Speaker A
Thanks so much. Thank you for welcoming me to the feast, and you know, just walking around and meeting some of the people and seeing the amazing transformation of this space has been a beautiful thing. So it's great to be here with you.
Ben Cohen discusses the influence of money in politics and introduces the Stamp Stampede campaign to fight corporate political power.
Key Takeaways
- Corporate money heavily influences U.S. politics, often to the detriment of public interest.
- The Citizens United ruling has exacerbated the problem by allowing unlimited political spending by corporations.
- Grassroots activism, such as the Stamp Stampede, can raise awareness and pressure for political reform.
- A constitutional amendment is needed to restore democratic control and reduce corporate influence.
- Small individual actions, like stamping currency, can collectively create significant political impact.
Summary
- Ben Cohen reflects on the integration of social concerns in business, highlighting Ben & Jerry's long-standing commitment.
- He critiques the disproportionate influence of wealthy individuals and corporations on U.S. politics through campaign contributions.
- Cohen explains how campaign donations from industries like fossil fuels, weapons, and healthcare hinder progressive policies.
- He uses a BB demonstration to illustrate the imbalance in political donations between the top 1%, 9%, and the rest of Americans.
- The Citizens United Supreme Court decision is identified as a key factor enabling unlimited corporate political spending.
- To counteract this, Cohen founded the Stamp Stampede, a grassroots movement encouraging people to stamp messages on currency to raise awareness.
- The campaign aims to build momentum for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and reduce corporate influence.
- Stamp Stampede is described as a legal, accessible, and visual form of political participation that has gained media attention.
- Ben Cohen emphasizes the need for a groundswell of grassroots activism to reclaim democracy from corporate control.
- The video includes practical information on how to participate in the Stamp Stampede and its impact so far.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction and Reflection on The Feast
- 01:00Corporate Power and Its Negative Effects
- 02:11The Imbalance of Political Donations Explained
- 04:51Campaign Contributions and Industry Influence
- 05:43The Citizens United Decision and Need for Reform
- 06:29The Stamp Stampede Campaign Introduction
- 07:11Demonstration of Political Donation Disparities
- 08:00Dark Money, PACs, and Media Coverage
- 09:20How to Join the Stamp Stampede and Its Impact
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
great to be here with you um you know uh Ben and Jerry's uh has of course worked for many many years trying to integrate social concerns into the way we do business and there have been many other businesses that have been working
Speaker A
You know, Ben & Jerry's has, of course, worked for many, many years trying to integrate social concerns into the way we do business, and there have been many other businesses that have been working to do that and many other nonprofits.
Speaker A
uh is because businesses which are not in this room today businesses are using their power which I believe is the most powerful force in our society in their own narrow self-interest and the result has negative effects on everybody else and I
Speaker A
And yet, in the words of my friends at Occupy Wall Street, [expletive] is still [expletive] up. And, you know, I think most of the reason why [expletive] is [expletive] up
Speaker A
weapons industry uh the reason why we don't have any decent environmental regulations or a decent energy policy is because of campaign contributions from fossil fuel industry the reason why the US uh the only industrialized democracy in the world does not have National Health Care
Speaker A
is because businesses which are not in this room today, businesses are using their power, which I believe is the most powerful force in our society, in their own narrow self-interest. And the result has negative effects on everybody else. And I
Speaker A
system works in the United States I've got an audio demonstration here and what I'm going to do is I'm going to drop some BBs into this bucket and first I'm going to put in here's one BB that represents
Speaker A
think the worst abuse of these businesses is so-called campaign contributions, political campaign contributions, what John McCain calls legalized bribery. And so a big part of the reason why we have endless war is because of campaign contributions from the
Speaker A
9% uh they give an average of $60 a piece so 10 of the next 9% that would be 60 time 10 $600 one BB and then the 1% the richest 1% of the country gives an average of $3600 to
Speaker A
weapons industry. The reason why we don't have any decent environmental regulations or a decent energy policy is because of campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry. The reason why the U.S., the only industrialized democracy in the world, does not have national health care
Speaker A
corporations who do you think politicians are listening to so uh in an effort to uh deal with this situation uh I've started the stam Stampede and uh you know in addition to the money I just talked about that's
Speaker A
is because of campaign contributions from the health care industry. And where should I begin in terms of the financial industry?
