Welcome to the People’s Congress

An event where all movements can unite in solidarity.

The Will of the People shall be the Law of the Land

The description that follows is a guideline for the Peoples Congress. As time and participation allow, this vision will be refined by you. “We the People” will determine what this Congress shall be, it is up to all of those participating. The mission statement, forums, agenda and ideas herein are here to inspire and guide us. Make the most of it. We wish to give a special welcome to all Occupiers! The work you are doing is both inspirational and trans-formative! Let’s all build on the work that has been done and make history in 2012.

The recent spate of corporate scandals is only the tip of an iceberg that is on a rapid collision course with our democratic Republic. Although the call for government accountability to the People is getting louder, our representatives will not heed the cries for meaningful reform until we organize into one unified voice for real change. That is the intention of the Peoples Congress. There are so many organizations, groups, and individuals working to create a better world. We all share a common problem. Runaway corporate power is preventing the free and meaningful exercise of democracy. Now with the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case, there is simply no restraint on corporations and unless we act decisively, our voice will soon be forgotten.

We are a group of American citizens organizing this grassroots call to action because it is the only solution to our escalating crisis. With your participation in the Peoples Congress, the era of global dominance by multinational corporations may close and a new era of democracy, hope, and justice may begin. Our dreams for a sustainable world do not have to remain dreams. If we gather our strength, collect our will, focus our energy, demand to be heard, tomorrow will be more than a shadow of our hopes.

“I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpation’s.” —James Madison

Banking, pharmaceutical, oil and gas and defense corporations routinely write bills for Congress to pass. This time We The People will be writing the bills, and we will also be holding Congress accountable! Endorse the Peoples Congress today, and we will list you on our page of Invitees with a logo next to your name.

Need more inspiration? Click the music link below and read on!

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Peoplescongress.org is calling for a week long action in which We the People pass specific legislation which, when enacted by Congress, will put an immediate end to the corporate take-over of our government, revitalize and re-democratize elections, allow for a more responsible and open media, and end the secrecy in policy making. Until we reform these institutions and the laws governing them, our goals for a just and sustainable world will remain elusive at best. An earnest national dialog about our future cannot happen until we re-balance the wheels of democracy. It is the intention of the People’s Congress to secure that change directly in accordance with the will of the People and the principles established by our Constitution.

This action may persist beyond the planned one-week horizon if necessary. Over the course of 5 days, we will collect our voices and determination, present a People’s State of the Union message, seat a “People’s Congress” on the Mall and pass legislation to be ratified by our national legislature. Finally, we will celebrate our unity and commitment to a just and sustainable world centered on peace.

The People’s Congress will take place during the last 3 weeks of July, preceding the Congressional Summer Recess, 2012. As of today, the recess appears to begin on Aug 1, 2012. Once our steering committee has more information, a specific date will be announced. For now, plan for the later part of July, 2012 Official notice, Executive Committee

This event will be colorful, celebratory, and highly theatrical — highlighted with inspiring speeches and informative workshops. The People’s Congress will be seated on the Mall in a manner resembling the Congressional floor while millions surround the Congress in support and solidarity. Participating organizations will be empowered to establish a steering committee, which will among other things nominate members to be seated in the People’s Congress. As many as 1,500 people will take seats in the Congress over three days. Each session will be devoted to a very specific set of reforms. This agenda shall be limited to corporate governance, media, election and policy-making reform. Legislation will be drafted in advance of the event and will be made available for review and discussion on line at http://www.peoplescongress.org as soon as possible.

Ambassadors from the People’s Congress will carry the legislation passed by the People’s Congress to the Capitol Building throughout the day in appropriately themed parades. These parades will feature elephants and donkeys, as well as the usual marching bands, floats, balloons, confetti, and fireworks. Everyone is invited to walk along with the parade in support. Workshops, lectures, speeches, musical events and theater will take place throughout the week and around the clock. This unprecedented and dramatic event will draw widespread attention to the systemic dysfunction of our current laws and to the achievable remedies we have in our own hands.

Speeches, workshops, theatrical events, music, audio and video services, food, beverages and rest room facilities, as well as security and medical services will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring tents and sleeping gear. This event is an on going encampment of the Capitol Grounds, and may last several weeks beyond the permitted time should the national legislature remain obstinate or disinterested. This is a peaceful gathering. Acts of violence or disruption will not be permitted.

