SuperSized Politics:

WhattheCitizensUnited DecisionMeanstoDemocracy
Sponsoredby OccupyDemocracyPasadena CosponsoredbyGreaterPasadenaJews forJusticeandbyPressforDemocracy

BECAUSE . . .

VillaVistaRoom,VillaGardens PasadenaCA SaturdaySeptember15,2012

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 WelcomefromOccupyDemocracyPasadena

OccupyDemocracyPasadenaisalocalcommunitygroupthatsupportsand embodiesthe99%ofourcountryteachers;nursesandhealthcareworkers; office,serviceandlaborworkers;vets;students;firefighters,police,and postalworkerswhohavehadtheirlives,personalandpolitical,compro misedbythevastinequalitiesatworkinoursocietytoday. Wewanttotakeourgovernmentoutofthehandsofcorporations,believing thatAmericaworksbestwhenourgovernmentisof,by,andforthepeople. WeareinspiredbytheOccupymovementbutdon'tfunctionthesameway. Weareorganizedmoretraditionallyanddon'trequireabsoluteconsensusto takeactiononissues.Weseektocreateasafespaceforeverybodyinthe community(particularlyfirsttimers)to"taketothestreets"(congressional offices,citycouncilmeetings,publicmeetinghalls,talksoverthefence,and certainlyinthestreetsthemselves)insupportofsocialjusticeandpeaceac tions.Webelievedemocracyworksonlywhenyouparticipate. Formoreinformation,pleasevisitourtabletodayorcontactcoleaders PatrickBriggsorMaddieGavelBriggsat(626)2961607.Visitusonfacebook athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/OccupyDemocracyPasadena/

PresidentObamaweighsinonCitizensUnited WASHINGTONInansweringaquestionposedtohimbyamemberofthe InternetcommunityReddit,PresidentBarackObamastatedhissupportfora constitutionalamendmenttooverturntheSupremeCourt's2010Citizens Uniteddecision,thefirsttimethatthepresidenthasvoicedthispositionhim self. Inresponsetoaquestionaboutthepresident'spositiononmoneyinpolitics, Obamawrote,"Overthelongerterm,Ithinkweneedtoseriouslyconsider mobilizingaconstitutionalamendmentprocesstooverturnCitizensUnited (assumingtheSupremeCourtdoesn'trevisitit).Eveniftheamendmentproc essfallsshort,itcanshineaspotlightofthesuperPACphenomenonandhelp applypressureforchange." Thepresident'ssupportforaconstitutionalamendmentcomesmonthsafter heendorsedtheactivitiesofPrioritiesUSAAction,thesuperPACthatissup portinghiscandidacyandrunbyaformerWhiteHousecommunicationsaide. Obama'ssupportwasbilledasreluctant,butnecessary. Atthetime,ObamacampaignmanagerJimMessinawroteablogpostex plainingtheendorsementofthesuperPAC,whichalsoincludedastatement ofsupportforaconstitutionalamendment,"ThePresidentopposedtheCiti zensUniteddecision...AndthePresidentfavorsactionbyconstitutional amendment,ifnecessarytoplacereasonablelimitsonallsuchspending."

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Cosponsors

ThemissionofGreaterPasadenaJewsforJusticeistouseourvoiceandpres ence,mindfulofourhistoryasminoritiesandimmigrants,toinjectJewish valuesoftikkunolam,justice,andequalityintolocalpublicdiscourseandpol icy.Thismissionincludesworkingininterfaithcoalitions,andlinkingmatters oflocalconcerntobroadersocial,political,andeconomicissues.GPJJwel comesmembersandparticipantsfromalloverthePasadenaarea,including surroundingcommunitiesintheSGV,LA,Glendale,andunincorporatedareas. PressforDemocracyisaTVNewsMagazinefeaturing1/2hourshowsonis suesofimportancetothecommunity,state,nation,andworld.Itiswritten andproducedbyJaniceMarkhamandSteviCarrollandhostedbyJanice Markham.Eachshowexploresissuesofpressingimportancethroughinter viewsinthestudioaswellaswithexistingandoriginalfootage.InourPress forDemocracy:FilmSerieswepresentinterviewswithprogressivefilmmakers andprovideaformatforairingtheirfilms. PressforDemocracyenteredtheindependentmedialandscapeinthesum merof2005aspartoftheMediaReformcommitteeofPasadenaMoveOn. Ourshowshavedealtwithissuesrangingfromhealthcaretoimpeachment, frommilitarisminourschoolstoelectronicvotingmachines.Acompletelist ofourshowsisavailableathttp://www.pressfordemocracy.com/ *************************************************************** SingersongwriterPhoebeBridgershasplayedherownbrandofacousticfolk alloverLosAngeles,includingtheTroubadour,theElRey,theRoxy,Genghis CohenandtheGrandOleEcho.HometownPasadenacalledhera"localtreas ure."AswellasheracousticsoloperformancesshealsoregularlyplaysL.A. venueswithherbandEinstein'sDirtySecret.Phoebeisanengagingperformer forsuchayoungsinger,andheroriginalsongsarematureandinsightful. PhoebeiscurrentlystudyingmusicattheLosAngelesCountyHighSchoolfor theArts. 10

