Corporate Personhood & Amending the Constitution

Featuring David Cobb
02/22/2010

Position(s) nominated for:
Movement 
Read the chat transcript of this Conversation (PDF format).

"We see ourselves in the same spirit as the American Revolutionaries, abolitionists, women's suffragists, trade unionists, and the civil rights movements. We cannot create the country we want and deserve unless we are part of a genuine social movement that challenges corporate power head on." ~ David Cobb


On February 22, David Cobb, a long-time Backbone Campaign collaborator (*see below) 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. www.movetoamend.org We are very proud that Backbone Campaign is participating as a Key Partner on this effort.

"The campaign is a direct response to the flawed decision in Citizens United vs. FEC that has basically legalized corporate bribery in our elections," says Cobb. "But we know that the problem with corporate power goes far deeper than elections. Corporations have hijacked our social, legal and political institutions, and only a progressive grassroots movement can take our country back."

Nike Corp. Person Costume

Within the first few weeks of introducing the website www.movetoamend.org, over 61,000 persons have signed on, and more join every day! We encourage you to sign on if you haven't already done so.

*David Cobb was the 2004 Green Party candidate for President and took a brave and nuanced position on swing state voting that gracefully avoided the "spoiler" position many accused Nader of in 2000.

In Nov 2004, a flood of reports regarding massive electronic voting "glitches" (all that mysteriously favored George Bush), arbitrary and illegal behavior by partisan election officials, and old-fashioned voter suppression poured in from Ohio. As evidence mounted that the 2004 presidential election was stolen, John Kerry refused to call for a recount. But Green Party Presidential candidate David Cobb did, and he helped to launch an election integrity effort that continues to this day.
Cobb welcomed the support of the Backbone Campaign during that fight, and that is no surprise. Cobb worked with the Backbone campaign at the Democratic Party Nominating Convention earlier that year in Boston, and even helped to carry the Backbone puppet through the streets!

In 2005 I interviewed Cobb about how Greens, progressive Democrats, Independents and even principled conservatives might work together.

David also worked intimately with us providing invaluable collaboration during and following our Progressive Cabinet Summit prior to the 2007 US Social Forum, as part of our Progressive Policy Council, cementing gains from the Summit and providing the policy foundation upon which the Procession for the Future was designed.