This action will gather strength quickly as individual Americans and organizations see that this is the way to come together to confront these threats to our democracy. The People’s Congress Executive Committee has begun the process of contacting individuals and representatives from grassroots organizations, as well as larger affinity groups, labor groups and churches. A steering committee will evolve as organizations opt in. The Steering Committee together with the Executive Committee of the People’s Congress will be charged with the task of refining the agenda set forth in this call to action where necessary and will have the full responsibility and authority to direct and develop this proposal to it’s successful conclusion.

This is your invitation to dream. Success is only limited by our imaginations. If we are to live in a just and sustainable world, we must all have the courage to set our imaginations free. Now is the time to choose your future. You can remain stuck in the past and hope change will come, or charge ahead with the courage of your convictions and demand change together! The potential of this event is undeniable just as surely as it is unavoidable. It is time to end the corruption and dysfunction that has become to appear all too normal. We the People do have the Power. The time has come to use it.

If you wish to participate in the development of the People’s Congress, please visit our Forum page now and log in to the subject which is of most interest to you.

Melinda Sample, Outreach Director Scotia N.Y. msample2@nycap.rr.com
John Mulkins, Founder Alameda, C.A. johnmulkins@peoplescongress.org

All legislation written and developed by the People’s Congress participants will be posted in our Forums for review several months before the People’s Congress meets on the Mall. Please read this legislation before coming to the Congress.

Here is a list of ways you can help this action succeed:

1.) Let us know you will be there. If you believe the Peoples Congress could be effective, you should endorse this call to action by contacting us now. As organizations and individuals add their endorsements, the potential of building a meaningful relationship between those organizations becomes much greater. Encourage groups you admire or support to become involved.

2.) Let us know you can help. If you have experience in developing actions, let us know, and everyone, stay focused on the solution. We must be united around the core agenda and determined to obtain real results. Stay in touch often and build awareness of the objectives set out in our Agenda.

3.) Learn more about corporations, media and elections!

4.) Build affinity groups among your family and friends.

5.) We will need skilled activists to chair various committees. Those committees include:

Drafting legislation for the Peoples Congress
Promotion
Funding
Permits
Site development
Media and Communication
Security
Sound and Stage
Transportation

http://www.jdcogmon.net/ JD Cogmon

Amazing piece. I especially liked the way you have added music to this page. Good choice!

http://peoplescongress.org John Mulkins

nice. Thanks!! I think a Music for the Revolution page is something we should keep working on. The artists would love it! Peoples Love it! And who knows, maybe we will throw a concert sometime!

peace jd….have a nice smooth ride into SF tomorrow morning. )

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

People’s Congress would like to welcome 3 Million Strong. As one of the first organizations to opt in, founder Dennis Brancuzzo has the honor of being the first member of the steering committee. Congratulations! ) We are all wondering who will be next!
Anonymous

“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.” -Abraham Lincoln

Count me in!
Anonymous

“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.” -Abraham Lincoln

Count me in!
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

People’s Congress is providing a very clear framework for citizens participation. The goals are clearly outlined, as is the process. Please learn about the People’s Congress and use this site to help everyone refine this call to action. Organizers will find easy to use tools on this site which will enable everyone to be very effective. Direct Democracy never felt this good!
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Dear Fans of People’s Congress. We would like to begin a coordinated effort to reach out to some very important groups. Please take a few moments and send Veterans For Peace a friendly e-mail today encouraging them to join the People’s Congress. We’ll post a new org tomorrow! We have a lot of friends out there who need to hear from you!
Veterans For Peace :: Home
http://veteransforpeace.org
call me skeptical

Are you for real or funded by a corporation of some type. I trust no one and no organization these days. Put forth who you are and how you are funded, honestly!

http://www.jdcogmon.net/ JD Cogmon

I have several bill collectors and rent that’s overdue that I could show you. A 24 year work history and my first year ever of full unemployment. And I have an advanced degree.

While funding will be nice to get one day right now we are a grass roots organization who meets over skype and are building coalitions with other grass-roots orgs. You can always try and see just how real we are.
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

thanks for asking. Like Zappa said,, “if you ain’t skeptical you are not alive” We get your distrust. As founding member and executive director, I can tell you without any doubt that the People’s Congress is a completely volunteer driven effort, totally grassroots, and not beholden to any large corporate interest or third party. I sit in my apartment every night and most days off, and work on this with a growing number of people who are very serious about what we are doing. It has taken a great deal of time, effort, and concern for our nation and planet to get this far, and we are not going to stop until we have at least had a chance to present our case to the American People, you included.

