Fracking in Context: Following the Money

A Roundtable Public Forum Initiated by Ithaca DSA

Sunday, March 28th , 2010 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Borg Warner Room of the Tompkins County Public Library
Corner Green St. and South Cayuga St., Ithaca

• Eric Banford Deep Democracy Activist, Danby Drilling Task Force
  
• Cecile Lawrence PhD, JD Social Justice Activist, Tioga Peace & Justice
  
• Joseph M. Schwartz Prof. Political Science Temple University, National Vice-Chair of Democratic Socialists of America.
  
• Moderator: Valarie FitzRandolph

The current explosion of natural gas exploration in the Marcellus Shale has brought to light the serious lack of democratic choices communities face as they attempt to protect vital areas of common interest, most prominently water resources, from exploitation by large, well-financed corporate interests. We will trace the concept of corporate personhood up to and including the recent Supreme Court decision. Natural gas exploration forces us to examine the ways in which our democracy has been eroded by the corrupting influence of corporate money. We will discuss possible options to push back against the recent Supreme Court ruling on corporate personhood which allows unlimited financial influence of corporations in the political sphere. We invite everyone to bring their ideas.

Local Democracy and Gas Drilling

Hydrofracking for natural gas threatens our environment and local economy. Why do corporations get to do such things to us all? Court cases have given corporations the status of persons - but persons with superhuman power. Eric Banford and Katherine Halton tell Valarie FitzRandolph how citizens are seeking ways to regain control.

Resisting War in Afghanistan

Asma Barlas and Petra Hepburn discuss the current war in Afghanistan. Why does the US get into these wars? Who wins? Who loses? How can we change things? Recorded December 5, 2009.

Gas Drilling - Public Response

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A discussion of the public response to proposal to drill for natural gas using "fracking" techniques in the Marcellus Shale. Marty Luster interviews Helen Slottje and Eric Banford

Socialism and the Capitalist Crisis

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Joseph Schwartz is interviewed by Wayles Browne. Recorded August 15, 2009

Mythology of Gas Drilling

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Marty Luster interviews Ken Zeserson and Judy Abrams on Gas Drilling in the Finger Lakes

What the Frack?

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Marty Luster discusses the process of fracking shale to extract natural gas and it's possible impact on the Finger Lakes area with Ken Zeserson and Judy Abrams. Recorded July 22, 2009

Other resources with information on the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on the Marcellus Shale of New York's Southern Tier can be found at Shaleshock.org, the Catskill Mountainkeeper's Marcellus Shale page, Un-Natural Gas.org, and Damascus (PA) Citizens for Sustainability.

A brief interview with Congressman Maurice Hinchey on this subject is available on the site of Water Under Attack, a documentary film project on this subject currently in progress.