NOW tonight PBS- My village in PA vs. The Corporation-(can U help us?)

[kittykitty]

"When residents of St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania opposed a company's plans to build a quarry in their small town, they did a uniquely American thing: they elected a town supervisor who shared their view. The ensuing battle, like many around the nation that are pitting communities against corporations, raises a question at the heart of American democracy: can corporate rights trump the will of the people? NOW goes inside the controversy in St. Thomas Township by looking at how Frank Stearn, the newly elected official, steered clear of issues relating to the quarry and examines the legal status claimed by the corporation that stopped him in his tracks. "I mean, clearly, it does not speak well to most people's understanding of how democracy works," says Stearn."

http://www.pbs.org/now/

[KissMeKate]

1. corporate personhood- all the rights, none of the responsibilities.

eom

[glitch]

2. This is a very good angle - a guy on the radio last week was talking

about this. The corps have found ways around regulation and zoning laws, so lots of townships in PA are going after their corporate status.
The law firm that's taking the corps on for the townships is through the
Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
http://www.celdf.org/
Here's a great article about them:
http://www.oriononline.org/pages/om/03-6om/Kaplan.html

Exciting stuff, I can't wait to watch the NOW show on it. Thanks for posting!

[kittykitty]

6. Yep, CELDF is involved and we have a law suit against the corporation

Thanks, I will look at your links. didn't know about them.

[cosmicdot]

3. posted an announcement of the program

at my Yahoo group, Corporate Sleuth

:kick:

[Must_B_Free]

4. Have Hexola send his folk song to Air America radio

I am aware that DU'er Hexola wrote a folk song called "Don't Dig A Hole In My Heart" about the DePaul's Corp's quarry plans. I heard today that on "Unfiltered" that he can send an MP3 to AirAmerica and maybe they will play it on that show.

[Enquiringkitty]

5. If they can do it ... We can do it

Citizens of the township should form a corporation and get the same "person" status; then fight toe-to-toe.

[kittykitty]

8. Fighting toe-toe requires MONEY! They have it, we don't

How do 5,000+ citizens, most of whom are retired or in the lower income brackets fight a huge conglomerate with unlimited funds?

[Luminous Animal]

7. Corporate personhood.

I've always wondered what would happen if a "corporation" (and an individual can be a legal corporation) took personhood to its logical end and demanded to vote in elections. It might be the one issue that would force the Supreme Court to explain the precedent of personhood and thus open an opportunity to erode the concept. Of course, it could always backfire and this Court could grant corps the right to vote.

[Patiod]

9. kittykitty - rarely miss NOW - made a point last night

because of your post.

Here's what I don't understand - if Mr Stearn campaigned on the platform of "I'm going to pass a law limiting the number of cats a person can own to 8, because everyone is complaining about Mr.s Moneybag's 20 cats" -- could Mr.s Moneybags sue him after he got elected and say he wasn't allowed to discuss the "8 Cats or Less Law"?

It seems that corporations have MORE rights than we do

If my neighbors want to sue me, they sure as hell don't have to take it to federal court, for instance.