Washington- After the opening ceremony of the new Parliament of the American People, built at the base of Capitol Hill facing the Mall, the assembled Members cheered and shook hands all around.  Then they convened as the third house of Congress.

Congress had long been controlled by wealthy campaign donors and corporate lobbyists who spent millions of dollars to get “their” candidates elected.  Congress was corrupted by money and it did not truly represent the Will of the American People.  

Businesses helped elect business-friendly politicians, who then passed tax breaks and voted for contracts that benefited the donors financially, often at the expense of their actual constituents.  Both major parties were drowning in money.  It was rare for third parties, independents or the poor to win any election.  That was not a fair Democracy.

America, despite its myths, has always been dominated by elites, a nation of, by and for the wealthy, from George Washington until a few years ago.  Money influenced all elections, from city council to presidential.  Big bucks won wins.  

Some of the wealthy owned slaves, or seized land from Native Americans, or ravaged our natural resources, or paid their workers poverty wages, or profited on war.  Some others had been smugglers, mobsters and embezzlers who laundered their illegal take through greedy banks into legal investments and businesses.  Dirty money bought politicians, which then bought the protection of the police and the muscle of the military.  

State violence, racism, sexism and discrimination against recent immigrants are all shameful parts of American history, sadly up to today.  First middle class and poor white men, and later minorities and women, demanded their Constitutional rights and a democracy where they share political power as true Citizens.  For years they petitioned their leaders who eventually passed Amendments and laws that made our democracy more inclusive than it had been previously.  

Andrew Jackson expanded the electorate to poor white men, Frederick Douglass helped expand it to black men, and Susan B. Anthony later brought suffrage to women.  Martin Luther King ended overt segregation, Cesar Chavez inserted Latinos into politics, while Harvey Milk led lesbians and gays to step out of the closet into society with pride.  

They all led radical movements in their day, but today they are rightly celebrated with statues and holidays.  There were thousands of lesser-known advocates, as well as millions of citizens who for over two centuries bravely stood up for their civil rights. 

According to John Locke, there is a Social Contract between the People and their Government.  When our Government fails to protect our Life, Liberty or Property, we may create a new Social Contract.  Thomas Jefferson added the Pursuit of Happiness to our Social Contract, perhaps because he liked to enjoy life’s pleasures.  

But America criminalized the Pursuit of Happiness with a decades-long “War on Drugs,” started by Nixon for racial and political reasons.  Ironically, this led to more and worse drugs, teenagers shot each other on our city streets, thousands died, the justice system was unjust and racist, and millions were imprisoned for non-violent crimes. 

Properties were foreclosed by banks aided and abetted by laws, judges and local sheriffs who heartlessly threw poor people onto cold streets.  Cops could kill minorities with impunity.  Poor citizens were jailed for petty crimes, yet the wealthy rarely went to prison even for much larger crimes.  Americans lost their lives in distant wars begun by government lies, just so corporations could make billions off our taxes.  These all broke our Social Contract.  The People rose up and demanded that their Contract be amended.

The Declaration of Independence was a rebellion against King George III because he had violated our Contract Rights.  The new government was based on the “Consent of the Governed,” which has expanded over the centuries to include all adult Citizens.  We can “alter or … abolish” our government if it no longer truly represents the People.

The Constitution has been amended many times.  Most of the Amendments had a long non-violent political struggle, like for women’s suffrage.  It took a bloody Civil War to end slavery and to pass the 14th Amendment requiring “equal protection of the laws.”

A century later the Civil Rights laws finally ended unequal rights and segregation, after a long non-violent campaign that risked jail, beatings and death.  After another fifty years, racist inequalities and outcomes still existed throughout our society and economy.

Economic crises caused many Americans to lose their jobs, savings, homes, and hope.  But the rich got even richer. The old political system favored wealth and did not protect equally.  Our laws are supposed to equally protect all Americans from harm.

Americans across the political spectrum were being hurt by our economic system.  Liberals, independents, libertarians and conservatives joined True Democracy.  They came together to liberate our democracy from the powerful banks, big businesses and billionaires.  The People united to take political power in America.

True Democracy is a government by, of and for the People.  Not corporations but alive and breathing people of all races, rich and poor alike.  Only Citizens over 18 can participate in our democracy.  Organizations like businesses, unions and churches are excluded, as are other non-citizens.  There are also fair individual contribution limits.  

