"16 Corporations or We the People?" (updated)

http://www.CoffeePartyUSA.com

If you agree that we can't allow American taxpayers to be robbed by 16 international corporations who pay to manipulate our government so that we pay more, and they pay less to operate it, please use the tools you have at your disposal — your social network — to share this video and make the truth go viral.

We may not have our own news channel, but We the People, using our intersecting spheres of influence, can challenge the corporately-generated narrative about how our tax dollars should be spent. We believe our money should be invested in America's future. They believe our money should be spent on tax breaks for the wealthy and tax giveaways for corporations.

The disproven framework by which the corporate agenda is sold to unsuspecting voters is called trickle-down economics: the notion that if enough of our tax dollars are given to the wealthy, some of them will come back to us in the form of jobs and charitable donations. It was a theory. We tried it. But look at the results.

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph

The style of the video was inspired by the success of Wesleyan University's "I have sex" / Planned Parenthood video, which has been viewed over 300,000 times, with most of its views coming from Facebook. The video inspired a series of similar videos from across the country and around the world. The question Annabel and I posed to these students on March 25th was, "How can People Power stand up to Corporate Power?" Their answer was simple: an innovative idea, a notebook, some magic markers, and a camera. They spent zero money, used web tools that are free for anyone to use, and they contributed to the defeat of a corporately-funded, ideological assault on women's rights and public health.

So, when it was time to promote our Coffee Break Campaign to Save America — Coffee Party's April initiative to bring some factual basis to our national conversation about taxes, the deficit, and spending — we decided to attempt a multi-generational version of Wesleyan University's idea. It's a web series we're calling it "Survivor: Trickle-Down Economics" and it's designed to give ordinary Americans (who can't afford to purchase a news channel or a "grassroots" movement) to add their voice using video, digital photos, or by just picking up the phone. The video above is the third episode of the series.

It was really a lot of fun shooting in Pittsburgh PA, Kalamazoo MI, St. Michaels MD, Silver Spring MD, and Washington DC.

I found it amazing how receptive people were to this message. In fact, they were finishing my sentences for me. In all my travels during the past 2 weeks, just about everyone I talked to had heard about the General Electric and Bank of America tax controversies, none of them were happy about it, and none were surprised when I said these were only two of many examples. Best of all, when offered the opportunity to contribute to the video project, they did so with pride and enthusiasm, thankful to be offered a way to make their voices heard. That's the sort of thing I live for.

The ground is shifting beneath our feet. When exactly the corporate media does justice to this story it is not important. The narrative is changing. We the People have the tools and the knowledge to make it change for good. And when that happens, all the expensive TV advertising in the world will not be able to reverse the tide.

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[D33KJP]

@jlsr1000 I don't think we're there just yet. We'd be pushing the issue forward and not dealing with the BS rather than making feel good campaign videos. This is one example of an issue that should be on people's minds every day, yet this video sits with under 6,000 views. And I don't particularly mean the president; it could be for any office. We have too many incumbent politicians who don't fear losing their paycheck so they continue to manipulate because no one will push back.

[Wintersoil]

Yeah man, the corporations. They're raping the world for money.

[MrTraffik07]

#OccupyWallStreet

[ElRoi65]

Corporatocracy Lovers 'R' Us. Stupid people have opinions too.

[hotshtsr20]

@crazc28 Yep, some money to help people out in a tight spot is helpful.

However:

1. Why should the gov't decide this?

2. We all know that the disability, welfare and unemployment systems are swollen with abuse.

3. Lots of people don't want to get better or improve themselves.

[hotshtsr20]

@crazc28 The business gets taxed at the same rate (or higher, based on bracket). I'm no tax expert, but I'm pretty sure the business can't shelter 401k contributions.

Either way, it's still the owner's income, regardless of which entity files the taxes. Less money for the owner, tighter wallet for employees.

We could have a whole other discussion on the regulatory compliance costs the gov't imposes on businesses, and how it hurts the small guys, but that's another vid. :)

[hotshtsr20]

@crazc28 I am absolutely not against giving the poor help, but why does the government know better than we do where to help these people? Why do these people deserve help for no other reason than being poor?

Give to the less prepared, no. For example, I donate a truckload of goods every year to organizations that give the less fortunate jobs, etc. But I won't give a dime to the panhandler on the street.

And less is asked of them, since they make less money.

[crazc28]

@hotshtsr20 Yeah there will always be poverty, but we can reduce it more i believe. Your right we wont get rid of it by just giving them money, but giving them some money will help. We also should focus on educating them, job training for them and things like that.

Although that joke is hilarious =) everything here including our poor should be better then 3rd world countries, but lets make it even better. Never stop improving.This is America! Everyone should be better off here!

[crazc28]

@hotshtsr20 correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't their personal income separate from their business' income? Wouldn't their employees be paid from the business account, including the owner, but not from the owners personal income? I would think raising income tax wouldn't have an effect unless the owner gives himself a raise to make the difference. But in all honesty i don't know how running a small business works. Also when i talk about raising taxes, i mean the people that make over 500k/Y

[crazc28]

@hotshtsr20 ah i did say majority of the kids aren't planned, i feel slightly dumb now lol, but i thought you were saying I stated birth control fails majority of the time.

Are you against giving less fortunate people help? Shouldn't a poor person be able to live too? You mentioned in another post "pursuit of property/happiness. Isn't the Government protecting poor peoples rights to the pursuit of property/happiness by asking less of them financially then the wealthy?