Contents I.WelcomefromOccupy DemocracyPasadena II.AboutCitizensUnited III.EventSchedule III.KeynoteSpeaker, CongresswomanJudyChu IV.PanelBios V.EventCosponsors VI.PresidentObamaWeighsIn

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 AboutCitizensUnited*
Americandemocracyisnowforsaletothehighestbidder,courtesyofthe U.S.SupremeCourt. Inastunningdisplayofjudicialactivismatitsworst,andwithnofactualre cordbeforeittoreview,theCourtdeclaredinJanuary2010thatcorporate politicalspendingdoesnotcorruptelectedofficialsopeningthefloodgates tounlimitedpoliticalspendingbythewealthiestspecialinterests. The54rulinginCitizensUnitedv.FederalElectionCommissionoverturned decadesofsettledcampaignfinancelaw.Itshouldbeawakeupcallforall Americansconcernedaboutthefutureofourdemocracy. Themuchanticipatedcasehasliterallypouredbillionsofcorporateandpri vatemoneyintoourpoliticalsystem.Thecourtoverturnedwellestablished judicialprecedentsthatupheldrestrictionsonunlimitedcorporateandunion spendingexpresslyadvocatingtheelectionordefeatofcandidates. *Source:CommonCause

Whatwecandoaboutit
Itsnottoolatetokeepcorporationsfromowningourdemocracy.Butweall musttakeactionnow.Todayspanelwilldiscussactionstochallengethe ruling,includingaconstitutionalamendmentandpublicfinancingalterna tives. Weinviteyoutofindyourparticularpassionregardingthisissueandtoget involved.Changeisnoteasy,nordoesithappenovernight.Buttruedemoc racyworksonlywhenweallparticipate.Ifindividualsfailtoact,thereare plentyoflobbyistsandcorporationswhogladlywill.

Californians. JohngraduatedfromtheUniversityofRedlandsandisaUSNavyveteran.He iswidowedwiththreegrownchildren. TrentLange,PhD,PresidentandExecutiveDirector,CaliforniaCleanMoney Campaign TrentLangehasservedontheboardoftheCaliforniaCleanMoneyCampaign since2003.Hehasbeenaspokesperson,lobbyist,andpolicyexpertfor CCMC,analyzingcampaignspendingandproposingsolutionstocampaign financeissuesbothforCaliforniaandelsewhere. Dr.Langehasbeenontheexecutivecommitteesoffourballotcampaignsin California,includingservingascochairofMeasureH,theCleanMoney enablingmeasureinLosAngelesthatpassedbya31marginwith75%ofthe voteonMarch8th,2011.Healsohelpedrunthesuccessfullegislativecam paigntogetthelegislaturetopassandGovernorSchwarzeneggertosign AB583in2008. Dr.LangehasaPh.D.fromUCLA,withamultidisciplinaryacademicback groundincomputerscience,cognitivescience,andcognitivepsychology,and istheauthorofover20academicpublications.HeisPresidentandCEOof LangeFundManagement,LLC.,whichrunsasmallbutsuccessfulmarket neutralhedgefund.

PanelBiographies AllanIdes,ProfessorofLawandChristopherN.MayChair AllanIdesgraduatedsummacumlaudefromLoyolaLawSchoolin1979.He servedasalawclerktotheHonorableClementF.Haynsworth,Jr.,ChiefJudge oftheUnitedStatesCourtofAppealsfortheFourthCircuitfrom197980and thenclerkedfortheHonorableByronR.White,AssociateJusticeofthe UnitedStatesSupremeCourtfrom198081. ProfessorIdesjoinedtheLoyolaLawSchoolfacultyinthefallof1982and servedasAssociateDeanforAcademicAffairsfrom198487.From198997, ProfessorIdeswasamemberofthelawschoolfacultyatWashingtonandLee UniversityinLexington,Virginia.HereturnedtoLosAngelesandtoLoyolain Fall1997.HehaswrittenextensivelyintheareasofConstitutionalLawand CivilProcedureandisactivelyinvolvedinvariouspublicserviceprojects,rang ingfromcivil rightslitigationtotherepresentationofindividualsindeportationproceed ings. JohnA.Smith,organizerinSouthernCaliforniaforCommonCause. JohnhasworkedwithCommonCauseasavolunteer,asaconsultant,andis nowafulltimerepresentativeforSouthernCaliforniafromLosAngeles CountytotheMexicanborder.HecoordinatesactivitiesofCommonCause groupsinSanDiego,Redlands,Claremontandisorganizinganewgroupin OrangeCounty. Hehascampaignedextensivelyforthepassageofballotinitiativesthatcre atedtheCaliforniaCitizensRedistrictingCommission.Hehasworkedonpub licfinancingofelections,bothfederalandstate,aswellasonchangingthe filibusterrulesintheUSSenate. Mostrecently,JohnhasworkedaggressivelyinSouthernCaliforniatopass citycouncilresolutionstoreversetheSupremeCourt'sCitizensUniteddeci sion,andhehascampaignedtoextendvoterregistrationrightsforall 8