Furious about corporate control of our political system, violating our Constitution, the People finally rose up and took back our democracy.  True Democracy movements formed large majorities and out-voted the wealthy and their political allies.  First time candidates helped organize broad coalitions that defeated the well-financed politicians, winning local, state, and then national elections. 

Advocates ran for public office and they won with a grass roots focus, organizing a good campaign, lots of volunteers, social media, and word of mouth.  Citizens voted in record numbers, in spite of corporate money, disinformation and voter suppression.

Businesses were split over True Democracy.  Most banks and corporations were opposed to it because they wanted to maintain their control of our political and economic systems.  Large contributions every election bribed the legislators to vote for what their big donors wanted.  Heartless corporations and billionaires spent many millions on every election, which often corrupted politicians and thus our laws, taxes, and foreign policy.

But many business owners were tired of politicians squeezing them harder every year for more and more money, with no end in sight.  They had to pay to play, and gave to both sides to hedge their bets.  But most owners wanted to make a profit in a fair and free market, without sweetheart contracts and special tax breaks that benefit only a few.

Corporate power was often at the expense of small businesses, which were being driven out of business by the big corporations.  Many small businesses fought back by supporting True Democracy.  The People reciprocated by shopping at locally owned businesses.  Main Street needs happy customers, therefore empowering the People politically and economically was good for local businesses and their owners. 

The Old Order pushed back in an attempt to hold onto their political power and wealth.  Since most media was owned by huge corporations and by billionaires, they used their media empires to defend the status quo and to attack supporters of True Democracy.  

The media’s corporate profits depended on advertising by the biggest businesses, such as GM and GE, which influenced how the news was reported.  The media did not cover some stories, or they did not tell the whole story, to avoid offending their wealthy owners and their large advertisers.  Editors knew where their money was coming from.  

Instead of informing the People, corporate media distracted them with nonstop sports, sitcoms, soaps, movies and infotainment.  Five hundred channels and nothing on that truly informed or educated them.  News was reduced to headlines scrolling at the bottom of the screen, repeated repeatedly.

Conflicts were highlighted from Troy to today.  The news motto was: if it bleeds, it leads.  Violence anywhere was seen everywhere.  The corporate media had for over a century been complicit in starting wars with uncritical reporting of pro-war propaganda.  

Lies and misinformation were reported as truth to the People far too many times.  The media fell for political spin, again and again.  They swallowed and regurgitated the government or corporate press releases.  The real truth was often ignored, or buried so deeply in a story that few would ever see it. 

The Press should be free to report on government abuses of trust.  A few brave reporters dared confront those in power, but not most.  The corporate media attacked popular leaders for any minor flaws, but they gave a free pass to their political friends.  On occasion they’d reveal a scandal just to patch the media’s thin veneer of integrity.

People became fed up with media bias and lies.  An expanding boycott of the corporate media hurt their sales, ads and bottom line.  Lawsuits led courts to order the enforcement of our antitrust laws.  Telecom empires and local newspaper monopolies were broken up, which led independent media co-ops to sprout up in every city. 

Our government was spying on us without a warrant, violating our Constitution.  The ensuing Truth and Reconciliation process uncovered details of the once-secret NSA, CIA and FBI activities, from the Cold War to today.  This also exposed our government’s long history of very close ties with powerful banks, businesses and organized crime.  

Eye opening revelations woke up the American People.

Huge corporations paid no taxes but controlled our politicians.  That didn’t seem fair to most Americans who paid their taxes and struggled to make ends meet, yet did not feel well represented.  They old slogan No Taxation Without Representation rose across the nation, and many refused to pay their taxes.  People joined True Democracy and took back our government from Wall Street banks, big oil and the military industrial complex. 

The People peacefully assembled to demand a redress of their grievances, as is guaranteed in our Constitution.  Advocates marched in protest, first in the hundreds and then in thousands.  They asked for a new Social Contract that protects all of us equally, as stated in the 14th Amendment, and also to exclude businesses from our democracy.  

