KC Move To Amend

2012-01-29T02:00:00.002-06:00

Satirical Wedding of a Woman and a Corporation

was the highlight of the Post-protest Celebration on January 21!

Check out this novel & funny video of the "wedding":

Corporate Personhood:

Goldman Sachs gets Married!

2012-01-29T01:33:00.001-06:00

Occupy the Courts! KC

was a huge success!

About 150 loyal Americans braved the cold to send the message that we must overrule the US Supreme Court's Citizens United v. FEC ruling!

Here are links to coverage by the media:

NBCActionNews

KCTV5

Independent Video

Fox4 News

Mary Sanchez's Commentary in The Kansas City Star 1/19/12

The Kansas City Star 1/20/12

2012-01-29T00:38:00.002-06:00

Freeway Banners

To promote Occupy the Courts on Friday, Jan. 20, on Thursday (1/19) and Friday (1/20) KC-MTA volunteers held 7 banners at locations around the KC metro with messages such as:

Money is NOT Speech

Corporations are NOT People

End Corporate Personhood

Link to coverage on KCTV 5 HERE

2011-12-31T02:10:00.000-06:00

********************

Occupy the Federal Court
in Kansas City!

Friday, January 20

11:30am - 1:30pm

Federal Courthouse

400 East 9th Street MAP

Kansas City MO

Inspired by our friends at Occupy Wall Street, Move To Amend is planning bold action to mark the second anniversary of the infamous Citizens United v. FEC decision!

Occupy the Courts will be a one day occupation of Federal courthouses across the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Friday January 20, 2012.

Move to Amend volunteers across the USA will lead the charge on the judiciary which created — and continues to expand — corporate personhood rights.

Americans across the country are on the march, and they are marching OUR way. They carry signs that say, “Corporations are NOT people! Money is NOT Speech!”
And they are chanting those truths at the top of their lungs!
The time has come to make these truths evident to the courts.

Share our facebook event page: HERE!

2011-12-27T17:46:00.010-06:00

Celebration with Satirical "Wedding"

Saturday, January 21, 2012 -- 5pm to 7pm

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church

4501 Walnut Street KCMO MAP

See information above about Occupy the Courts! KC

Join us in marking the 2nd anniversary of the
Citizens United ruling by enjoying the poetry & musical stylings of MissConception,
along with a wedding between a corporation and a woman
--plus wedding cake and punch.
We do not celebrate the Citizens United ruling, but we are heartened by the growth of the movement to overrule the court!

facebook event page: HERE

2011-11-07T00:17:00.000-06:00

HOT COFFEE, the Documentary

Tuesday, November 15 at 7:00pm

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church

4501 Walnut Street

KC, MO

Film followed by Discussion

This highly reviewed film explores the

McDonald's hot coffee personal injury law suit

and 3 other cases.

What REALLY happened?

Is justice being served?

How will corporate money pouring into

judicial elections affect justice in America?

KC Move To Amend co-sponsors this screening

and will lead the discussion.

Admission is Free

The Public is welcome!

2011-09-10T19:01:00.001-05:00

On Hand at the Democracy Convention
Read a report on the convention by Mary Lindsay at:

http://www.kcactive.com/news/newsfeat/090911/index.htm

Thank you, KCActive.com, for supporting the Democracy Movement!

Envisioning the Ideal U.S. Constitution (panel)

2011-08-29T22:31:00.001-05:00

The Democracy Convention

was tremendously educational & exciting! Speakers & participants (1,000 strong!) are filled with the hope, energy & tools to fight for real democracy in America!

The excitement in Madison was palpable!
If only there were a picture which captures even a fraction of what the convention was & what it meant to those of us who attended!

Check back to this site for videos & better photos.

2011-08-03T16:37:00.003-05:00

Want to Cut Costs & Carbon by Carpooling to the Democracy Convention?

KC-MTA is an official "Endorser" of the convention!

To learn about the convention and to register, go to: DemocracyConvention.org
Of the 7 sections, Constitutional Reform pertains the most to the focus of KC-MTA -- though any of the sections would be excellent.

You can use the KC-MTA contact information if you're interested in carpooling and/or sharing a hotel room.

2011-08-03T16:28:00.001-05:00

WooHoo, Melissa!

Melissa Carlson of the KC-MTA speakers bureau gave her first presentation July 31 at the Unitarian Fellowship in Lawrence!

2011-08-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

Thanks for Success with the Garage Sale!

Great Thanks to everyone who donated garage sale items, donated their labor, donated money and also to those who bought from KC-MTA.

We netted about $375 AND had the opportunity to network with folks from other nonprofit groups. We appreciate the Greater KC Women's Political Caucus for hosting the group garage sale!

2011-07-08T23:07:00.002-05:00

Huge Indoor Garage Sale for Nonprofit Organizations

Saturday, July 23 9:00am to 4:00pm

Kansas City Athenaeum

900 East Linwood Boulevard, KC, MO map

(Four blocks east of the Midtown Costco)

KC-MTA is one of the nonprofit organizations participating in the Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus' garage sale. We'll raise $$ for KC-MTA by selling donated articles.
We hope you'll support our effort by: 1) donating items for us to sell; 2) buying from our table when you visit the garage sale; and/or 3) contributing a few dollars.
Please use the contact information below to arrange pickup if you have things to donate for the sale or to mail a check made out to: KC Move To Amend.
We appreciate any support you can give!

