Friday, March 10, 2006
Montana Fights Back!
Paul Stevens of the Montana Greens sends out one of the most complete mailings I have ever seen for a state. One piece, about fighting Wal-Mart and Big Box stores/Corporate America, can be found by clicking the "Read more!" link. It's worth it...We've already got some very good alternative strategies working in Montana. Jeff Milchen of Bozeman-based ReclaimDemocracy.org http://reclaimdemocracy.org/ , and the American Independent Business Alliance wrote the following:
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"Those who have broader concerns about the concentration of power in the hands of giant corporations should consider where else our dollars could be going. As I argued in an article for TomPaine.com one year ago, "dispersing economic power among millions of small, independent businesses is one key to restraining corporate power and sustaining democracy."
Working toward that end, some 200 communities, organizations and businesses are participating this Saturday in "America Unchained," a campaign created by the American Independent Business Alliance (disclosure: I'm a co-founder). Unchained and the growing network of Independent Business Alliances seek to go beyond damage control to persuade people to keep their dollars recirculating in their local economy rather than sending them to distant corporate headquarters.
In my home of Montana, citizens of Plentywood, Malta and Glendive all recently decided they had no need to lure a big-box store or drive out of town to shop. Instead, they re-tooled the corporate model of pooling investments in order to build community-owned and operated department stores. These are true anti-Wal-Marts in many ways, promoting democracy, community stability and cohesiveness. All of the profit goes to the locals who invested in themselves and their neighbors."
Read more
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What can be done beyond a defensive battle to stop a big box store from opening in our community? here are a few examples.
* Ban or limit the number of chains in your community.
* >Ban subsidies to big box stores.
* Limit the size and/or location of retail development to ensure new stores benefit your community.
* Create an Independent Business Alliance to help community-based business thrive.
* Explore worker-owned businesses, co-ops, and community-owned department stores (contact us for more on this topic) as an alternative to absentee-owned chains.
* Deny claims to
"corporate personhood" that allow corporations to challenge citizens' authority.
_____________
"Those who have broader concerns about the concentration of power in the hands of giant corporations should consider where else our dollars could be going. As I argued in an article for TomPaine.com one year ago, "dispersing economic power among millions of small, independent businesses is one key to restraining corporate power and sustaining democracy."
Working toward that end, some 200 communities, organizations and businesses are participating this Saturday in "America Unchained," a campaign created by the American Independent Business Alliance (disclosure: I'm a co-founder). Unchained and the growing network of Independent Business Alliances seek to go beyond damage control to persuade people to keep their dollars recirculating in their local economy rather than sending them to distant corporate headquarters.
In my home of Montana, citizens of Plentywood, Malta and Glendive all recently decided they had no need to lure a big-box store or drive out of town to shop. Instead, they re-tooled the corporate model of pooling investments in order to build community-owned and operated department stores. These are true anti-Wal-Marts in many ways, promoting democracy, community stability and cohesiveness. All of the profit goes to the locals who invested in themselves and their neighbors."
Read more
*****
What can be done beyond a defensive battle to stop a big box store from opening in our community? here are a few examples.
* Ban or limit the number of chains in your community.
* >Ban subsidies to big box stores.
* Limit the size and/or location of retail development to ensure new stores benefit your community.
* Create an Independent Business Alliance to help community-based business thrive.
* Explore worker-owned businesses, co-ops, and community-owned department stores (contact us for more on this topic) as an alternative to absentee-owned chains.
* Deny claims to
"corporate personhood" that allow corporations to challenge citizens' authority.
// posted by Gregg Jocoy @ 3:12 PM 
