Here’s the deal: Voting is important, really important. It is something we all just gotta do.

Sure, we’re all dismayed over the open hostility and paralysis of our current U.S. Congress, as well as some State and local government officials. Well, you know how those losers got in there? Because people voted for them! Often local elections are won or lost by a few hundred votes. Our votes matters.

If our votes didn’t matter, would there be such a massive effort underway to prevent voters from exercising this right? Across the U.S. proposals are being advanced that place obstacles in front of potential voters, especially affecting older, disabled or low-income voters. This must be stopped. As Whoopi Goldberg explains in this short video, “Every person who loses the right to vote takes us one more step away from being a nation of free people.”

The big-corporations and billionaires can outspend us, but they can only outvote us if we let them. Too many of us are giving away our power at the polls by simply not showing up. The U.S. has a lower average voter turnout than in most countries in Europe, Asia and Central and South America. That’s a bummer, considering that voting is one of the most fundamental basic indicators of a healthy democracy.

But we can fix this. Here’s what we have to do: Register to Vote! (Here’s voter registration forms in other languages for non-English speakers in the U.S.) Encourage friends, family and neighbors to register and vote. Put a Voter Registration Tool on your website or blog.  Protect our right to vote. Then, vote!

If you live in the U.S., it’s time to get going now since many states require registration 15 to 30 days ahead of an election. And, if you live outside the U.S., we would love to hear your advice for reaching those high voter participation rates you guy keep getting. We’d have a very different governing experience here in the U.S. if over 90% of eligible voters voted, as they do in Australia.

We can’t expect strong candidates to run for office, and we can’t expect wining candidates to stay strong on issues we care about, until we build a powerful movement of voters to get them into office and then, once there, to keep them focused on building a better future for us all.

As Alice Walker says, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” Voting is power. Let’s use our power on election day and every day.

I’m a total sucker for videos of people using their bodies to make shapes and words for aerial photography. Never gets old.

Check it out:

If you’re feeling particularly inspired, check out Resolutions Week and get involved with people all across the country who are getting together this summer to take a stand against the disastrous Citizens United decision.

Hat tip to Good Magazine for the post.

Last March, our Project released The Story of Citizens United v. FEC, a look at the disastrous 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that permits corporations to spend unlimited funds to influence how Americans vote.

If you’ve been following this year’s U.S. Presidential race, you know what I mean by disastrous:  out of control fundraising by unaccountable Super PACs, dirty attack ads funded by shadowy corporate front groups and total combined spending on the Presidential and Congressional elections estimated to reach as much as 6 or 7 billion dollars.

That’s right, $7,000,000,000.

And believe you me, if you’re a corporation pumping millions into an election, you’re expecting more than a bumper sticker in return! (Maybe a pipeline permit?)

Over the past year, The Story of Citizens United v. FEC has attracted over 400,000 views. The petitions for a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United have garnered hundreds of thousands of signers, and cities and states from coast to coast have expressed their support as well. That’s a great start, but we’ve got to reach far more people.

You can help today by supporting our partnership with LoudSauce to buy online ad space for a 30-second teaser for The Story of Citizens United v. FEC.

Watch the teaser here.

For only $2,000, we’ll be able to get this teaser in front of 200,000 potential viewers, with a specific focus on reaching young voters.

While $2,000 probably wouldn’t buy us a tax break or Ambassador appointment, it may reach enough of ‘We the People’ to keep our fight to overturn Citizens United on a roll.

So if you’ve got $5 or $20 or $100 to contribute, please help out.

Many thanks for all the things you do to build a more sustainable, just and fulfilling world.

Turns out that’s because we’re just days away from the 2^nd anniversary of the disastrous Citizens United v FEC U.S. Supreme Court decision. You know, the one where five of the Court’s nine justices agreed that corporations have the right to spend unlimited dollars from their coffers to sway elections.

If that sounds crazy to you, you’re not alone.

In fact, 85% of Americans think corporations have too much power and people have too little. That’s been the case for some time now, but over the past six months Americans have started to turn that sentiment into action like never before. The Occupiers kick started the action last fall. More recently Los Angeles and New York City joined a growing roster of City Councils that have passed resolutions stating “Corporations aren’t people.” And you may have noticed Stephen Colbert is even on an extended theatrical bit about Super PACs.

This weekend the action comes to a town near you!

Thousands of people all across the country are taking to the streets Friday and Saturday in an impressive set of coast-to-coast actions organized with the newly-formed United for the People coalition. We’ll be working hard to remind those who seem to have forgotten that “Democracy is for People! And Corporations aren’t People!”

Will you join us?

While I admit that I sway towards political nerdiness in general, my delight over the coming January 21^st events has less to do with my wonkette tendencies and more to do with a heartfelt belief that a people-powered democracy could do great things for this country. I mean, what’s not to love about a growing chorus of voices demanding that “We the People” put a stop to corporate cash deciding the fate of our political process?!

