Waiting for the Market to open this morning I came across Margaret Carlson’s excellent analysis.
“It isn’t fair!” is a cry we try in kindergarten and never give up. To tamp down this thirst for instant justice, the nuns at my school invoked the sweet hereafter, where all wrongs would be righted, as a reason for us to suck it up at recess.
As an adult, and a lucky one, the last thing I want now is fairness. I could be waiting on tables instead of being served at them, delivering the papers instead of writing for them.
In that, I’m like Wisconsin’s Republican governor, Scott Walker. He didn’t want fairness to kick in after he assumed power in January and used the rubric of “budget repair” to bully the folks who clean his office and guard his prisoners.
The sweet hereafter made an early appearance in Wisconsin on Tuesday. A Democrat, Chris Abele, cruised to victory in the race to fill Walker’s former post, Milwaukee County executive. And state Supreme Court Justice David Prosser, part of a 4-3 conservative majority seen as likely to support Walker’s assault on unions, ended up in a too-close-to-call election that may result in a recount. Just six weeks ago, Prosser was expected to coast to victory over JoAnne Kloppenburg, an assistant attorney general. Only five incumbent Supreme Court judges have been defeated since 1852.
Ordinarily it takes four years to right an electoral wrong. Not this time. Liberal and conservative groups descended on Wisconsin to turn what would normally be a ho-hum election into a referendum on Walker…
Regardless of the eventual outcome, Kloppenburg’s out-of- nowhere showing is a cautionary tale for those governors following in Walker’s path by curtailing workers’ bargaining rights, and for the Tea Party, which you’d think would be fighting for the little guy, not the big bully…
On April 5, voters in South Central Wisconsin approved two historic referenda by overwhelming margins. These referenda asked whether voters support amending the U.S. Constitution to make clear that corporations are not people and money is not speech. The City of Madison referendum passed with 84% of the vote, and the similar Dane County referendum passed with 78%.
These referenda are the first anywhere in the country to call for a constitutional amendment in response to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United vs. FEC decision. Members of South Central Wisconsin Move to Amend (SCWMTA), the local group that pushed for the referenda, believe they will not be the last. “Amending the Constitution will not be easy, and to succeed people across the country will need to stand up and demand it,” says Kaja Rebane, SCWMTA Co-Chair. “We hope our success will inspire others to organize their own efforts.”
The 2010 Citizens United case declared that limiting the amount corporations can spend to influence elections would violate the “free speech rights” of corporate “people” under the First Amendment. National polls have shown broad opposition to the Citizens United decision (85% of Democrats, 81% of Independents, 76% of Republicans), and widespread support for a constitutional amendment to undo it (87% of Democrats, 82% of Independents, 68% of Republicans).
“This really is common sense. Even a small child can tell the difference between a corporation and a living, breathing human being. How can this be so hard for the Supreme Court to understand?” asks Madison resident Kevin Gundlach.
Anyone else remember “We the People” being more important than “Them the Corporations”?
Thanks, Cinaedh
Dear Dinosaur Democrats… that pain in your rear is your demise, dopes. Lower your head into the trough for one last delicious drop of taxpayer gravy… the GOP are busy ripping you a new one…drill baby drill indeed… hahahaha…snoopydance!
Alf you do daisy chains? how progressive of you. What would your fellow conservatives and god think of your wicked ways? I thought you folks only diddled little boys.
#82 Not true about me, only you. What is said about me is only a rumor, among those who don’t know me.
What is said about you however, Badda BOOM Badda Bing.
And you are a coward, you won’t reveal either your true identity, or even the lie you usually post under.
Its idiots like you that have me voting against internet anonymity. You fuckers should have what you say, follow you everywhere.
#82 According to your grammar and syntax, Child bearing lips Badda Bing is Mr. Fusion, the coward in Canada, his momma’s basement, in a diaper lest he have to leave DU.
#83 TeaDud
Cry about it some more.
#80 CORPOS AREN’T PEOPLE. Their political speech can be restricted as desired
Irrelevant. Once you being restricting or forbidding free speech, all free speech is in jeopardy.
