Grounded but not Dead

In 2006 in Humboldt County, California, Measure T was passed by the people to keep outside big-money from controlling our elections. It was also a challenge to the concept (which is already too much of a reality) of corporate personhood. Pacific Legal Foundation - sponsored entirely by large corporations to look after their corporate interests - stepped up and challenged our law. County supervisors chose to back down rather than bankrupt the county in defending Measure T. This completely subverted the will of 'We the People', which once again shows the current level of power these mega-corporations hold. This was my spoken response at October's Board of Supervisors meeting.

I’m here as one of ‘we the people’ to tell you that I want – no, I demand election reform.
When Humboldt County passed Measure T, I was proud. Proud because we were leading the way, I even bragged about it. Now that Measure T has been flushed down the toilet, I’m asking you to be Bold, do the Right Think and once again lead the way and make election reform happen. For too long and too far, we’ve gone down the road of ‘corporate America’. We need to correct this and reclaim government for the people. If I had my way, no business, no corporation could participate in or contribute financially to any campaign – only individuals – you know – people. The only way to have a government of the people, by the people and for the people is to have elections of, by and for the people. Thank You.

BTW: We have not given up this fight. We - I mean all of us - need to participate, get involved and vote in force if we want to retian our Constitutional Rights.

Footnote: Ecuador is in the process of rewritting/updating their country's constitution. They are recognizing and granting constitutional rights to the environment. A swamp has the right to exist, as does a forest and the many animals inhabiting therein. In a time when we in the USA are loosing our constitutional rights and reassigning those same rights to corporatations - I see Ecaudor is taking the lead, showing the way to a more benevolent, enlightened society. Where, my fellow Americans, have we gone so wrong? Can we now join together, rise up and set things right so that we may truly move ahead? Are you with us?