So if you’re one of those 85% who think its time to put the people back in charge of our democracy, make sure you jump in, join an event or even start one.

See you in the streets!

Download the PDF linked to the image below for the following

Background Information

Citizens United v. FEC Fact Sheet
Additional Resources

Taking Action: The Nuts & Bolts

Overview: Recommended Activities
Gathering Signatures for a Petition
Writing an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor
Organizing an Event
Encouraging Local/State Groups (and Governments) to Get on Board
Organizing a Demonstration or Media Event
Urging Members of Congress to Take the “Pledge for Democracy”

Appendix

Sample Resolution
Sample Coalition Statement
Sample Petition
Sample Citizens’ Poll

We all can think of corporations which do not exemplify the robotic legal creation in the Story of Citizens United. For example, Seventh Generation and Stonyfield Farm are large companies that are committed to sustainable practices which honor social, as well as financial goals. These corporations provide an alternative vision of the future in which citizens are the lead participants in our government, and corporations focus their efforts on innovation and production that benefits our society.

These corporations aren’t just doing good independently, they are working to change the law. Right now there’s a dynamic group of businesses and organizations working to create a new corporate legal structure which would permit companies to do what is best for the environment and the community. These Benefit Corporations are a new class of corporation that are required to create a material positive impact on society and the environment, and to meet higher standards of accountability and transparency.

This effort is being spearheaded by the  nonprofit B Lab along with the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) to to make Benefit Corporations a reality nationwide. B Lab is part of the American Sustainable Business Council, a group of more than 100,000 businesses working to further this positive corporate model and advocate for policies, which support socially responsible business.  Maryland became the first state to recognized Benefit Corporations in April 2010, followed by New Jersey, Vermont, and Virginia. Several other states are due to follow this year.

So how does this relate to the Citizens United decision and pay to play politics? In response to this disastrous decision, the American Sustainable Business Council and Ben & Jerry have launched the Business for Democracy Campaign, which opposes the Citizens United decision and supports a constitutional amendment which would affirm that citizens, not corporations should have Constitutional rights in our democracy (such as the right to speech in elections).

As these progressive business leaders show, the business community in the United States is not a monolith. Not only is the Citizens United decision a disaster for the democractic process, it also hurts small business and emerging enterprises in new and innovative fields because when money is speech, those who have the most can drown out the voices of the rest of us. For this reason and many others, we’re working with Free Speech for People, a growing national grassroots campaign, to raise the voices of business leaders in support of a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

Please encourage business leaders you know to sign ASBC’s Business for Democracy Statement of Support here and to get more information on the Amendment campaign here. You can support ASBC’s Benefit Corporation Campaign here and find out more about Benefit Corporations here.

If you own a business or know a business owner committed to both social well-being and profit, the American Sustainable Business Council is a membership organization that brings a business voice to the effort to combat Citizens United and to support the passage of Benefit Corporation laws.

Aquene Freechild is the Coordinator of the American Sustainable Business Council’s Business for Democracy Campaign. The American Sustainable Business Council, a group of more than 100,000 businesses working to further this positive corporate model and advocate for policies, which support socially responsible business.

But there are also lots of businesses we like. We like businesses that are promoting clean energy and safe materials and which respect their workers and host communities. We marvel at those that are applying their amazing design smarts to making products cleaner, safer, longer lasting and more easily compostable and recyclable. And we like those taking a stand for green jobs, climate solutions and a whole range of other things to make the world better.

You see, businesses aren’t a homogeneous bunch. Some are part of the problem and some are part of the solution. We’re big fans of those working to be part of the solution.

I recently went to a meeting of those solutions-oriented businesses that really inspired me.

The meeting was hosted by the American Sustainable Business Council.

On the U.S. political landscape (like in many countries), the business voice that has been loudest is that of Business-As-Usual. The US Chamber of Commerce and other big business interests have fought advances on a range of environmental and social issues, from climate change to health care for all.

A group of solutions-oriented businesses got tired of the bad name and destructive role that big business was providing. So they launched The American Sustainable Business Council to elevate an alternative voice for business. ASBC works to “mobilize business organizations and businesses for a vibrant, just, and sustainable economy.”

It’s cool. You see, there are a whole lot of businesses out there that know that a vibrant, just and sustainable economy is a precursor for good business – not an obstacle to overcome or a nice marketing slogan.

Ben Cohen, from Ben and Jerry’s ice cream was one of the speakers at the ASBC meeting in DC. Ben explained why it’s so important for small businesses who want a better world to get involved:

“Interestingly enough, while large corporations currently have all the power, it is small businesses that are the drivers of job creation.  And it is small, often local businesses that are more connected to their communities—and interface with their communities cooperatively more as neighbors working for the common good.