Corporations can be people banding together for common cause:
cor·po·ra·tion (kôr”p…-r³“sh…n) n. Abbr. corp. 1. A body that is granted a charter legally recognizing it as a separate legal entity having its own rights, privileges, and liabilities distinct from those of its members. 2. Such a body created for purposes of government. Also called body corporate. 3. A group of people combined into or acting as one body.
We have the perfect illustration how wrong speech is made right, progressive theory is being daily refuted by the center right of the electorate. The tyranny of the minority is ending, Obama and his collaborators will be out in 2012.
I hope the door hits them in the ass on the way out.
Once you [begin] restricting or forbidding free speech, all free speech is in jeopardy.
Bullshit. Some speech is already restricted. And all free speech is not in jeopardy. This is not a binary equation except in Dogmaville.
#87 Progressives argued porn is free speech for decades…but let a few conservatives refute their theories with facts, and you want to silence them.
You reveal yourselves as enemies of freedom.
This time the majority won’t become silent until we have you loons back into the fringe haunts you deserve, and out of our schools, courts and government…you are a clear and present danger to our liberty.
Alfie–you amuse me. Pray tell, what is the conservative argument showing pornography is not free speech?
Lyin’ Mike
… you are so upset about Citizens United decision, you have to come up with a way to limit corporate power, that doesn’t give the government power to ban books, which are generally published by corporations. This was THE deciding factor in court arguments, when the government lawyer said they could ban books.
Again, you display your ignorance of everything. Citizen United was a challenge of non-persons; corporations, non-profit corporations, and unions, to influence an election without restriction. There was nothing about banning books, which the Government still has the authority to do, and still does. (Go ahead, publish a book advocating the violent overthrow of the government if you think they can’t ban books)
The case dealt with a group that wanted to show a negative movie they made on television about Hillary Clinton and why she made such an unsavory candidate. The law stated the movie could not be shown within 60 days of an election. The group sued so they could show the movie before the Democrat Primaries.
#89 Don’t know, didn’t say I agreed with any that do, my point was progressive hypocrisy, they go to bat for porn, which arguably isn’t speech at all, but want to silence organized groups from speaking at all.
Alfie==thats the weakest reply I have ever seen you give, a gaff, the truth: “I don’t know, I made it up just so I could gargle anti-progressive dribble.”
Thank you. More than I ever would have thought.
Why didn’t you just quote the bible?
This is a political cause I can get behind. Considering the gang rape corporations, in conjunction with our politicians, have inflicted on this country, it’s time for “we the people” to say f**ck you back.
F**ck the “Tea Party” if they don’t get behind this. I never trusted the Republican version of the tea party anyway.
Bobbo, Mr Fusion wrote what I was going to say; my dumbening is started. Citizen’s United was about a movie, that’s why banning books is on the table.
#93,
I wouldn’t say “Fuck the tea party”. some of them old broads look a little crusty and jesus, you sure the hell don’t know what else has been up Alphie’s butt.
#90, Mr ConFusion, it is right there in the oral arguments for the case. The connection is obvious. Bobbo is willing to accept the banning of political books. Why you are OK with banning a movie about a politician, I don’t know. I’m wondering how Fahrenheit 9/11 managed to get away with it.
jbenson,
It appears you are celebrating a little early. The results will not be accepted until the Government Accountability Board has received an adequate explanation for the missing votes that suddenly gave Prosser the lead.
It seems they aren’t happy that the county refused the county to investigate and certify the machines before and after the election.
It must really suck to be caught being a fraud.
Yes I am sure they want to get the election procedures as good as they can get, and want to investigate all such irregularities, and try to avoid mistakes. Even worse this lady had her choice of machinery questioned before the election. Don’t think she’ll be arguing much from now on. The explanation is pretty simple; she forgot to hit save on her computer. The original count showed 0 votes for a city; actual result was on election night some people voted in that city. Even you should be able to see the discrepancy.
#95 The Famous Mr. Ed, the talking horse’ ass…
Your boyfriend will get jealous, stop dreaming of butts.
You heard it here first, before Newsweek is resold for $2.00
“We are all Tea Party Now”
I hope the unions didn’t add a special assessment to their worker’s paychecks to pay for their election drive. Pretty neat, they can take money from workers to pay off politicians who will vote to have the workers’ money given to union leaders.