__________________________________________
If the election of Scott Brown(ie), 'Publican of mASSachusetts, wasn't enough, now this:
By a 5-4 vote, the court on Thursday overturned a 20-year-old ruling that said corporations can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to pay for campaign ads.I am near tears.
Here's the rationale:
Distinguishing wealthy individuals from corporations based on the latter's special advantages of e.g., limited liability, does not suffice to allow laws prohibiting speech.There're lots of opinions out and about. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis) feared the ruling would be lawless. The Root thinks the activist court is fighting for rich people. TPM Muckraker opines the decision is a winner for the US Chamber of Commerce.
My opinion? Do we really have to argue about whether or not corporations, or associations of people, are really people? Corporations don't have the right to vote.
Uh, oh! I hope conservatives don't get any ideas!
If the issue is the similarity to wealthy people, which is still troubling, we can limit campaign contributions of ordinary citizens. Spending money is not the same as speech. Yes, it costs money to "speak" through different media, but you get my idea.
In a democracy where all citizens are (supposedly) equal, is it just that some have rights not accorded to others simply on the basis of money? Everyone has the right to free speech, but is it right that some can speak over others? Or, afford to drown others out? Including lower and middle class whites.
See, this is where poor white people should realize their best bet is with racial minorities. Not only are they voting against their economic interests when the vote based on God, guns, and gays; they're voting against their social values.
Think about it.
The corporations have won the right to free speech. Has anything changed about gay marriage? Are we any closer to a federal ban on gay marriage or abortion?
And should the US ban gay marriage and abortion, if we force prayer in schools, how that change your lives, lower/middle whites? Do you think God will heal you because you live in a country where gay marriage and abortion are illegal? Do you think you'll get a free pass into heaven just because your child was led in a pre-scripted prayer written by your local or state school board?
Oh! I know! You think your guns can get you anywhere! Don't have health insurance? Getchur guns and go John Q. Instead of following Christ's example, why not follow Scott Roeder.
And I wonder what they'll call it when whites end up having to loot the grocery store and pharmacy for food and meds? Cause the way things look, corporations got the upper hand. And I don't see why they'd pay minimum wage if they didn't have to, with no union available to back workers up.
Cause lower/middle class whites let the whiteness blind them, and they've been Bushwhacked again!
We all have, thanks to lower/middle class whites.
I would end with the sarcastic, "hope poor whites are happy." But they probably are.
