Oath of Office
January 22nd, 2010 | Editorial Cartoons | 5 Comments
Tweet
In a sweeping decision that overturned more than a century of precedent, a bitterly divided Supreme Court ruled yesterday that corporations and unions were no longer subject to campaign spending limits, giving them the go-ahead to spend unlimited amounts of money supporting candidates of their choice. Abandoning all pretense of judicial modesty and restraint, the Roberts Court took a relatively innocuous case and used it to rewrite 100 years of law. This is a truly horrific decision, extending sweeping free speech rights to corporate entities that have been enjoyed up to now only by individuals. If you thought lobbyists and special interests had too much power in Washington before, you should be dismayed by this decision. Plus, the money is likely to flow unevenly, much more of it going to Republican Party candidates who unabashedly favor corporate rights over those of individuals. This is, of course, why a court appointed primarily by Republican presidents was so eager to game the system even more than it already is. So much for a government of the people, by the people and for the people, unless the people in question happen to be the ones who get seven figure bonuses. And good luck to the rest of us.
E-mail
Facebook
RSS
Twitter
talk of activist judges, once again, the Republicans talk out of as many sides of their pie holes as they can. Once again, we see the Republican definition of bipartisan is … Republican. Don’t find the finest sharpest jurist, rather find the right wing nut. georgie’s white house was full of right wing nuts, his prerogative, while avoid the best and brightest at the tasks of intelligence (ha) and war. Only right wing nuts needed to apply, hence, no intelligence and a fat ugly war with concomitant war profiteering. Those who were familiar with Arabic language and culture and Islam tended to be on the progressive side, so they were fired, or they were gay, so they were fired. They are trying very hard, in the Senate, to alter established law as well. Here, they look us straight in the eye, and spit. The Robber Barons are usurping even more control. Money buys elections; now it will buy more. Allegiance to the flags of our tormentors. I am disgusted. It is the job of the government to serve the people, to work for the people. It just does not do it anymore. I think I will find a remote deserted south pacific island.
“Duckie”, please don’t take your lap top with you, I’ve had all the “georgie” and “dickie” than I can take.
…and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the unions of the United States, so help me UAW.
Ending corporate campaign limits should give some balance to the Democratic party’s kowtowing to the unions.
The argument that this ruling will somehow level the playing field with union support of Democrats is absurd on the face of it. Unions were under the same restrictions as corporations before the ruling, and are still in the same boat. And the money unions have to spend is dwarfed by what businesses have at their disposal.
and to add what Ed has written, union dues have more of an impact on union activities that does a share of stock in a company. “B” does nothing. The few owning majority have all the ‘rights’ to pick candidates for various board positions and company activity. And they get to ride the corporate jet to the corporate house in Aspen where no one else can go to enjoy more company expenses. The rest of the poor slugs can stand in long lines, ride coach, and drop a bundle at the ball park or Disneyland. The rich do not blow their money on any of that, and they do not spend their money since the company is their own personal piggy bank, one from which they can borrow as they please and not have to repay the ‘loan’. The people are screwed. And when I do find that island, I shall snooze and dive and snooze and dive and eat papaya and mango and pineapple and java.