Philip Glass with Occupy Protesters

Philip Glass, the brilliant composer who wrote the opera, made a statement that was broadcast throughout the crowd by the group, which repeated each line. He made the statement, which is a passage from the Bhagavad Gita, three times:

“When righteousness withers away and evil rules the land, we come into being, age after age, and take visible shape, and move, a man among men, for the protection of good, thrusting back evil and setting virtue on her seat again.”

Philip Glass at Lincoln Center with Occupy Wall Street Protesters

Citizens United Opinion

 In 2010, Justice Stevens along with Justice Ginsburg, Justice Breyer, and Justice Sotomayor view Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission as having drastically weakened efforts to restrain the effect of money in government. In his dissenting remarks Justice Stevens states:

At bottom, the Court's opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self government since the founding, and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. It is a strange time to repudiate that common sense. While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics.

Citizens United Opinion by Justice Stevens

Wealth in America

The top 10% own 71.5% and the bottom 90% own 28.5% of the wealth.

The bottom half of America owns 2.5% of country's wealth.

The top 1% owns a third of it.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-charts-about-inequality-2011-11#half-of-america-owns-25-of-countrys-wealth-the-top-1-owns-a-third-of-it-5#ixzz1fJr3o0EY

We are the Many by Makana

Bad Things

People perch in front of their TV keeping watch on the news for the next bad thing.

Declaration of Citizens

Declaration of Citizens

The time has come for Citizens of the United States of America to assert our rights to control the political system.  For too long, others have claimed that governing belonged to the capitalists, the corporations, the special interests and the elite.  Now is the time for Citizens to declare the causes that require us to assert our rights.

Citizens of the United States of America have rights.  Citizens have the right to participate in the political system at the federal, state and local levels.  When that political system and government become unable to protect Citizens from hunger, homelessness, unemployment and poverty then Citizens have the right to change that political system and government by defining principles and rights that assert the Right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness as defined in the Declaration of Independence and assert the rights defined in the Constitution of the United States of America and amendments.

Corporations and other forms of business ownership have had a mutually beneficial partnership with Citizens to participate in the economy of the United States of America.  Tax paying Citizens have provided schools, roads and bridges, firefighters, police and government for the benefit of everyone.  Corporations have competed in the economy to sell goods and services, and hired people who paid taxes.  However, Corporations and other forms of business ownership have caused the Great Recession, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, and claim they have the power to participate in the political system to maintain their position of dominance.  What are the grievances Citizens have against Corporations and other business entities?

They have abused the laws necessary for the public good by polluting the land, air and water.

They have financed campaigns using false or misleading information to influence people to not support laws for human health and a healthy environment.

They have financed political candidates that support laws that limit Citizens rights and expand the rights of business entities,

They have used their influence in the political system to delay and stop changes unfavorable to their economic agenda, even though the changes benefit the health and welfare of Citizens.

They have benefited in the global economy without creating jobs in the United States of America to protect Citizens from hunger, homelessness, unemployment and poverty.

They have........well, here you get to add to the list.

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Next, what are the demands of the Citizens?

To get Corporations out of the political system as much as possible.

Corporations are not Citizens, do not have the right to vote and should not be able to use their superior cash flow  and wealth to get their way and hurt Citizens economic welfare.

Corporations should not be contributing to political campaigns for ballot measures or people.

Poem Inspired by World Trade Center Memorial

My Name My name is not on the Korean War Memorial My name is not on the Vietnam War Memorial My name is not at Arlington National My name is not on the World Trade Center Memorial My name is not on the Pentagon Memorial My name is not on the CIA's wall My name is on my birth certificate My name is on an American Passport My name is on an Honorable Discharge My name is on a pension check My name is on a social security check My name is now Grandpa