coffeepartyusa's video: Sarah Lawson speech at US Capitol Oct 29 2011

http://citizensintervention.com/ Congress must listen to the American people NOW. Not after the election. The silent majority is saying Enough Is Enough with the broken government. We must summon the political will as a country to confront Washington with the core problem: money in politics. We have a democracy crisis, more than a deficit crisis. This is an historic moment. Grassroots democracy is springing up everywhere right now in a whole new way. We are calling this rally an "intervention" in recognition of the urgency of the moment. It is our desire to establish dialogue between members of Congress and the American People. We intend that this will lead to significant changes in our nation's priorities and policies. The Citizens Intervention is an opportunity for everyday Americans to share their personal stories directly with Congress. Hundreds of citizens are signing up to take part in a "free speech open mic" program to express how the corruption and dysfunction affect our lives, and what we want to do about it. We love our country and that is why we are going to Washington. We have sent letters; we have made phone calls. We are going to Washington because we feel that our words have been ignored. By our physical presence in the streets of our nation's capitol we want you to see our faces and hear our voices. This intervention is about We The People shaking things up and getting Congress back to work. Our representative democracy isn't working. We don't feel represented. Money has replaced the people in the process. To stop the cycle of corruption, we must reform our campaign finance system, transform our tax code, and revamp the way Wall St does business. We are are going to insist and we're not going to go away until we fix the problems. Our future is on the line. We are asking all Americans to join us in a national dialogue on how we will address both the crisis of confidence that the American people have in our elected leaders and the toxic political discourse that feeds that crisis. We need a non-ideological, civil, and solution-oriented dialogue on how to move forward together. Recognizing that Americans are searching for ways to participate in the political process without discord and rancor, our aim is to provide a place to gather and a way to participate that celebrates the spirit of American democracy. As the deliberations of the Super Committee proceed we would like everyone seated at the table. In order for this to be a legitimate national dialogue about the future of our country, the voice of We The People must be heard. We reject the Supreme Court's activist decree that multi-national corporations are American citizens with inalienable rights to unlimited and anonymous political advertising. Our Constitution enshrines free speech as a guarantee of protection for the will of the People, not as an avenue for the influence advertising or political propaganda. Without real campaign finance reform the American people will continue playing second fiddle to powerful special interests. We know reform is possible if there is political will. We need to summon that political will around the country and on Capitol Hill. We won't stop until it is done. For more than three years, Americans have lived in anxious frustration, some of us to the point of despair and real deprivation. Wall Street wreaked havoc on our economy and while it has certainly recovered, we have not. This must never happen again. We must change the way Wall Street does business. The tax code is complicated and unfair. We need a simpler tax code that levels the playing field so we all pay our fair share. Such reforms will enable us to get our economic house in order while also meeting our obligations to those still struggling, to our ailing infrastructure, and to our nation's defense. We share your frustration and anxiety. If we play the ostrich — put our heads in the sand -- things will only continue to deteriorate. Without your voice, nothing changes. With your voice and your physical presence, change begins. Without your engagement, Washington stays the same.