
Annoncering
Annoncering

Kai Newkirk: I've been a community organiser in different ways, in different movements, starting with the World Trade Organisation protest in Seattle in 1999. Overtime, I've come to see if we don't take on corruption and get big money out of politics, then we're not going to be able to do anything else. We have to take this on and do whatever it takes to win as soon as possible. We're trying to raise a nonviolent army of democracy defenders around the country, to create the mass movement that we'll need to make the status quo untenable.How did you manage to capture footage of your speech?
We went in just like anybody else, only we had a hidden camera. We did it because we feel that there is a crisis of corruption in this country and that the Supreme Court is deepening that crisis by shutting everyday Americans out of our government. We hoped that by sharing footage of an extremely rare action, a protest at the Supreme Court, it would draw attention to the problem. It's inspired a lot of people. Tonnes have been reaching out to us through our website and social media and we want to help them take a stand, too.
Annoncering
It was intimidating. An air of deference permeates the room. It was challenging to overcome the fear that I was feeling because I had no idea how they would respond or how it was going to go. As I was sitting there, waiting and preparing, I tried to focus my thinking on all the people who urgently need a government that works for them. I knew that standing up in that setting would be something that could give voice to millions of Americans who are angry at how the laws, policies, and priorities set by our government are skewed towards supporting the rich.The abolitionists, the suffragists, civil rights, the dreamers â the struggle for democracy is the history of this country. This is the time for our generation to step up and take our place in that tradition. Spending a night in jail, to me that's small potatoes compared to getting a government that works for us.Do you think the Supreme Court is isolated from reality because cameras and recording equipment are banned from the court?
In this day and age people are constantly sharing, everyone from teenagers to the president. This is the era of YouTube. For an institution that is so important in our society to not participate in that because of an old tradition, it has separated them from the rest of us and reduced accountability.There's been an almost universal response of outrage to Citizens United. I'm sure that the justices are aware of that. But they are going in the same direction, empowering the wealthiest Americans to have a huge sway over our democracy. But it doesn't have to be like that. We've got make sure that they are more aware of how the masses of Americans feel betrayed.
Annoncering
The justices are appointed by presidents who are looking to advance the interests of the groups that they're accountable to. As you point out, there are justices on the court who are deeply connected to corporations and to those who believe having greater wealth should allow them to have a greater say in our democracy. That is fundamentally un-American. They are empowering the 1 percent of the 1 percent. We've got to raise the costs â socially, economically, and politically â of continuing in that direction.What's the impact of the Citizens United decision and how will last week's McCutcheon ruling make the situation worse?
Big money corruption of American politics was at crisis level before Citizens United. You had a situation where over 90 percent of candidates who raise the most money win, where you weren't viable as a candidate unless you had the support of rich Americans, and members of Congress were spending 30 to 70 percent of their time raising money from a tiny slice of the public. Citizens United took that to an obscene new level. It allows corporations and unions and individuals to spend unlimited amounts on what's called outside spending â not giving directly to candidates, mind you, but to groups who spend on their behalf.
Annoncering
We think the first change needs to be a constitutional reform that ensures private wealth is effectively irrelevant when it comes to political power. That reform either needs to ban private money from public elections or at least allow congress not only to regulate it as much as necessary, but to prohibit it if necessary. We're seeking to establish a transparent form of participatory public financing.
Annoncering
We are looking at how we can empower folks around the country to take nonviolent action.We're trying to lay the ground work to organise what will be the largest day of civil disobedience in the history of our country. We're looking at all the options for how we can respond to this upsurge of people who were inspired by our protest at the Supreme Court.The largest day of civil disobedience in the history of this country â that's a tall order.
We're going to use what we're describing as a Kickstarter campaign for mass nonviolent protest, asking people to pledge to be one of ten thousand folks to join in. Once we cross the ten thousand threshold, we'll set the date and begin training those who've signed up.Which billionaires should expect protesters blocking their office doors?
We're looking at different options â whether we're going to focus on corporate targets, or congressional and statehouse targets, or individual donors, or some combination. But what we know is that if we're going to win this fight, we're going to need millions of people who are willing to step up, organise, make sacrifices, risk arrest, and go to jail. That's what's necessary.They have millions of dollars.
When we're not afraid anymore, when we step off the sidelines of history and take our place together and shape our story, I think anything is possible.Follow Peter on Twitter