Help us buy materials to really get the message out! As in this example from California:

Contact info for KC Move To Amend:
KC Move To Amend on facebook
KCMoveToAmend@gmail.com
816-885-9996
P.O. Box 481432
Kansas City MO 64148

2011-06-29T12:31:00.001-05:00

1st Friday at the Crossroads

...is fun, even when you're sweatin' & workin' hard in the fight against corporate personhood! Seventy people stopped under our corporate flag to sign a paper version of the MTA online petition. Even more took literature to read about Move To Amend.

1st Friday at the Crossroads is the coolest place to be in KC on a hot summer night.

For information about 1st Fridays, click on this link:
http://www.visitkc.com/member-details/index.aspx?id=34170
Thanks, Beco Flowers (1922 Baltimore) for the use of your wall!

2011-06-18T17:26:00.006-05:00

PUBLIC FORUM at the Lawrence Public Library

The Astonishing Facts Behind the Citizens United Ruling

Multimedia Presentation by Mary Lindsay

Tuesday, June 28 at 7:00 PM

There was a great turnout and response at the Lawrence Library!

Sixty people attended, almost everyone signed the MTA petition, many participated in the Q&A and offered thoughtful comments.

We thank the Gray Panthers for hosting this public forum!

Please consider a multimedia presentation by a KC Move To Amend speaker for your organization, club or group!

2011-04-30T00:02:00.005-05:00

Unexpectedly Robust Turnout at University Forum
on Citizens United v. FEC

On April 21, 2011, KC Move to Amend and the Department of Economics at University of Missouri-Kansas City cosponsored a public forum titled: The Citizens United Ruling in Perspective. Featuring two UMKC scholars, Professor of Economics Frederic S. Lee and Professor of Economics and Law William K. Black, the event might have attracted only other academic-types. But we were amazed and pleased that an overflow crowd of 130 attended despite rainy weather and less than ideal parking options. A broad range of citizens from the Kansas City region eagerly sought information about Citizens United!

Professor Lee joked about the fire code and that there were only 80 chairs in the room because he didn’t believe there could be more than 80 people interested in this topic. His presentation, "The Corporation as a Going Concern and a Person: An Historical Perspective," centered on how big corporations have come to dominate the economy and how specific Supreme Court rulings over the last century began to favor corporations, culminating in the Court’s ruling that corporations are people and money equals speech.

"The Road to Crony Capitalism" was the topic of Professor Bill Black’s presentation. He began with a 2003 picture of Chainsaw Jim Gilleran, the head of the Office of Thrift Supervision standing next to three of the leading bank lobbyist in the nation. The picture was from a media shot with the words “Mission Accomplished” repeated on the wall behind and the men in the act of cutting open a staged mound of paper wrapped in red tape with pruning sheers, and in Gilleran’s case, a chain saw, symbolizing doing away with federal regulations. Professor Black used the image as illustrative of the atmosphere of fraud and deregulation that led to the current economic crash.

Whereas Professor Lee had addressed the progression of the economic dominance of corporations, Professor Black addressed the effects of that power in the broader political sphere. Corporations have extended their influence on the government to provide protection in various areas (i.e., regulation, worker’s rights, consumer protections, litigation, and competition).

Professor Black stated that “corporate power over the last 100 years has become extraordinary, and has been used in immensely destructive ways,” culminating in the 2008 stock market meltdown and the loss of 10 trillion dollars and 10 million jobs.

Even with Professor Black’s firsthand knowledge of the corrupt, coercive, and corrosive effect of corporate campaign contributions, he could not gauge the extent of the damage the Citizens United ruling will ultimately cause our democracy.

Following the presentations, the professors took questions from the audience and a lively and animated discussion ensued. The audience was receptive and many wanted to know what can be done to fight the encroachment of big corporations into our democratic process.

Professor Black’s final warning was that corporations will not be satisfied with simple dominance. Perhaps the takeaway from the evening was that for “We the People” to be in charge of our government, we must rein in the influence of corporations despite the free rein they been given by the Citizens United ruling. We face an epic struggle.

Flier for the event: http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb/announcements/news/2011/20110421-Amend.html

William K. Black on Bill Moyers' Journal, 2009: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04032009/watch.html

Professor William K. Black is a white-collar criminologist, the author of “The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One,” is a frequent guest on local and national TV and radio including Bill Moyers Journal. He was a senior financial regulator who blew the whistle on former Speaker of the House Jim Wright and the Keating Five.

Professor Frederic S. Lee is the author of 3 books and over 50 scholarly articles. He is founder and past editor of the Heterodox Economics Newsletter, is the editor of The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, and is currently writing a monograph on Post Keynesian microeconomic theory.

2011-03-20T16:02:00.100-05:00

This Event was a great success!
The professors were great! The audience participation was excellent! The room was overflowing!
Watch for future event hosted by KC Move To Amend.

============================

The CITIZENS UNITED Ruling in Perspective

Two internationally recognized professors place the
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Supreme Court decision in perspective.

Professor of Economics
Frederic S. Lee, Ph.D.
"The Corporation as a Going Concern
and a Person: An Historical Perspective"

Professor of Economics and Law
William K. Black, J.D., Ph.D.
"The Road to Crony Capitalism"

Thursday, April 21 at 7:00 PM
UMKC New Student Union, Room 401D
5100 Cherry KCMO
Co-sponsored by the UMKC Department of Economics
and KC Move To Amend
Link to a PDF flier Facebook Event Page

2011-03-20T15:59:00.001-05:00

Rally in Kansas City for the Monahan Brothers as they walked across America in support of Move To Amend.

August 2010 Mill Creek Park in KC, MO

Photos by Eric Bowers