A timely talk by Paul Cienfuegos in Portland OR February 26

from the Portland AfD chapter blog

The Alliance for Democracy and others have been working for some time to bring Paul Cienfuegos to Portland since he was here for the EconVergence in October. But his appearance is even more timely now in light of the US Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United vs FEC. The US Supreme Court has let loose the corporate treasuries on the political process in the United States. Never has it been more clear that continuing to win our political, environmental and economic battles one at a time will not work and that new approaches are needed.

Paul Cienfuegos has been advocating for a new way for a long time, advocating that we change our focus from particular issues and wrongs to looking at challenging the “right” of corporations to human rights. The question is: How do we do this?
Please write this event down and be there. Our futures and our democracy depend on learning our history and acting differently in the future.

Empowering the People: Paul Cienfuegos Lecture and Reception
Friday February 26th, 2010, 
First Unitarian Church, Eliot Chapel, 12th and SW Salmon, Portland
6:00 p.m. Doors open
; 7:00 p.m. Lecture by Paul Cienfuegos
; 8:30 p.m. Reception
Sponsored by: Alliance for Democracy, City Repair, Economic Justice Action Group, First Unitarian Church of Portland, Real Wealth of Portland and Transition Towns PDX

“Is a truly sustainable society achievable as long as corporate rights trump the rights of people?”

Americans already want better environmental protection, and they are willing to pay for it according to polls. But our elected officials continue to allow the rapid degradation of our environment. Americans are strongly in favor of bold legislative responses to the climate crisis, but our elected officials hem and haw. Why?

Because we, the people are no longer the primary constituents of the people we elect…corporations are! Why? Because corporate constitutional “rights” trump the rights of people.

And how do we tend to respond to this travesty? By continuing to struggle against one corporate harm at a time, one corporation at a time, mostly via the regulatory agencies. We cannot possibly win in these arenas.

We MUST change our tactics and start boldly challenging the constitutional RIGHTS of corporations to participate in American democratic processes. Only then can we achieve a truly sustainable society.

For questions, contact Hindi@cityrepair.org or call 503-267-2973