbyists out of the equation.
We have the oldest constitution in the world, and the SHORTEST constitution in the world, it is very hard to make changes to it, though we are the only generation that hasn't.
We need a new amendment to restore Free and Fair elections because no law passed at the state or federal level can be protected from the Supreme Court without an amendment.
There are only 2 ways to get an amendment: 2/3 of Congress can vote to propose an amendment or -and this is rare, but actually much more doable- 2/3 of the states (34) can demand a convention to propose an amendment.
Now, the first option is out - asking Congress to fix Congress is like asking cancer to cure cancer - so we need a national convention of the states to propose this amendment. Our Founding Fathers gave State Legislators this tool specifically for times like this, in case our federal government became unresponsive to the will of the people.
We are calling for a LIMITED convention under article V of the constitution. There is precedent for this.
We are calling for a 28th Amendment will guarantee that elections are free of the corrupting influence of excessive spending by outside interests, and fair enough that any citizen can run for public office.
The historical record is clear: if you need an amendment, this is how you get it. Most amendments to our Constitution started with states first calling for a convention. We have the Bill of Rights (10) because New York and Virginia called for a convention to propose those amendments.
Also, 4 out of the last 11 Amendments began with state-level resolutions just like ours and then Congress ultimately proposing the amendment themselves. Most notable of these, is the 17th Amendment. (ie. the direct election of Senators)
In the early 1900’s the American people wanted to be able to elect their Senators directly (they used to be elected by appointment) but Congress refused to act. So the states took matters into their own hands and began calling for a convention one by one, for this one purpose. When the states got close to the ⅔ needed to force a convention, Congress decided to propose the amendment themselves. The threat of a convention is the strongest possible way to pressure reform. We need an amendment now, and history shows us that this is the way to make it happen.
Either way it's proposed, it must be ratified by both chambers of 75% of the states before it becomes part of the Constitution.
Every generation has passed a constitutional amendment except this one. It's not something to arbitrarily aspire to, but have we ever needed one more than we do now?
HOW: One state at a time, put them on the board. We're Targeting legislators who aren't used to being targeted by a mass movement. You get 200 people in a house meeting when there's usually ten, you'll have their attention to say the least. We don't have to take all 50 or all 34 at the same time, once the bill is passed, it stands. This can take ten years, or it can take as little as 18 months.
VT, IL, CA, NJ are all on board and there are 19 in the pipe. This time last year we had zero.
HJM 4000, Washington's bill, had a House State Government Committee hearing Jan 22nd. The bill needs to be passed on to the rules committee next January, so we need people to get support from our legislators.
How do we know our plan is working? Because The Koch brothers are on to us. They're sending their shills -like Americans for Prosperity- to speak against us at state meetings.
That means we need more people than ever to help us. Get in on this, join us and 18,000 other volunteers across the country. Sign up at wolf-pac.com, come to the state hearings on HJM4000, contact your legislator. Join me and other citizens across the nation in contacting voters and asking THEM, the constituents, to contact their state legislators and to support the bills.
Duty
Since 1978 our representative democracy has been extracted from us. This happened on OUR WATCH. We're relying on our state legislators to deliver us from a bought and ineffective congress through this bill. I'm not a soldier, I didn't sign a blank check with my life to the US Government, but I sure as heck want to make sure the people who DID get the democracy and the representative republic they risked and gave their lives to defend.
Get money out of politics. Help us. Help You. Help America, let a new free and fair elections amendment be part of your legacy.
The worst thing that can happen at this point is nothing.
Thank you.
Wolf-pac.com