Getting Rid of Citizens United - Being a Citizen

It is the 4th anniversary of Citizens United when the Supreme Court granted citizenship to corporations, allowing them to inordinately influence decisions affecting the lives of each and every one of us.

Yes, corporations are a collection of people but by granting corporations personhood and citizenship, each and every member of the corporate board and each and every voting shareholder, is, thereby, granted double personhood and citizenship, on their own, as citizens, and through their corporate influence.  DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!

This legal action has doomed the rest of us to always be outvoted and out-influenced by corporate interests.  And, if you think that national and multinational corporations have your best interests, our country's best interests, our planet's best interests at heart, I'm afraid I think you're a fool.

Watch this video and educate yourself.

Legalize Democracy

It is extremely important that we overturn each and every one of these decisions and that a constitutional amendment be enacted to define, once and for all that a citizen is a single, individual homo sapien and that the laws of the country apply only to so defined citizens.

Be a Citizen - (American Heritage Dictionary)

"1. A person owing loyalty to and entitled by birth or naturalization to the protection of a state or nation."

Even that definition (matched by Webster's), is outdated and, in a democracy, insufficient.  Remember, in our democracy, as defined by our Constitution, We The People, the citizenry, ARE the government.

Much of what's wrong with our government today, is a result of our throwing away our rights as citizens and by being lax in our responsibilities as citizens.

We are, in fact "governed" by layers of governments; from our local municipal, county and state governments to the federal government.  Are you informed about each and every one of those governments?  Do you know your state Constitution?  Do you know the ordinances of your town?  How many city council meetings have you attended?

Think about your answers to these questions, because if you are not acting and functioning and taking responsibility as a Citizen, what do you think will be the result; government functioning without you.  Complaining about decisions that are made, laws that are enacted, after the fact, is pointless.  You and I must, pro actively, become citizens who include our citizenship in our daily thinking and activities.

Go to your town's web site.  Who's who?  Can you find local ordinances there?  If not, call the Town Clerk and ask how to find your local ordinances.  You public library often has a copy of the Ordinances.  Also ask for the schedule of Council meetings and how to get a copy of the agenda.  You may have to pay for a photocopy (saving the taxpayers money, of course).  DO NOT let anyone intimidate you.  I have had town clerks ask me who I am and what I need the information for, in an authoritarian tone. I simply give them my name and tell them I'm a resident, home owner and voter and I need the information I'm asking for.  They don't need to know why.  

Some towns, that have the correct attitude, that information about their operations is open to The Public, will have that information on their web site, posted in the municipal offices and/or available at the local library.  You have a right to this information.  Don't let anyone tell you differently.  In some cases, they have so seldom been asked that they have acquired wrong thinking and bad attitudes about the loftiness and privilege of their activities and become secretive.  We are responsible for that as well.  

I'm a librarian.  I have been a public employee (differing from a public servant in many ways), serving the public in public libraries in many municipalities in 4 states.  I have attended many public meetings in my capacity and a librarian and a citizen.  Over time, when very few people show interest in what you're doing and how you're doing it, you just stop thinking about how what you do affects them.  So, as citizens, we have to be ever vigilant about how our various levels of government function and continually communicating our wishes to our public servants (our elected representatives).  How else can they represent us?