But while the Chamber of Commerce and NFIB [National Federation of Independent Business] have aggregated membership based on narrow self interest, up until now these neighborly socially conscious businesses have not been organized.  And that’s where the American Sustainable Business Council comes in.  We believe there is a huge untapped constituency of smaller businesses waiting to be organized to advocate for public policies that benefit the entire community.  This organized group of tens of thousands of businesses can be the effective voice that is needed to advocate for sustainable practices in the media and political arenas. They can be a forceful counter to the message from the Chamber of Commerce that what is good for communities and the planet is bad for business.”

I love hearing business people stand up to the US Chamber of Commerce, saying that in fact, no, not all business owners are willing to mortgage away the planet’s well being for narrow business interests. We can have an economy that is good for communities, good for workers, good for business and good for the planet simultaneously. But not if we continue with business-as-usual.

So, if you’re a business owner and you feel like the Chamber of Commerce isn’t representing your values and building the kind of world you want to leave your grandchildren, check out the ASBC. If you have friends and neighbors who are businesspeople , invite them to join too. The more businesses that join, the louder the voice of solutions-oriented businesses will be.

Want to learn more? ASBC sponsors on-line webinars and in-person gatherings to learn more about critical issues and meet up with other businesses working for solutions.

The next webinar is on June 7^th from 3:00 – 4:00 pm EST. It’s a Business for Democracy webinar on corporate influence in democracy, focusing on the Citizens United v FEC Supreme Court case which we looked at in our most recent movie. To register, go to: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/736389542

Later this summer, ASBC is holding events to explore both market and policy opportunities to encourage safer chemical use in products and to discuss upcoming Congressional action on energy and other issues related to small business. And all year long, ASBC hosts a variety of working groups and campaigns, from reforming outdated toxic chemicals laws to supporting real solutions to climate change.  We hear from lots of small business owners who tell us that working for a better world sometimes feels like swimming upstream, alone. You’re not alone; ASBC offers lots of ways to meet and collaborate with others leveraging their position as businesspeople to make the world better. There’s lots going on. Check out ASBcouncil.org

And while ASBC has started in the U.S., they would love to connect with like-minded business organizations around the world, especially around the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, called Rio + 20, taking place in June 2012. Usually these conferences are dominated by Business-As-Usual type businesses, speaking nice words but blocking real progress. It’s critical to have a loud, strong, diverse voice of businesses supporting real solutions to counter the dinosaur business model.  If you are interested, please sign up at ASBC’s site or send an email join@asbcouncil.org and ASBC will provide you with updates on possible business engagement opportunities.

If you know of solutions-oriented business associations in other countries, please let ASBC know. And if you yourself are a solutions-oriented business outside the U.S., how about starting a Sustainable Business Association in your country to magnify the voice of forward thinking, sustainability oriented businesses in your community? It may start slow, but it’ll be a huge help over the long run for elected leaders to hear from businesses on the side of real solutions.

And just in case joining the effort reclaim our democracy isn’t awesome enough, to literally sweeten the deal and make defending democracy even more fun, The Story of Stuff Project will be giving away a year’s supply of free Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream to the four regional groups or individuals that collect the most (verifiable) signatures on the Public Citizen petition by June 1st.* That’s less than a week away, so if you value democracy and ice cream as much as I do, get those petitions signed!

Download and print the PDF for the petition. (Directions for submitting your signed petitions are at the bottom of the document.)

Check out some tips that will help get the most signatures and that free year’s supply of Ben & Jerry’s.

*NOTE: In each region of the US (NE, SE, NW, SW), The Story of Stuff Project will supply the winners with 52 coupons for free pints of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, which comes out to one pint a week. So, if you’re submitting petitions as a big group of people get ready to share! All those interested in participating please contact amendment@citizen.org.

The most far-reaching of those solutions is an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that makes it clear that corporations do not have the same constitutional rights as real, live human beings.

Although a Constitutional amendment is a tall order, there’s a smart strategy our friends at Free Speech for People are organizing: going around the mess in Washington and taking our case to the states, which have an important role to play in amending the Constitution. There are already 8 state legislatures considering resolutions in support of a constitutional amendment and Free Speech for People is working to pass those and get more introduced.

That’s where you come in.

You can help Free Speech for People by calling your state legislators to ask them to support a state resolution on a constitutional amendment.

Can you take a minute to make a couple of quick calls now?

Just go to:

http://j.mp/STcalls

[ or ]

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/7003/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=5953

You can find your state legislators and call them for free with the online tool linked above, provided by our friends at Free Speech for People

This is a great, easy way to make a difference on one of the most important fights of our lifetime.

Thanks so much for all you do,

Annie, Michael, Christina, Renée and Allison (The Story of Stuff Team)