If you have any other concerns please feel free to call me.

John Mulkins
Founder, People’s Congress 510-381-3863

http://twitter.com/cellhead cellhead

I believe you need to offer a log independent of through Facebook as it is not a true free speech forum, as I know of several instances where it has censored links from sites it doesn’t like, for example ones discussing nutritional information that conflicts with traditional medicine. For this reason I choose not to log in using this method.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

cellhead, I prefer the forum anyway. It feel better to me to have our discussions on our site, and that’s what they are there for. Please consider using them more often. I will try to get out tech guy to add an optional log in to Facebook if possible, but he is really overworked these days. If you know how to do this and can call me perhaps we can do it together.

Jeanpil8

just don’t get involved with the Obama front organization Van Jones is heading.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Ya, I get that. Reclaiming the American Dream is a non starter for me. I much prefer Reclaiming Reality! I am done with the whole dream thing. We should all aspire to something more profound, something like a just and sustainable world centered in peace perhaps.

Anonymous

“World centered in peace”, THAT truely would be a world “of the people, by the people, and for the people”. There`s just one really BIG problem with achieving that goal, BANKS and the people that OWN the banks! REALITY: there is NOTHING more profitable to the people that OWN a bank (any bank) than war. How is that, you might ask? Because a bank can loan money to both sides (of the war), and usually do, charging interest. Unscrupulous for sure, but that is exactly how the Rothchild family came to be the richest and most powerful family on this planet. In fact, the Rothchilds (it has been estimated) control enough wealth to feed, clothe, and house every person on the planet for their entire life. The Rothchild fortune is said to be somewhere around 500 trillion dollars, at least. An uncomprehendable amount of money, to someone like me, that lives on about 12 thousand a year…… In order for the “world centered in peace” to work, Financial institutions and the Media would have to be owned by “The People” and NOT operated “behind closed doors”, in other words, FULL transparency. That`s my opinion, anyway…..

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

I could not agree more!! Right on. Your post belongs in the forum under one of the boards pertaining to corporate governance. Please make your way there and add your suggestion to the most appropriate folder. It would help tremendously if you could add some wiki background on the law or history of this problem…just keep it concise please if possible.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=612325783 Tanya Moldenhauer

Finally, something that makes sense, and with Patti Smith’s People Have The Power as a theme song, how can I not love this?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jr-Roloff/100001048847161 J.r. Roloff

I am of the ‘trust, but verify’ school. So, please look forward to getting a call from me in the next couple of days, just for my own peace of mind.

Now. What plans does People’s Congress have for bringing other, like-minded groups into the fold? Because one thing is for sure: IF we do not hang together, surely we shall all hang separately. Our elected representatives wield too much power for we the people to take the prospect of even a very polite, peaceful, bloodless ‘revolution’ (Q: What, exactly, is the term for what we’re trying to accomplish here? Re-alignment? Re-instatement? Perhaps Re-Volution! A return of Will!) sitting quietly. This will only succeed if it has a certain minimum number of dedicated participants, and that number will need to be in the millions.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Please look for a message from me on your Facebook page. Thanks for your honesty and sincerity.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jr-Roloff/100001048847161 J.r. Roloff

To add to what i said earlier (and this doesn’t need to be posted, it’s just handy for me), may I suggest trying a co-habitation with the Coffee Party? they seem a very reasonable group, with goals that are closely aligned with your (our!) own.

http://www.jdcogmon.net/ JD Cogmon

Sorry, we moderate to keep the engagement factor civil. Please call when you are ready. We are just average citizens.
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

We have reached out to some of their members. Building a bridge will take a little time even though we are aligned in several ways. We are reaching out in many directions to many organizations at once. Several developments are taking place daily. Please, contact the Coffee Party yourself and direct them to our site if you think it would be of interest to them or anyone else. It takes everyone’s participation to make something this large to grow. The more outreach by everyone, the better the group we will have.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Please hang on to that spirit and bring your passion to the cause. There will always be ways to participate and it will be an amazing ride!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=608899234 Jude Jeter

