Comments on: Punching Down

By: virgil xenophon

virgil xenophon — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:11:20 +0000

With you all the way, here RonF. I once had a lobbyist for the insurance and pension industry in the days when I did financial planning exclusively for the medical/dental profession tell me that the question he always got from Congressional staffers when he was lobbying up on the hill was: “We always see YOU up here, how come we never hear from any of your clients directly if they feel so strongly about these pension & tax matters?” Well, “Duh” my guy said he would reply: “Have you ever followed a neurosurgeon around for 24 hrs? Those guys don’t even have time to keep up with their own professional literature–let alone read–let alone analyze–500 pages of fine print’s worth of proposed tax changes in the Federal Register.”

So, yes, we need corporations to lobby and speak for us about all sorts of matters–both as advocates in the public square of ideas and as bargaining agents (lobbyists) to exercise our constitutional rights to petition Congress for redress (lobbying) on Capital Hill.

By: virgil xenophon

virgil xenophon — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:52:10 +0000

You don’t EVEN understand, my fellow Prairie Stater. He can’t help himself. Both by dint of egotistical personality and experience in thuggish Chicago politics, along with his ingrained ideologically-driven persona; he can no more restrain himself when challenged and/or perceives himself to be thwarted than an unsocialized infant in pre-K day school. An egotistical narcissist like Obama does not play well with others–especially when he perceives it to be his game and his ball.

By: virgil xenophon

virgil xenophon — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:39:41 +0000

EXACTLY, RonF. And the JCS also–sitting down there at the POTUS’s feet looking nothing so much as Hitler’s Generals, having just sworn a blood oath of allegiance to him personally–especially when the camera shows them applauding along with the rest of the politicians.

By: RonF

RonF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:29:43 +0000

And finally; picking fights with the Supremes is a pretty intersting tactic for a guy who is likely going to be facing some pretty serious lawsuits over the Constitutionality of major factors of legislation that he’s staking his Presidency on. For example; never before has a Federal law attempted to force people to buy a service (medical insurance) that they do not want. That is a rock-solid bet to end up being argued before the Supreme Court. Having the Court’s members ticked off at you for condemning them to their faces on national TV should help him there, eh?

By: RonF

RonF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:25:12 +0000

Here’s how I look at the ruling – again, based on what the First Amendment says, my experiences here in Illinois and the actual circumstances of the case brought before the Supremes by Citizens United.

I wish to peaceably petition my government about my grievances. I can write a letter (send a fax/e-mail, make a phone call, etc.). But that has limited impact. It would be far preferable to publicize my position much more widely, both to make my voice better heard and to gather supporters to join me. In this day and age one of the best ways to do that is to go on TV.

Well. TV time is expensive, and I’m not rich. So what do I do? Why, I get a whole bunch of people together to join with me to do so. But how? Do I have a whole bunch of people send me checks, deposit them in my account and then write one to Channel 5? How do I account for the money? How do I keep it from being treated as personal income by the IRS? Simple. I form a corporation. Now I have a legal entity whose actions are constrained by law and by whatever bylaws I put together to make sure the money goes towards the object it was donated for. A legal entity that keeps that money accounted for, for both the public and the IRS. A corporation that can sign contracts without making me personally liable for the costs and consequences of problems. A corporation like Citizens United.

We already have corporations that are for-profit and put a great deal of effort towards influencing elections through publishing commentary and opinion on TV, radio and newspapers. They are called TV and radio stations and newspapers. We have corporations that contribute to candidates directly already. They are called unions. Why should only they get to play this game? Why should I be shut out? Why are my 1st Amendment rights not equal to theirs?

By: RonF

RonF — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:15:44 +0000

In fact, at the Republic’s beginning All “SOTU”s were submitted solely in written fashion. The thinking was that giving it as a speech was too monarchical, as if the President was a King lecturing his Parliament or his subjects.