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<td valign="top"><span style="display: block; text-align:
center;">Please like us at our<br>
</span><span style="display: block; text-align: center;"><span
style="font-size: 160%;"><a class="wiki_link_ext"
href="https://www.facebook.com/PassMassAmendment"
rel="nofollow">FACEBOOK LINK</a></span></span><span
style="display: block; text-align: center;">#PassMassAmend,
#PassMassAmendment<br>
</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">UPDATE! <a
class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/PICK-UP+PETITIONS">PETITION
FORMS </a>ARE DUE noon on WEDNESDAY 9/18!</span><span
style="display: block; text-align: center;">PETITION TEAMS
FORMING all over the city/state!</span><span
style="display: block; text-align: center;">Or DO IT
YOURSELF!</span><span style="display: block; text-align:
center;">To be on the CALL LIST to help distribute or to
get a stack for petition forms:</span><span
style="display: block; text-align: center;"><a
class="wiki_link_ext"
href="mailto:wPassMassAmendment@gmail.com"
rel="nofollow">PassMassAmendment@gmail.com</a></span><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;"><span
style="font-size: 160%;">Petition Drive and Ballot
Initiative</span></span><span style="display: block;
text-align: center;">to</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;"><span
style="font-size: 200%;">Amend the Constitution</span></span><span
style="display: block; text-align: center;">of the</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;"><span
style="font-size: 300%;">State of Massachusetts</span></span><span
style="display: block; text-align: center;"><span
style="font-size: 200%;">to declare:</span></span><br>
<span style="display: block; font-size: 300%; text-align:
center;">"Corporations Are Not People"</span><br>
<br>
<span style="display: block; font-size: 300%; text-align:
center;">"Money Is Not Speech"</span><br>
<br>
<br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">“Big
Money” in politics hurts our communities and small
business.</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">Corporate
dominance of Government and the political process</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">is placing
undue burdens on the people.</span><br>
<br>
<br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">Getting
the signatures puts the question in front of the Supreme
Judicial Court of Massachusetts. If the SJC rules the
question "legal", then the question goes in front of the
legislature. If 25% of the legislators, in 2 consecutive
sessions vote to put the language on the ballot, the
question goes to the people. It would be the first
constitutional amendment driven by ballot initiative in
decades. Whether the SJC agrees to allow us to move
forward WE WIN in this DIRECT ACTION, aimed at getting
mainstream media attention to the question, "Should
Corporations be considered People"?</span><br>
<br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">Last year,
the Legislature passed a resolution almost unanimously
consenting to the concept, but have done nothing to make
it law. Town Meeting resolutions round the state are
overwhelmingly endorsing the need for an amendment.</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">We believe
that if the question is put on the floor of the
legislature,</span><span style="display: block;
text-align: center;">that they will be forced by their
constituencies to vote for the amendment. The intiative
does just that.<br>
</span><br>
<span style="display: block; text-align: center;">We've
waited long enough...<br>
</span><span style="display: block; text-align: center;">Let's
take back our democracy from big business!</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif;
font-size: 32px;"><img class="img"
src="cid:part4.01040904.09050207@mynas.com" style="left:
-89px; width: 583px; height: 403px;" alt="Photo: What do
all of these corporations have in common?
www.passmassamendment.org" width="583" height="403"
hspace="10" align="right" border="1">Again, it starts in
Massachusetts!</span><br>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif;
font-size: 32px;">Join the Battle of our Age!</span><br>
<br>
Over the last century and more, the people have been losing
their influence over our democratic process. We believe that
the roots of this issue is the corrupting influence of money
in our political process. For educational resources, <a
class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/Educational+Materials">click
here.</a><br>
<br>
We have asked our legislators to rectify the overabundance
of corporate dominance of our democracy. Recall the "Clean
Elections Law" passed in 1998 by a 2 to 1 majority by ballot
initiative. Our legislators refused to fund it and then
ended it by voice vote.<br>
<br>
As a result, we believe that it's time for citizens to act
to amend (clarify) the Massachusetts Constitution ourselves.<br>
<br>
In 1917, a Constitutional Convention was called for in
Massachusetts because of the concern that "invisible
government" (their words) had taken over the General Court
and citizens needed a way to "keep government in check". The
Convention proposed the "Initiative and Referendum"
Amendment which was subsequently passed by the public. The I
and R Amendment makes it possible for citizens...you and I,
to "reform, alter, or totally change" the government as
stated in Article VII of our Constitution.<br>
<br>
As such, we are embarking up on a BALLOT INITIATIVE to amend
(clarify) the Constitution of Massachusetts. <a
class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/The+Legal+Discussion">See
this page for our legal discussion.</a> This was submitted
to the Attorney General's office, as part of the process to
get the question on the ballot.<br>
<br>
The next step is for the AG to review <a class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/The+Language">our language
</a>to ensure that it is both "allowable" by law, and that
it would be binding and satisfy the intent, if it should be
enacted by the people.<br>
<br>
Then the next step is the "petitioning phase", whereby we
have to gather 70,000 signatures from the registered voters
of Massachusetts.<br>
<br>
Even though this is an uphill battle, we have opted to
embark upon it. Because we feel that we are left with no
other option.<br>
<br>
Please help by signing the petition, petitioning, and/or
helping us coordinate. There is lots to do. Everyone can
help. We need drivers, trainers, people to help find in-kind
and financial donations. If you are a lawyer and want to
help us with administration, or have a constitutional law
background, please let us know.<br>
<br>
<a class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/Endorsements%21">We
have people from all walks of life helping.</a> We have
church leaders, business people, union members, Tea Party
members, social justice activists, and people who also work
for employees helping. We may not agree on everything. But
there's one thing we agree on. We believe that Big Money has
taken over our government, and it's time to make sure that
the rights afforded by our Constitution are for "natural
people".<br>
<br>
<a class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/How+Can+You+Help%3F">Please
help...</a><br>
<br>
<a class="wiki_link"
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/HOME">See
here or the links to the right for more information.</a><br>
<br>
Contact:<br>
<br>
Terra Friedrichs, terraf "at" compuserve dot com, 978 808
7173 (petitioning team coordination, press/media, etc)
Acton/MetroWest<br>
Nick Bokron, nbokron "at" gmail, 781 715 7822 (finance,
legal, administration, etc) (Nahant/NorthShore)</td>
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