Corporations and the wealthy refused to yield their power, doubling down with tactics seen in banana republics.  They sent agents to infiltrate the movement to instigate violence and make the movement look bad in the corporate media.  Most demonstrators remained non-violent, and violent people were shunned or even exposed.  Following in Gandhi and Martin Luther King’s footsteps was the only way to defeat a more powerful and armed adversary.  Using violence only leads to a violent repression.

The wealthy ordered their political puppets to send police forces to attack True Democracy, as they had done against Occupy camps and many other times.  Cops shot protesters with tear gas and projectiles, and beat them without provocation, sent hundreds to hospitals, and a dozen died.  Bystanders were indiscriminately rounded up, swelling the ranks of furious jailed Citizens courageously defending their Constitutional Rights.

Teachers and nurses went on strike to protest the brutality that they witnessed against their communities.  Police are all union members and they were not happy to be ordered to violently break up the strikes.  Police take an oath to defend the Constitution, and the majority of cops refused to beat up the peacefully protesting teachers, nurses, moms and kids.  Instead, most peace officers decided to serve and protect their neighbors, friends and families who were demanding a True Democracy.

The military came largely from the poor and middle classes, and they had racially diverse backgrounds.  Many military families were struggling financially, and felt used and abandoned.  They had also taken an oath to defend our Constitution, and they knew that the corporate control of our government was unconstitutional, and it could kill them.  Most military families joined the True Democracy movement, and this ensured a largely peaceful revolution in our political system.  

Advocates were the first to demand change.  In just a few years, a large majority across America united under True Democracy.  They registered millions of new voters, then they voted in record numbers using People Power to take control of our government.  True Democracy candidates won most of their local, state and Congressional elections. 

Our Democracy is now by, of and for all of The People!

The newly elected Representatives and Senators passed the 28th Amendment, which forbids any corporate or union funding of candidates, elections or political parties.  Businesses cannot spend money to influence politicians and PACs are banned.  There is now a strict separation of Corporation and State.  Companies can make honest profits in markets free from unfair political advantages, helping local small businesses compete. 

Only adult Citizens can participate in our Democracy.  Citizens may only donate money to their own district’s campaigns, or to political parties, but within financial limits.  Contributions and expenditures over $100 are reported and released online each month, and those reports are audited both during and after the election. 

The 29th Amendment made all election officials non-partisan civil servants.  The old system of partisan officials running the election and counting the votes was obviously a conflict of interest.  Voting procedures and counts are open to public scrutiny.  Voters receive a printout of their ballot to check before putting it into a sealed box for recounts.  Election Day Tuesday is a half-day national holiday to encourage people to vote.  In the last election, over 90% of eligible Americans voted, reaching a goal of True Democracy.

The 30th Amendment created the American Parliament to be the third house of Congress.  All three houses have to agree on a bill for it to become a law, plus it has to get the president’s signature.  This added another check against wasteful spending, while the third leg balanced Congress.  The Senate represents the states, and the House local districts, but the Parliament speaks for all of the People. 

Adult Citizens vote for their favorite political party, with 1% needed to win a seat in the Parliament, and gaining seats with each percentage of the vote total.  There are a dozen liberal, centrist and conservative parties in Parliament, thus voting for a smaller party is no longer a “wasted vote.”  Parliament must compromise and form a majority coalition to pass needed legislation to govern America. 

The 31st Amendment created the 51st state of Columbia, the 52nd state of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and the 53rd state of Pacifica with Guam, American Samoa, and other U.S. islands.  They all were already American Citizens, but they did not have voting representatives in Congress because they were not a state.  

With the 32nd Amendment, America joined the North American Parliament and its trade area, which stretches from Alaska to Panama.  This Parliament is based on districts of ten million adults each, the same ones as for the World Parliament.  

Having a forum to discuss common issues was good, and they made agreements on the environment, immigration and trade.  But a near consensus 90% is needed to pass a binding Continental Treaty.  U.S., Mexican and Canadian national and state legislatures may have joint committees as needed, while border towns could become free trade zones.  

The 33rd Amendment made the United States a member of the World Parliament and its treaties.  Americans joined the rest of the planet as partners in peace, survival and sustainability.  Some of our taxes go to the United Nations and to the World Parliament to supervise elections, pay for Peacekeepers, fight diseases, save critical ecosystems, and reduce poverty, pollution and global warming.