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<td valign="top">Hi folks; <br>
<h1><a href="http://passmassamendment.org"><img
shrunked:resized="true" alt=""
src="cid:part1.09010604.08090400@mynas.com"
hspace="10" align="right" border="0"></a><a
href="http://passmassamendment.org">PassMassAmendment</a>
[PMA]has been on the move now for just over a week, and
gaining steam. </h1>
<big><b>We need your help</b></big>, to try and be sure that
those volunteers working tirelessly for this initiative are
not doing so in vain. MA voters are SO on board with this
issue (of out-of-control corporate influence in our
'democratic' process). Voters are eager to sign the PMA
petition, and extremely appreciative that we are doing
this. So, signatures for the PMA petition are out there,
ripe for the picking! We just need ALL OF US to get out
there and get them; how many more we could get with more
hands on board! Time is of the essence; we have only till
Nov 20th to collect 90,000 signatures.<br>
<br>
if you can help, please let us know: <span
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"><a
href="mailto:passmassamendment@gmail.com">passmassamendment@gmail.com</a></span>
<h2>Summary/recap:</h2>
<p>from PMA:<br>
<b>PassMassAmendment</b> is a State Ballot Initiative
Committee registered with the Office of Campaign and
Political Finance, advocating for a clarification to the
Massachusetts Constitution. We cite that under the
Massachusetts Constitution and the Massachusetts General
Laws corporations have no rights except for those granted
by the Massachusetts Legislature, which can be taken away.
We also cite that money has never been considered speech
in the Massachusetts Constitution and the Massachusetts
General Laws. We fear the corrupting influence of money in
our government and that we want to make it clear that
corporations are not people, money is not speech.<br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part5.07060404.00070106@mynas.com"
width="320" height="210" hspace="10" align="right">PMA
is a "Grassroots" movement. This is all about the people.
We are trying to make a change that has not been
accomplished in well over 100 years, since the Union
movement began. There will be major forces against us.
That is, if we accomplish our first goal of collecting the
needed signatures. Folks, we need help. We need to prove
that the people have regained their voice. We need to
thank the people in Wisconsin for putting Madison into our
consciousness. We need to thank the people who marched
with and supported Occupy for amplifying the voices that
the people recovered in Madison. We now need to amplify
our previous progress and get something done.</p>
<p> Our message is non partisan and a benefit to all
people. </p>
<h2>Tools and support are ready for you; its EASY to get
started:<br>
</h2>
<ol>
<li>Spend a few minutes reading the <a
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/The+Legal+Discussion">Legal
Discussion</a> at PassMassAmendment. The whole spiel
is in it except for Article LIX of our Constitution
which states that the Legislature has control over
corporations.<br>
<br>
NOTE, from Nick: the difference between CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS and the rights that the Legislature may give
corporations: Constitutional rights are
"constitutionally protected rights"...those which can
not be taken away. Legislative rights are those that
can be taken away by the legislature without a vote of
the citizenry.<br>
<br>
Some equate "the battle" to that of "the commons" or
that of "natural rights". There is a whole history to
the concept of "natural rights"...those rights which are
naturally occurring, as opposed to "man-made". You may
hear people speak of "corporate rights" as being a
"man-made fiction". It seems that they are saying that
"corporate constitutionally protected rights are not
natural". A lot of people said that to me yesterday at
the festival..."corporations are not people? yes, that
makes sense". "corporate rights? that doesn't sound
natural". Self-evident is another thing that is
referred to what we are doing. What we are doing is
clarifying the self-evident...the natural, so that
lawyers don't use legal trickery to defile our
communities, and courts don't allow them, because they
don't understand what we mean by "a person". <br>
<br>
</li>
<li>Watch this <a
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8OJ7URBZvQ&feature=youtu.be">short
video</a> (from MassPirg) that explains how to collect
signatures - very important.<br>
<br>
</li>
<li><a
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/PRINT+THE+PETITION+FORM">Print
copies of the 2-sided petition</a> or <a
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/PICK-UP+PETITIONS">find
a pick-up location</a> in your area.<br>
<br>
</li>
<li>Print out the <a
href="mailbox:///C:/Users/pfsoto/AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/i825yi4k.default/Mail/Local%20Folders/Drafts?number=8950765&part=1.4&filename=Petitioner%20info%20for%20Casual%20Petitioner.pdf">3-page
petitioner packet</a>, which has <b>Instructions</b>
for signers and answers to<b><big> FAQs</big></b><br>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>Tips, notes:</h2>
There is a limit of 17,000 signatures "per county". We
can't focus just on the larger cities; we especially need
help in outlying towns and cities.<br>
<br>
Having a prop (like the <a
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/file/view/Poster%20PassMassAmend%2011x14.pdf/450486184/Poster%20PassMassAmend%2011x14.pdf">PassMassAmendment
poster,</a> 11x14) is extremely helpful; while you are
approaching people, others will see the poster and most are
likely to stop and be eager to sign. You can also download
other aids: <a
href="http://passmassamendment.wikispaces.com/Posters%2C+Flyers+%26+Hand+Outs">flyers
and handouts</a>. Expected soon: laminated posters.<br>
<br>
Do NOT call the Election Division with questions: they want
all questions to be routed thru Nick: <a
href="mailto:nbokron@gmail.com">nbokron@gmail.com</a><br>
<br>
Completed petition forms should be photo-copied. Later, when
sufficient numbers are collected, they will be turned in to
the cities and towns.<br>
<br>
Check out <a href="http://PassMassAmendment.org">PassMassAmendment</a>;
it has lots more info and resources.<br>
<br>
<h2><img alt="" src="cid:part15.01070300.03050808@mynas.com"
width="500" height="365" hspace="10" align="right">Suggestions,
where to petition:</h2>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://festivalnet.com/state/massachusetts/ma.html">MA
festivals</a></li>
<li>Farmers markets (these are great venues for this
issue)</li>
<li>Any place where there is decent foot traffic </li>
<li>MA events; try the <a
href="http://rule19.org/ActionCalendar/index.asp?size=large">Rule19
Calendar</a> and <a
href="http://act-ma.org/pipermail/act-ma_act-ma.org/2013/date.html#start">ACT-MA</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Folks, this is sometime concrete that YOU can DO!
Please offer a few hours - as many as you can - before the
Nov 20 deadline. <br>
</h2>
<h2>Help PMA with this petition drive - nothing could be
more important or more useful. Do this, and take a step
towards regaining YOUR VOICE.</h2>
<span class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Email <a
href="mailto:passmassamendment@gmail.com">passmassamendment@gmail.com</a></span>
and let us know you'd like to help.<br>
<br>
best, pf<br>
<br>
"<i>What's the use of a fine house if you don't have a
tolerable planet to put it on?</i>" ~Henry David Thoreau<br>
(a signature quote from one of our volunteers; i like it!)<br>
<br>
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