Friday 2/26 Lecture: Empowering the People

Empowering the People:  Is a truly sustainable society achievable as long as corporate rights trump the rights of people? * Paul Cienfuegos Lecture and Reception

Amercians 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.

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 TransitionTowns PDX. For questions, contact [email protected] or call 503-267-2973