EventSchedule Programbeginsat2:15 RegistrationandMusicbyPhoebeBridgers WelcomeandIntroductionfromOccupy DemocracyPasadena:PatrickBriggs KeynoteSpeaker,CongresswomanJudyChu Introductionofpanelandformat:SteviCarroll Panel Q&Awithaudiencecards Closingremarks,communitydialogue,refresh mentsandopportunitytovisitorganization tables

KeynoteSpeaker,CongresswomanJudyChu Dr.JudyChuwaselectedtotheU.S.HouseofRepresentativesforCalifornia's 32ndDistrictinJuly2009.Sheimmediatelygottoworkrepresentingthein terestsofherconstituents,votingonseveralenvironmentalbillsandworking throughthenightonherfirstdayinoffice,duringamarathondebateonim portanthealthcarereformlegislationaspartofherfirstassignmentonthe HouseEducationandLaborCommittee,wheresheservedontheSubcommit teesonEarlyChildhood,ElementaryandSecondaryEducationandHealthy FamiliesandCommunities. Inthe112thCongress,Rep.ChuservesontheHouseJudiciaryCommittee, wheresheisamemberoftheCrime,Terrorism,andHomelandSecurityand theIntellectualProperty,Competition,andtheInternetsubcommittees.She isalsoamemberoftheHouseSmallBusinessCommittee,wheresheislead ingtheContractingandWorkforceSubcommitteeastheRankingDemocrat andservesontheEconomicGrowth,TaxandCapitalAccessandAgriculture, EnergyandTradeSubcommittees.In2011,shewaselectedastheChairof theCongressionalAsianPacificAmericanCaucus(CAPAC). Inadditiontohervoteinfavorofpassageofthehistorichealthcarereform bill,Rep.ChuhaschampionedanumberofcausesinCongress.Shehasused herextensiveexperienceasalegislatorandeducatortohelpimproveour nationseducationsystem,helpingpassalandmarkcollegeaffordabilitybillto boostfederalcollegegrantsandkeepstudentloaninterestrateslow.Last year,shealsointroducedabillthatwouldmaintainadequatefederalfunding formuchneededschoollunchprograms.Shehasalsounveiledanewframe workforawardingSchoolImprovementGrantscalledStrengtheningOur Schools(SOS),whichprovidesamoreholisticandresearchbasedalternative tothemorepunitiveandoverlyrestrictiveguidelinescurrentlyused. ShehascontinuedtoworkhardtohelpAmericansemergefromthereces sion,cosponsoringabillthatwouldextendandexpandtheenormouslysuc cessfulJobsNOWprogram,whichusesfederalstimulusfundstosubsidize jobsatthelocallevelandhasalreadyresultedinmorethan11,000jobsinLos AngelesCountyalone. 6

CongresswomanChuisalsoastrongadvocateforeffective,humaneandpro gressiveimmigrationreform,havingbeenanoriginalcosponsoroftheCom prehensiveImmigrationReform(CIRASAP)billintroducedbyRep.Luis Gutierrezlastyear. CongresswomanChubeganhercareerasaneducatorandtaughtpsychology atLosAngelesCityCollegeandEastLosAngelesCollegefor20years.Shewas firstelectedtotheGarveySchoolDistrictBoardofEducationin1985.Shewas thenelectedtotheMontereyParkCityCouncil,wheresheservedasMayor3 times.Fromthere,shewaselectedtotheCaliforniaStateAssembly,where shewasChairofthepowerfulAppropriationsCommittee,whichhascontrol overalllegislationwithafiscalimpacttothestate.WhileintheAssembly,she introducedandhelpedpassthemostsuccessfultaxamnestybillinthenation, whichwasestimatedtobringin$300millionbutactuallybroughtin$4.8bil lioninrevenueforthestatebudgetwithoutraisingtaxes.Shewasthen electedtotheStateBoardofEqualization,Californiastaxboard. Rep.ChuearnedherB.A.inmathematicsfromUCLAandherPh.D.inpsychol ogyfromtheCaliforniaSchoolofProfessionalPsychology.