Personally, I see all the distrust and suspicion as a very very good thing…It shows the numbers of citizens truly aware of the realities of our common situation, and the need for true change, not rhetoric….I love the questions, honesty and the responses given to those with truly legitimate concerns…auto-vetting is not only prudent but necessary in these times.It brings to mind the plea/promise on the Statue of Liberty, changed to suit these times and this effort: Give us your suspicious, mistrusting, and wary…for this is a secure home, where they will all find comfort and like minds and hearts. If we do not question everything, we will never find a place that satisfies and provokes our trust. Trust, hard won, but well deserved is the best kind. Commitment grows from such. I’m delighted to have discovered this trustworthy organization. My suspicions have been overcome by the revelation of the ACTION and intentions of this group with whom we at Fallout Shelter are so very proud to be aligned with. Your vision is stellar, and correct IMO, your courage and effort are heroic and will make the difference…kudos PC and ROCK ON.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Thanks Jude. Just doing our job. Now it’s up to everyone else! Peace and power to the People.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Thanks Fallout Shelter. As you know, there are no short cuts to Democracy! We are all locked at the elbows and ready to organize for the inevitable day when we will claim the country back for the PEOPLE and all living creatures threatened by this perilous path we have been on. It’s time to confront the real threats of global climate change and to create the sustainable world we all know is possible.

Anonymous

Have you been informed about: http://www.osixs.org ? You should, when you have the chance, go and read Common sence 3.1 I believe our best option is a Declaration of Dissolution and Termination as stated at the site. A very similar idea to the people`s Congress. You must also be aware of the government`s plans for a declaration of Martial Law and the closed military bases that have been set up to be used as prisons/concentration camps under the control of FEMA. WE, The People, need to be well informed. Our government has been under the control of Luciferian organizations for a very long time now. We must ALL be very careful and watchful…..

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Have gone to OsiXs and will continue to explore. Thanks for the heads up.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Please welcome Peaceful Uprising to the People’s Congress, the latest organization to officially endorse the Peoples Congress! Welcome on board folks!
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Welcome Kojak415. The goals are outlined in the Mission Statement and will be refined as we move forward. We do not have an official position on Obama’s ethical character, only on that of the system he is currently head of. A lot of thought has been given to reaching out to various Independents and Progressives etc, but at this point we are still building our base and citizen participation is really the focus, and organizations. If we cannot assemble a very large coalition, having Bernie or others there as partners will not make much of a difference. We will be working on coalition building thru the fall. When we have that, Bernie will be at the top of our list. Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Depends on the turn out. We need to be a serious although peaceful threat to this power structure. That takes a serious amount of planning which is why we all need to get busy. 11 months is not a lot of time to get this together in a manner which will have significant and positive effects. The question is a good one. My hope is that we will be too large a crowd to either attack or dismiss. If we all get busy, that is what we can achieve.
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

We do not have an official position on libertarians that I am aware of. The list of Invitees is by and large in development. It is more like, would the Libertarians support this Agenda? If they do then we would LOVE to have them on board. If there are conflicts regarding free market principals for example, then I would be somewhat concerned an ideological split would be inevitable. Certainly we are open to having that discussion, for sure! Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Joseph and Abe…I understand the enormous suspicion, there is plenty of reason to feel this way, and I am not fooled by the nice suits. Where there is power there is corruption. Joseph, if you understand what we are saying, generally, we are advocating for a more representational form of democracy…..Government by the people. In order to get there I do think we have to think outside the box. Calling for our own People’s Congress is not exactly what the 2 major parties would have Americans do….what we make of it will all depend on who get’s involved, and how many. I hope you 2 continue to engage us. It’s your government and we need to take responsibility for it.
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

Thanks Abe!
Anonymous

How do you expect to get the Congress to pass your proposals? what do you have to leverage them with? The big corporations have money and jobs and power to offer. What do we offer?
I’m afraid it’s too late for governmental solutions: we need to make an end-run around the corporations, take their money away from them by boycotting all of them, and produce local sustainable businesses, preferably democratically run worker-owned cooperatives. Make our own jobs and our own economy.
Sure, keep hammering at the government (though find some better leverage) but we have to do other stuff too, and not rely on the government to do it for us.

http://www.jdcogmon.net/ JD Cogmon

I agree here as well. This is why we are fussing, marching, calling, occupying, meeting, planning and every other verb you can imagine until we break through the wall of communication that the media has erected because of its corporate puppet masters. Does anyone else want to make owing news media regulated if your corporation has a conflicting interest? We certainly want that changed. But beyond my opinion, this is why we started this…if you have other suggestions or you have a plan that you want to take point on, we could support you through the network of activists that we are connecting with. We don’t have any quick fix solutions. We have the plans we are discussing and the “Eureka” moments that have manifested along the way as we interact with people like you.
Hopefully John will respond to you when he has time, you can contact John anytime at johnmulkins@peoplescongress.org
JD
http://peoplescongress.org John Mulkins

