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Would someone with a legal background please include here the basic rights of corporations so we have a basis to work from. I have realized recently, last few years, that "personhood" needs to be taken away from corporations.
Also take away corprations freedom to make money from our personal information; that's obscene. They should pay us for personal information if they want it.
Suggested by jerry ann campbell on 01/18/2009 @ 08:42AM PT
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There is an organization dedicated to this issue, and it should become a partner with change.org. The acronym is POCLAD. They have been working for many years to increase awareness.
http://poclad.org/
Suggested by David Dudine on 01/17/2009 @ 02:20PM PT
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I'm disappointed this issue didn't make the top 10, but at least it's still on the radar.
One of the first steps for Ending Corporate Personhood is more education. Not enough people realize how badly corporate personhood impacts the environment and the degradation of the quality of lives.
The American public has been trained so long to accept that whoever has the money should get their way. It will take a lot to unbrainwash more people into accepting that they deserve more than having corporations put profits before human needs or the environment.
Suggested by Debra Evans on 01/17/2009 @ 12:40PM PT
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I think Dennis Kucinich would back this.
Suggested by Kathleen Gresham on 01/17/2009 @ 10:38AM PT
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We need to make everyone understand that when a corporation has all the rights of an individual human being, then the few corporate officers who control that corporation have *more* rights than a single individual should have.
Let's say that the corporation is really controlled by the top four officers. Then each of those officers has, in effect, the rights of one-and-one-fourth persons. Each has 25 percent more rights than you and I do.
And in corporations or companies that are really controlled by just one person, a strong CEO, that CEO has the rights and privileges of *two* human beings---two wealthy and powerful ones.
Once the public grasps that concept, I think there will be strong support for abolishing the "personhood" of corporations.
Suggested by Kathleen Gresham on 01/17/2009 @ 10:36AM PT
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The U.S. Constitution gives us the means, not the ends. No doubt thanks to Jefferson and those who agreed with him, the Constitution doesn't even mention corporations (although it does enshrine commerce and contracts). In fact, there are a number of quotes of Jefferson's which specifically warn about corporate domination.
I believe that Jefferson and his allies expected We the People to eventually ''revolutionize'' the Constitution to include themselves, and were intentional in including the Bill of Rights to help facilitate that.So, we can appeal to the constitution for help, imo; its preamble guarantees its protection of promoting the general welfare, among its 6 ''in order to's.''My suggestion continues to be that
> we are the ones we've been waiting for;
> we need to form local-to-national-to-global networks, linking related goals (e.g., respect for people's, animals' and planetary rights) among advocacy and activist groups; and
> linking those goals with abolishing corporate personhood ~ for starters.
I appreciate a reply I received requesting a copy of the Community Action Plan to Abolish Corporate Personhood which was formulated to help facilitate the linking and networking, and will be in communication with that person, and anyone who wishes a copy. Perhaps we can get it up on a website soon, or at least emailable; there have been other requests for it.
Can we say, ''yes We the People can'' get legislation passed amending the Constitution to abolish corporate personhood? I'm sure it seemed impossible to the earliest abolitionists to imagine an amendment abolishing slavery! as Rabbi Michael Lerner of the Network of Spiritual Progressives counsels:
''Be unrealistic!''
Thank you.
Suggested by joyce smith on 01/16/2009 @ 09:36PM PT
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Ideas for building a national campaign:
1) Establish a blog in which people write in to tell their personal stories of the abuse they've experienced and witnessed due to corporate "personhood." Likewise, engage radio talk show hosts in gathering and broadcasting such stories.
For example, see Lynn Heaser's post (1/14/09) at http://www.change.org/ideas/idea_comments?idea_id=end_corporate_personhood&page=3
If anything can, Lynn's story and others like hers can provoke action on this subject.
2) Create a caucus of current and retired corporate leaders who understand and are appalled by the abuses following from corporate "personhood." (There must be some!)
3) Once the personal stories are collected and the caucus of corporate leaders has formed, create a high-profile national conference, with state and national legislators invited, to propose specific remedies.
Suggested by Lisa Sarasohn on 01/16/2009 @ 11:55AM PT
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This is a huge issue. The most important thing to get across when campaigning for a cause as important as this is to educate the people. I feel that this issue would have far more votes & would be a more visible issue to the public if they were aware of all the aspects of life that it encompasses. This law is a clear attack on human rights, & most people wouldn't adhere to it if they knew what it has caused. Exposing this idea is the only thing this issue needs. The people would naturally back it if they knew more about it. Also, finding a politician who would back it would be highly useful.
Suggested by Chad Lupo on 01/16/2009 @ 09:00AM PT
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I'm glad to see that ALL ideas are being taken seriously, even if they didn't finish in the top ten. The fact that we have been restored our oportunity to participate in the government of our country is absolutely fantastic! This is a good time for America and the World!
Suggested by c F on 01/16/2009 @ 08:59AM PT
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