Strategies for Revoking Corporate Power and Building the Democracy Movement in Montana

Corporations wield great power over our elections, our government agencies, lawmakers and much of civil society, often using that power to advance their interests at the expense of the public good.  For decades, corporations have been exploiting the concept of Corporate Personhood to secure constitutional rights intended for individuals, and they've used those rights to influence elections or claim the right to lie, for example.   

But how can we reverse the growth of corporate power and revitalize democracy?

On February 23rd, Missoula Move to Amend will host a one-day workshop and strategy retreat led by Jeff Milchen, founder of Reclaim Democracy, which has focused on revoking "corporate personhood" via constitutional amendment for more than a decade and has served as a leading go-to source on the topic.  

This event provides the oportunity to grapple with illegitimate corporate power and corruption of democracy and gain deeper understanding and tools for becoming more effective agents of change.

The workshop will prod you to question some of your basic assumptions, deepen your understanding, and ultimately help sharpen your focus and effectiveness as a citizen. We’ll work to develop strategies on how each campaign we wage in Montana can be part of a larger movement to dismantle corporate power and revive democracy.

We’ll examine recent activity in state legislatures and in Congress to stiffen requirements for disclosure of campaign spending, provide for public financing of elections, and limit the flow of private money into campaigns.  We’ll also explore best "next steps" for Montana after the overwhelming, but symbolic success of the I-166 initiative, including how to drive support for the just-introduced (Feb. 14)  "We the People" Amendment.

Format

The bulk of the workshop consists of facilitated discussion geared toward creating effective strategies. We'll touch on these topics before delving into MT-specific actions.

• A brief history of corporations and democracy and corporate shaping of culture in the U.S. today.
• “What’s the problem?” exploring a range of views on the real roots of the problems we are working to solve.
• The nature of corporations — getting to know the adversary. A brief presentation followed by discussion.
• Lessons of both our successful and failed U.S. social movements and the general characteristics of successful movements.
• Analyzing mechanisms of corporate rule and mechanisms of indoctrination into corporate thinking.
• Exploring avenues for reviving democracy vs. working on corporate turf, escaping the limits of our own preconceptions, and moving from damage control to asserting citizen authority.
• Evaluating “new paradigm” models for systemic change and relating current work to past successful social movements.
• Bringing it home to our own work. A look at how some current issues could be framed and focused differently. How can our improved understanding of our systemic problems be converted to opportunities for successful organizing and impact?

When
9am-4pm, Saturday, Feb 23th, 2013

Who
All who care about revitalizing democracy and returning corporations to their intended role as business entities

Cost
$25 

Food and Drink

Drinks and some snacks will be provided. Participants will make their own lunch choice. A refrigerator, kitchen facilities and eating utensils are available, Taco del Sol is right next door (along with a corporate burger chain outlet). 

Location
Solstice Building
1535 Liberty Ln, Missoula, MT
View Location/ Get Directions in Google Maps

Capacity
Maximum of 24 people.