I think any effort to work around the system or to confront the system is viable at this point because there is not a large enough movement behind either, therefore we need both. Developing alternative banking systems, creating our own jobs and sustainable communities, all good. Until the “Empire” is restrained, all those innovations will live in it’s shadow. I continue to believe that we need to directly confront the existing power structure as a majority of Americans. That may not be possible, even counter productive, but we’ll never really know until we try.
Providing that every state has a cooperate would make perfect sense, but in the shadow of the current global trade policies I think they would have marginal impacts at best.. Replacing essential goods and services now provided by traditional corporations with these new entities is a fitting goal, but are they expected to compete with Walmart, Home Depot and all the other big box stores? I’m not sure how realistic that is until we restrain corporations with new governance policies.
My expectation is that progress will be incremental until a very large number of Americans show up in D.C. to directly assert their demands on Congress in a physical show of solidarity. Given the state of our media and elections, that’s all we have left, in my view. I respect your views, and realize all of this is a bit Pollyanna until the “movement” is large enough to effect meaningful change. My hope was that Americans are on the verge of making some large decisions collectively. Perhaps that is a bit premature.
The People’s Congress has a larger vision as well. That is of creating a new institution of governance, created by the People. This is being outlined at http://peoplesconvention.us
It’s a related effort being spearheaded by Kelly Gerling, who has been working with several several constitutional scholars on the issue of sovereignty. This is similar the the constitutional convention.
We need to believe in our power to govern, effect change, and control our future. Avoiding the responsibility to hold our own government accountable is not an option to me at this point in our discussion.

Joyceck

The time has passed to protest one’s way to a solution. Now people need to develop a program of financial and political infrastructure that is viable for the 21st century. The current corporate model must be replaced by a worker-owned worker-democraticaly managed -regionaly sustainable company. Corporations may not be people but people create corporations. Only “The People” can build an alternative infrastructure. Petitioning the government to do it for us is a waste of time and resources. First we must make sure that every state has a cooperate – corporate form– AB1161 in CA strives to do this. Then we must replace essential goods and services now provided by traditional corporations with these new entitites as soon as possible. When this group starts thinking this way then things can go forwared, protest by istself is not going to do it.

http://www.jdcogmon.net/ JD Cogmon

I agree, its time for action. John Mulkins has actually been taking a lot of action on the very issues that you addressed. The problem is that since we are a volunteer organization with just a few of us doing the administration and we update the site when we can. It is a challenging balance, as John does a lot of face-to-face canvassing with people directly. By the time he ends his day, he is not to into writing all of this down along with following up with the many people he intervenes with. This is why I have peppered the home page with videos of him addressing issues. If you have suggestions, I am definitely wide-open, provided it doesn’t keep me too busy, I am one of the 99% that has been looking for work for months and therefore my focus is largely in the hunt.
you can contact John anytime at johnmulkins@peoplescongress.org

Sweetwaterone

Your Fist at the opening of this page reminds me of the early black power movement.. Is your movement inclusive racially ? It creates the impression that it is a Black Power Movement than an interracial movement? You need to clarify this icon.

http://www.jdcogmon.net/ JD Cogmon

The People’s Congress is committed to cultural diversity, equity and inclusion. I expect that while many may consider the icon from the point-of-view that you suggest, I am confident that there are many more that have the culturally literacy to recognize the symbol as belonging to ALL people that are oppressed– and have decided to take an active role in changing their social, political and/or economic status.

If you are concerned about this excluding others, you may not have a complete understanding of what that movement was about.

Culturally, there are many icons that have been misappropriated by our media, education system and western culture through indoctrination and “culture wars.” The So called Nazi “Swastika,” is perhaps the most prominent example I can provide. Many in the western world/industrial nations now see the symbol as an insult to those who follow the Jewish faith while many academics can tell you that its origins are can be traced to many places including Egypt and India. In the USA, the swastika is also associated with Neo-Nazis and the “Knights” of the Klu Klux Klan. But if you look at the symbology aside from these cultural definitions that we have placed on them due to recent history, there is an entirely different meaning at play: the 4 elements, vortices and more.

