e-commentary

“In Citizens United, five of our good friends at the Supreme Court decreed that a corporation is a legal person entitled to the First Amendment safeguards amended to the Constitution.  A legal ‘person’ is defined differently in different situations.  The typical ‘person’ is a living, breathing and sentient citizen not a corporation.”

“As I recall, a nautical vessel is also a legal ‘person,’ yet it cannot bring or maintain a lawsuit for instance.”

“Exactly.  A corporation is also a legal person, yet not one that is entitled to the full panoply of constitutional safeguards.  The decision in effect subordinates the First Amendment rights of living, breathing and sentient citizens to the financial interests of corporations.  The case reveals all the sins and crimes of the Court.  Alito recused himself in an earlier case involving a claim for punitive damages in the Exxon Valdez case because of his ownership of substantial Exxon stock.  All of the justices also have substantial stock in the very corporations they now have vested with extraordinary power.”

“There is no way to avoid the conclusion that they sought to influence the political debate and protect their corporate benefactors.  And those who decry ‘judicial activism’ are not decrying this blatantly activist and tendentious decision.”

“Roberts testified before the Senate that he would be an umpire.  He is changing the scores before reporting them and making decisions to benefit his bank account.  He rejected the very precedents he promised to uphold.  As I recall, his testimony was under oath.  You can check on that.”

“I think it is perjury to lie under oath to the Senate.  Or it was in the past.”

“The House could bring articles of impeachment for misconduct.  At a minimum, the Senate could require him to testify and explain his earlier testimony.  The proper separation of powers is jeopardized when an individual is allowed to lie to the Senate about what he will do after he is confirmed by the Senate.”

“There was a Senator Exon decades ago and there will be a dozen Senator Exxons in coming days.”

“Law in America today is a groundless and amoral ideological game.”

(Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. ___ (2010).)

[See the “e-ssay” dated October 20, 2008 titled “Contemporary American Political Parties 101“ noting that the Republicans “10.  Win” and the Democrats “10.  Lose.”  See also the “e-ssay” dated February 20, 2006 titled “Perjury, The American Way.”]

(“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”  Howard Zinn 1922 – 2010)

Bumper stickers of the week:

The best democracy money can buy.

We the corporations . . .

This entry was posted on February 15, 2010 at 10:57 am and is filed under Conflicts of Interest, First Amendment, Perjury/Dishonesty, Politics, Supreme Court. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.