Local Community Self Government
Excellent talk by Thomas Linzey, executive director of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund.
Highlights for me included the hidden history of the US Constitution, including the secret meetings George Washington and others held at Mt Vernon and elsewhere prior to the formal Constitutional Convention.
The goal of the Constitutional Convention, according to Linzey, was to create a framework in which property and commerce rights would take precedence over the local self-government. Even at the time, observers maintained that constitutional government was totally inconsistent with democratic government.
He goes on to explain historical court rulings that give corporations more rights than local government, as well as outlining the great work of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund in helping local communities battle corporations that threaten their health and safety with fracking, factory hog farms, toxic sludge, aquifer mining (by bottled water companies) and other environmental destructive enterprises.
I was particularly interested to hear about movements that are amending state constitutions to restore the right of local self government, as well as a national group fighting for a US Constitutional amendment that guarantees the right of local self-government.
Because I have a really slow connection, I had difficulty playing the embedded video.
People can also see the presentation at
https://marioncommunityrights.wordpress.com/tag/thomas-linzey/
The Most Revolutionary Act 
Yes, democracy is a fragile flower at the best of times! And the countries that are most self-righteous about the glory of their own and the poor state of other people’s, need to be a little more introspective and self-analytical, I reckon.
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To be honest, I’m skeptical if most US politicians know what those words mean.
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Dr. Bramhall, I know you are serious as a heart attack, but I just had to laugh at your comment. Not because it’s not true but because it is SO damn spot on that it was either laugh or cry, and I chose to laugh!
Thank you!
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Oh goodness, Shelby. I think I must have given you the wrong impression of myself. I don’t think I’m so much “serious” as “angry.” I would write satire if I could but the truth is I’m pretty terrible out of it. The most common response I get is “Your brand of humor leaves me cold.”
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Your brand of humor is uniquely YOU and I choose to take it, not leave it! I have found your comments to be extremely funny when you choose to be. One thing I can say about your comments, they never leave me ‘cold’. You are one of the most warm-hearted, thoughtful, caring and honest people I have had the pleasure to write back and forth to on different blogs and I do declare if my leaky boat that I intend to get into to leave this shithole hasn’t sunk by the time I attempt to circle around to NZ, I would dearly love to shake your hand.
You’re the best Dr. Bramhall. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Or you tell them to come see me. I’ll make a believer out of ’em. And that’s a promise!
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Aw shucks, Shelby. You’re making me blush.
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Hi Stuart,
Great post. Thank you.
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Thanks, Jerry. I must admit to being really inspired by CELDF, particularly as they first got their start in “conservative” counties in Pennsylvania who were fed up with being pushed around by corporations and state officials. This appears to be one of the handful of genuine conservative-liberal grassroots movements Ralph Nader likes to promote.
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Reblogged this on "SNIFFING OUT THE LIES OF THE PARASITIC ELITE AND DIGGING UP BONES ON THE NEW WORLD ORDER" NEGDOG.COM 18+up Some material may bot be suitable for children or minors!.
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Thanks for reblogging.
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And it would be great if you could come and visit me in New Zealand. They like African Americans here – in fact they look up to them and admire them. Hip hop and break dancing are extremely popular in the Maori community.
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Well DrB. Tubularsock feels that the jig was up from the get go …….. Just the term FOUNDING FATHERS kind of gives it away!
Only the men WITH PROPERTY could vote because ONLY THEY had a stake in the society. Like the people doing the labor didn’t?
Woman, well ….. forget them. The society is safer if they remained illiterate baby producers.
George, the general and plantation owner ……. well, the military honor and property combo!
Old TJ …….. writing on FREEDOM while he was fucking his slaves literally on ye ol’ plantation!
Ben figured out controlling the “penny-press” and printing could influence thought.
That was the set-up ………… and people are surprised that it all turned out like what we are experiencing today?
Now THAT is amazing!
Tubularsock will sit back and watch this video later today, thanks.
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I guess that pretty well sums up the situation, Tube. The US was never intended to be a democracy. Linzey estimates that only 4% of people could vote at the time the Constitution was ratified.
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