Backbone Campaign

What is the Backbone Campaign?
The Backbone Campaign is a grassroots effort to embolden citizens and elected officials to stand up for progressive values. We are expanding the political dialogue by providing creative tools for citizens and the progressive movement. The backbone symbolizes an interlocking agenda, a coalition, and the personal courage necessary to fight for a future worthy of our children. WELCOME:
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FREE Resources to
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Thank-N-Spank lobbying tools

Questions for the Candidates

Freeway Bannering

Progressive Cabinet Interviews

Invite the Chain Gang

Build A Community Backbone

Progressive Platform

Meet The Backbone Campaign
Watch this video to better understand the Backbone Campaign (created March 2007).

Announcements

Anti-Corporate Person Flashmob - Targets Target

Thanks Agit-Pop! Let's do some more. That was FUN!

Action-in-a-Box: Abolish Corporate Personhood Toolkit

Backbone Campaign wants to make it clear that corporations are not The People, and have no claim to the inalienable rights. We hope this evolving Action-in-a-Box toolkit helps to make your local efforts fun and effective. For additional visual aids and resources click HERE

The Corporation Not Equal People stencil pdf.
Sign or banner lettering template and "Not Equal" symbol.
Freeway Bannering instructions & complete letter template HERE
Corporate Person costume #1 (Build instructions HERE ) by Jan Edwards and Leon Schneiderman
Skit Script HERE by Jan Edwards and Leon Schneiderman
$1 = 1 Vote? sign HERE
History of Corporate Personhood timeline HERE
2 Part video on History of Corporate Personhood here: Part 1/Part 2
Source for Free and Bulk Bumper Stickers HERE

Backbone Campaign Collaborates with Health Care Advocates To Ask Insurance Commissioners: 'Which Side Are You On?'

On Monday, August 16, a terrific creative action to challenge the collusion between corporate and elected power was organized by Backbone Campaign's Roger Fulton with support from Jared Middle Calf and crew. We joined with collaborating Heath Care activists in a great demonstration outside the conference of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), while the lobbyist vultures divided the spoils of the Obama plan inside.

We were there to challenge these public servants -- the 50 insurance commissioners -- with, "Which Side Are You On?"...Count Bleed-Ya-Dry representing insurance industry - OR - We The People? The tug-of-war continues.

Backbone Blogs

Withdraw the Last Combat Politicians from Washington
08/29/2010 David Swanson
Pretending to end a war and occupation, while stationing 50,000 soldiers, 18,000 mercenaries, and 84,000 support contractors in massive and permanent military bases in Iraq is a far cry from what candidate Barack Obama described as ending "the mind-set that got us into war in the first place."

Backbone News

Backbone Does Detroit - 2nd US Social Forum
Imagery for Actions & Friendships for Future Collaborations: USSF Parade

Like Backbone Campaign, the US Social Forum is appropriately shifting activists' focus from DC to We the People. Led by people of color and attended by practically every serious progressive grassroots organization in the country it was not a question of whether to go, but what to bring. Though it was a financial stretch for Backbone Campaign, it was the perfect place to show what we have to offer and build for future collaborations.

Backbone Campaign provided multiple images for the opening march with a particularly positive response to the Penta-Gone's transformative vision for dismantling empire and building a just and sustainable security. The giant globe returned to the streets with Count Bleed-Ya-Dry to support a Jobs with Justice Rally the next day. Even our big Fish puppet got into the act traveling atop old sturgeon streams with the Matrix Theater's water reclamation celebration. And we ended with a bang - or a POP! - as Backbone augmented the final action against the municipal incinerator with windmills in the parade and a 60 foot helium powered banner flying parallel to the stacks, reading POISON.

Like Backbone Campaign, the US Social Forum is appropriately shifting activists' focus from DC to We the People. Led by people of color and attended by practically every serious progressive grassroots organization in the country it was not a question of whether to go, but what to bring. Though it was a financial stretch for Backbone Campaign, it was the perfect place to show what we have to offer and build for future collaborations.

Accountability for BP: Lessons From London

Featuring James Marriott

The BP Gulf oil spill continues to spread, destroying entire ecosystems and economies. However, since corporations, including oil companies, have the primary voice in the passage of laws in our country it's not clear that our government will do anything useful in this tragic moment. Oil companies' record breaking profits began in the early years of the Bush gang, and have continued apace, so they are more powerful than ever.

Without new citizen actions, elected officials will not hold BP - and other oil companies -- fully accountable for the devastation and destruction they have caused. Without effective pressure from citizens, the Obama Administration and Congress members won't pass laws with teeth, laws that move our country rapidly away from burning fossil fuels.

Who are BP's leaders, what are its government ties in the U.S. and in its home base, London? How are BP's fortunes linked to governments, to other oil companies, but also to ordinary people's communities, pension funds and personal finances? We cannot count on mainstream media to learn most of this important information.

For our 78th Conversation, we spoke with James Marriott, a co-director of London-based PLATFORM. James was our guest four years ago in a Conversation about art and activism. But PLATFORM also became a prominent oil watch group when it launched Unravelling the Carbon Web in 2000.

James Marriott is an expert on BP. In this Conversation, we asked James to share his perspective and knowledge on BP in this critical time.

Transforming Catastrophe into Opportunity: A Conversation on Gulf Eco-Crime, Big Oil, & Carbon Tax as a Tool to Transition Off Fossil Fuels

Featuring Antonia Juhasz, James Handley, and Kathy Callan

As we recoil in horror that not 1,000 - not 5,000 - BUT 25,000 barrels of oil per day are gushing into ocean waters poisoning the Gulf of Mexico, let us prepare for action. Backbone Campaign organized Monday's (5-10) Conversation with the Cabinet conference call/interview/webcast to help you channel your rage into action with the strongest possible demands.

Now That the Theater Has Ended, Real Talk about Real Health Care Reform

Featuring Dr. Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, Esq.

The noisy and media-studded passage of the Democrats' health bill has the entire country in debate. Increasingly, people are wondering if this law will pave the way for permanent control of Americans' health by private, for-profit insurance companies, big pharmaceutical industries, and their moneyed allies.

For this Conversation, we were honored to speak with two of the country's prominent single payer leaders, Dr. Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese. Margaret Flowers is a Maryland pediatrician and Congressional Fellow for Physicians for a National Health Program. Kevin Zeese is executive director of Prosperity Agenda.

Corporate Personhood & Amending the Constitution

Featuring David Cobb

On February 22, David Cobb, a long time Backbone Campaign collaborator and progressive movement champion, joined us to discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling on "Corporate Personhood" and the opportunities it provides for movement building.

David is part of an exciting new effort underway that is uniting organized labor, environmentalists, peace and social justice activists, and yes, Greens, progressive Democrats, Independents and principled conservatives.

The coalition is called The Campaign to Legalize Democracy and the initial campaign is a call to amend the U.S. Constitution to strip corporations of their illegitimate claims to any constitutional rights. movetoamend.org We are very proud that Backbone Campaign is participating as a Key Partner on this effort.

NEW RESOURCE - Backbone Campaign now has a growing collection of creative resources at our Challenge Corporate Personhood Action-In-A-Box online toolkit.

Localize This!Action Camp
Creative Tactics for Land & Sea
Slideshow of a great week of training

Procession for the Future
Photos from 2009 Tour:

Recent Past Projects:

Audio shorts (2-3 minutes each)on how to challenge candidates on key progressive issues at QuestionsForTheCandidates.org

Progressive response to the Wall Street Bailout at ThanksHank.org

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