The Swastika isn’t something that The People’s Congress would use because it was used against a group to terrorize and subjugate, while the fist icon was used as a symbol of self-empowerment and sovereignty. That is the beauty of the People’s Congress, I am responding to you as a volunteer who assists the founder and we may not agree on all of the nuts and bults the organization but we learn everyday how to agree to disagree and leave space for growth in such dynamic times.
You are allowed to disagree as well and we could continue to debate the issue for months and years while we focus on the issues that matter:
Election Reform (take the money out of elections)
Corporate Reform (Citizen’s United V the FEC needs to be disolved, money does not equal free speech)
Media Reform
Transparency in Gov’t Policy

If you don’t agree, excellent. Come join the planning committee and make sure that my way of framing this doesn’t dominate the direction of the organization. This is in essence why it is a People’s Congress. We expect everyone to come as they are and we expect that we will all learn and grown from our interactions with each other.

Although I find your position lacking in cogency, I am open-minded enough for alternative suggestions.

If you would like to write a page for the VISION of the People’s Congress about inclusion, equity and diversity (or whatever you think that should be) we would be honored to work with you until everyone is pleased and place the link in a place of prominence for those who may have the same misgivings.

Whatever you decide to do, I am thankful that you brought it to our attention. Our cultural differences define why we have such distinct ideas about a variety of symbols and I celebrate such diversity. However, I remain vigilant about allowing dominant class perspectives define, color or misappropriate the authentic meaning(s) that the original groups ascribed to them.
Yours in peace,
JD Cogmon

John Everman

Skilled Activits? Sounds like more of the same. Presenting a mock session of Congress with people voting on generalized notions of reform is like Congress voting on legislation they don’t read, (which is usually the case i.e. Patriot Act, National Defense Authorizaion Act of 2011). Look what our illustrius leaders gave us when they passed McCain-Feingold. My opinion is that you might want to fine-tune your approaches.

What we really need is to vote out the status quo, an anti-Incumbent vote; i.e.career politicians across the board; Republican and Democrat. Regardless of what anyone wants from Congress, nothing will ever change as long as we keep voting in the Party Machine Congress vs a Real People’s Congress.

Anonymous

Hi John. Not sure how “skilled activists” translates into “more of the same” for you, but you are welcome to draw your own conclusions. There is a deeper level to all this than you might first extrapolate. This is about the sovereignty of the American People. It is obviously not likely that a fully functioning “People’s Congress” will emerge out of the various movements gaining unity in America today, but it is possible to begin the process of giving real power back to the People by engaging Americans in a process which addresses the fundamental issue of self governance: Sovereignty.

A mock session of the current Congress would have to include the many corporate sponsors which control Congress, so it is incorrect to refer to this effort as a “mock
congress” It is a gathering of Americans who are interested in passing legislation which will transform the current system into one which is truly representational. The success of this effort depends on the kind of support it receives, just as any reform movement does.

The “legislation” will be on line for all Americans to read. Members of the “People’s Congress” will be either nominated or voted in, it depends on how “We the People” decide to do it. In any case, the “legislation” will be written in layman’s terms, so I do not think it will be hard to understand.

Voting out the status quo is fine, but it appears we have very little time to make some very large changes both in terms of our liberties and our natural security. There are many issues which are becoming urgent. If we do not step up as Americans and demand true representation, then how will we as Americans ever solve the multiple problems we are facing?

If you would like to sit in the People’s Congress, please let us know. I would very much like to know your voice is being heard and represented. And, as I’ve always said, if there is a better way, I’m all ears. Your suggestions as to how to fine tune our approach are more than welcome.

This link came up with your e-mail.
http://peoplescongress2012.org/index.php/about/
We are wondering if you can shed any light on the connection if any you may have with the site.

Thanks again,

John Mulkins, founder.

Anonymous

Mary, thanks for the connection. As Cornell West and others have said, we need to change the system. The issue of sovereignty is difficult for many people, but it seems Occupiers “get it”! It’s great to know you are ready to take this on. You can be in on our groups e-mails if you lke, just sign up for the newsletter, let me know, and you’ll be in better contact re developments. Lots coming up so stay tuned.
http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Mulkins/654951540 John Mulkins

We will be making a list of Occupies that endorse the People’s Congress and will be putting it on our web site any day now. Please let us know if your Occupy does endorse this call to action and we will include your group on the list. ) Occupy is Bee You Tea Full!

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