Speaker A
got the situation there's too much money in politics well it's not that there's too much m to me it's not there's too much money in politics it's who the money's coming from I mean the rich and the corporations are controlling our
Speaker A
You know, I want to give you just an illustration of how our campaign finance system works in the United States. I've got an audio demonstration here, and what I'm going to do is I'm going to drop some BBs into this bucket. And first, I'm going to put in here's one BB that represents
Speaker A
overturn the citizens united Supreme Court decision and then some and in order to do that we need a ground swell of Americans the Grassroots to rise up and to get that message out you've created the stamp Stampede yeah yeah
Speaker A
$600. And now I'm going to toss in the amount of BBs that represents the political campaign donations from 90% of Americans. That was nothing. Most 90% of Americans contribute nothing to politicians. Then why should they? Then the next
Speaker A
it alone they could do it with other people I mean it's a nice thing to do when you're having a drink at a bar coffee what the messages say well this one says uh stamp money out of politics
Speaker A
9%, they give an average of $60 apiece. So 10 of the next 9% that would be 60 times 10, $600, one BB. And then the 1%, the richest 1% of the country, gives an average of $3,600 to
Speaker A
yeah yep I mean I also like the system isn't broken it's fixed but that's a little deep you know you know it's a play on wor people don't get that right off you know some people have to think
Speaker A
politicians. That would be six BBs. And then in comparison to that, the 100 largest corporations, the average donation of each one of those is this many. That's 10,000 BBs equaling $6 million. Now that's the average of each one of the hundred highest spending
Speaker A
whatever's convenient for them it feels like you're able to participate it's only slightly subversive just slightly uh but it is legal it is definitely legal we have the legal opinions the lawyers the whole deal that is excellent I'm very happy to hear that yeah so
Speaker A
corporations. Who do you think politicians are listening to? So, in an effort to deal with this situation, I've started the Stamp Stampede. And, you know, in addition to the money I just talked about that's
Speaker A
got to get the word out that's the whole deal you go to uh stampstamp fe.org and you get one of these stamps to get the word out that's right about the Constitutional amendment to return our democracy to the people you got it you
Speaker A
direct contributions to politicians, you have this dark money, the PAC money, and that's the way it's going up in terms of what's happened since the Citizens United ruling. So little video Jerry and I put together. So Ben, we got the situation. We
Speaker A
that said corporations are people and money is free speech and that's why the floodgates have been opened uh and there's also legislation that can be passed on the way to the amendment uh here in New York City you've got a model
Speaker A
got the situation. There's too much money in politics. Well, it's not that there's too much money to me. It's not there's too much money in politics. It's who the money's coming from. I mean, the rich and the corporations are controlling our
Speaker A
using is stamping money and the beautiful thing about it is that it's a petition on steroids uh you know normally people ask you to participate in the political process you sign a petition and you know if you're lucky maybe the target of the of the
Speaker A
elections and our politicians because they own them because they buy them. And so our government is not responsive to the needs of the people. Exactly. So we need, we need to overcome that. We need to have a constitutional amendment to
Speaker A
goes into circulation lasts an average of two and a half years it's visual and it accumulates as more and more Stampers come on right now we've got 26,000 people that have decided to participate in this campaign so every
Speaker A
overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and then some. And in order to do that, we need a groundswell of Americans, the grassroots, to rise up and to get that message out. You've created the Stamp Stampede. Yeah, yeah,
Speaker A
all the people in this room it's amazing it adds up uh and the media has started to cover it uh hington post The Daily News this is a shot of our amendo Matic stamp mobile that we wanted to try to
Speaker A
because it really is possible for the grassroots to rise up and demand something when all you have to do is stamp a dollar. It's really easy to do. Anybody can do it for as much as they want, as little as they want. They can do
Speaker A
US News and we report reported on it MSNBC oh all these other guys ABC Wall Street Journal Etc but the big thing is that people are starting to find these bills uh just in circulation I mean people who know nothing about this
Speaker A
it alone. They could do it with other people. I mean, it's a nice thing to do when you're having a drink at a bar, coffee. What the message says? Well, this one says, stamp money out of politics.
Speaker A
slanty lines this is the same thing and uh the we're over 33% of the way to this Constitutional Amendment uh you know just uh last month uh this amendment was debated in the Senate uh which is a milestone it didn't pass at that time
Speaker A
This one says the system isn't broken, it's fixed. You know, they all say amend the Constitution at the bottom. This one says not to be used for bribing politicians. This is kind of my favorite one. That's your go-to stamp.
Speaker A
people thought that that was a little over the top so I changed it to stamping my ass off but I really like the other connotations so I go back to gazungas and they can be whatever you think you
Speaker A
Yeah, yep. I mean, I also like the system isn't broken, it's fixed, but that's a little deep, you know? You know, it's a play on words. People don't get that right off. You know, some people have to think
Speaker A
that right here right now at the feast you can get your very own stamp right here right now it's a normal $10 value however uh because we're all feaster uh I am offering a free Ben and Jerry's coupon and you know here in New York
Speaker A
about it for a while. Then, you know, when they get it, they think it's cool. Every bill that you stamp gets seen by 900 people. So finally, people can do something that they care about. Yeah, and they can do it anywhere, anytime,
Speaker A
last and I'm going to be selling them right here right now right after this thing at the registration thing at the other end of this uh place and hope you can all uh join in and uh stamp your
Speaker A
whatever's convenient for them. It feels like you're able to participate. It's only slightly subversive, just slightly. But it is legal. It is definitely legal. We have the legal opinions, the lawyers, the whole deal. That is excellent. I'm very happy to hear that. Yeah, so
Topics:Ben CohenBen & Jerry'sStamp Stampedemoney in politicsCitizens Unitedcampaign finance reformgrassroots activismcorporate influencepolitical donationsdemocracy reform
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