Challenges and Lessons

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Greg Coleridge, Co-Director, Move to Amend

Constitutional Revolution, Revolutionary Constitutionalism,

and the Agonies of Democracy session

2024 Law & Society Association Annual Convention

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Mission

Move to Amend is a coalition of hundreds of organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals committed to social and economic justice, ending corporate rule, and building a vibrant democracy that is genuinely accountable to the people, not corporate interests.

Goals

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• Pass the We the People Amendment (H.J.R. 54) to make clear that corporate entities do not have Constitutional rights and that money is not speech.
• Provoke discussion and organizing about how to make real the promise of democracy through Constitutional renewal.

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Principles & Values

1. Anti-Oppression and Solidarity Organizing
2. Coalition and Movement Building
3. Grassroots Organizing
4. Dedication to Political Education
5. Political and Economic Independence

Strategy

• Coalition building – reaching out to other organizations working on issues affected by corporate power
• Building a broad and diverse, multi-racial & inter-generational movement – reaching out to those most affected by corporate rule
• Community organizing, not just activism
• Focus on grassroots organizing to pass local and state resolutions calling for amendment

Move to Amend Structure

• Grassroots
• Move to Amend Affiliates
• Move to Amend Advocates
• We the People Amendment Working Groups
• National
• National Team - Board & Staff
• Issue/Sector Caucuses
• Coalition Projects

HJR 54 – 118th Session of Congress

Section 1. [Artificial Entities Such as Corporations Do Not Have Constitutional Rights]

The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons only.

Section 2. [Money is Not Free Speech]

Federal, State, and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures

Section 3.

Nothing in this amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.

https://www.movetoamend.org/amendment

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Successes - Nationally

• Over 500,000 signed our Motion to Amend petition
• We the People Amendment co-sponsors in 118th Congress: 85
• Organizational endorsements: Over 770
• Resolutions/Initiatives: 700+
• Hundreds of Pledge to Amend signers

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Challenges

Cultural sacredness of Constitution

10 Commandments, age, wisdom of founders, attack by the right

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Enormous difficulty to amend the Constitution

Designed. 2 approaches

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Perception that constitutional amendment work is not relevant or is a privilege

Priority is to resist immediate harms

Belief that Citizens United is the source of the problem

CU is when it began, little awareness of totality of corp constitutional rights

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Challenges

Reforming over transforming corporations

Focus on pro-democracy statutes v HJR54 impossibility and/or other legislation

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Legitimate cynicism toward Congress and a rigged political system

Captured Congress. Explosion of money in elections

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Greater media attention and energy focused on other proposed constitutional “democracy” amendments

ERA, right to vote, Electoral College, Supreme Court

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More “realistic” proposed alternative to the We the People Amendment

Reverse Citizens United, pass Democracy for All Amendment

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Challenges

Calls to suspend or “abort” the Constitution

Fundamentally anti-democratic

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Congress vs Article V Convention strategy

Slow progress in Congress v fear of “runaway” convention

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2024 Elections

Diversion of time, energy and resources

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Lessons

Call out both political parties

Don’t support HJR54 in House, no Senate sponsor

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The non-profit industrial complex are not our friends, but could pivot in an instant

If/when tipping point is reached, ”insiders” with access

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Take advantage of growing political/economic realities

Abuses of corporate power

Explosion of money in elections

Supreme Court politicization

Political/economic crises

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Lessons

Continue to address systemic oppression

No “democracy.” No hope of creating a powerful movement

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Grassroots work is essential

Endorsements, resolutions, ballot initiatives, Pledges

Explore collaborating with other amendment groups

Amendments have come in waves

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Lessons

Direct action is an essential tactic

Protests and persuasion and lobbying, but also preventing “business as usual”

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Exploring the pros and cons of an Article V Convention

Pros: more democratic, allies, pressure Congress, counter the right

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Continuing to help build a democracy movement

Inclusive, independent, powerful democracy

Structure, recruitment, education, politicization

Withstand assaults by the corporate state

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√ Sign the Motion to Amend, www.movetoamend.org/motion

√ Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

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Nature Never Gives Up. Neither Should We

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