Thursday, January 28, 2010
Alito at State of the Union: "Not true"
Supreme Court Justice Alito can be seen on a YouTube video, shaking his head and mouthing what appears to be "Not true" after Obama dresses down the Supreme Court for its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. One would have to ask Justice Alito to what he was referring, but the reasonable inference would be to President Obama's assertion that the ruling opens the door for foreign corporations to enjoy protected money speech in support of candidates for elected federal office.
Well it is true. Simply put, corporate stock can be owned by people, but often is owned by other corporations, by hedge funds, by god only knows whom else. Unless one knows the citizenship of all owners of stock in a corporation, and the owners of owners, ad infinitum, one does not know for whom the corporation speaks, or from what country they are citizens.
Well it is true. Simply put, corporate stock can be owned by people, but often is owned by other corporations, by hedge funds, by god only knows whom else. Unless one knows the citizenship of all owners of stock in a corporation, and the owners of owners, ad infinitum, one does not know for whom the corporation speaks, or from what country they are citizens.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Supreme Court Ruling on Campaign Finance Reform
The Supreme Court has just ruled that campaign finance reform, as codified in McCain-Feingold, is unconstitutional. The fundamental result of this is that the "person" with the biggest wallet has the opportunity for his, or its, free speech to be heard more widely, more frequently, and hence with greater influence than those with smaller wallets.
In doing so, the Supreme Court has failed to recognize that the first three words of the U.S. Constitution do not read "We the Persons." Abraham Lincoln did not conclude his Gettysburg Address that the "government of the persons, by the persons, and for the persons shall not perish from this earth." The Supreme Court Justices need to be reminded of this by We the People.
In doing so, the Supreme Court has failed to recognize that the first three words of the U.S. Constitution do not read "We the Persons." Abraham Lincoln did not conclude his Gettysburg Address that the "government of the persons, by the persons, and for the persons shall not perish from this earth." The Supreme Court Justices need to be reminded of this by We the People.
