As expected, The Supreme Court rolled back any restrictions on corporate or union money spent on political advertising. If you think we've seen too many adds during elections now, you ain't seen nothin yet!
Justice Anthony Kennedy for the majority wrote "Because speech is an essential mechanism of democracy -- it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people -- political speech must prevail against laws that would suppress it by design or inadvertence," as quoted in The Huffington Post. Justice John Paul Stevens writes in the dissent "The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court's disposition of this case."
This goes back to the 1886 ruling Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company
(18 U.S.394) that gives corporations the same rights as people. Gore argues that, because of the 1886 decision, "the 'monopolies in commerce' that Jefferson had wanted to prohibit in the Bill of Rights were full-blown monsters, crushing competition from smaller businesses, bleeding farmers with extortionate shipping costs, and buying politicians at every level of government". Based on that ruling, the current Bush court construed this as a freedom of speech issue.
The Republicans are forever conjuring up visions of a "liberal Press" and "activist Judges". The most activist judge I can think of is Antonin Scalia! The next two are Roberts and Alito. I'll never forget old "Clueless" Chuck Schumer's response when asked how he could have voted for Alito. He said "We were duped!". Duped!? Who was duped? Unlike "Clueless" Chuck, I wasn't on the Judiciary committee to ask questions of this guy, yet I wasn't duped! Who's we, Chuck? You and the bug in your pocket? You rolled over and voted for these guys. Don't be so outraged when they make a decision that may well be responsible for you losing your job. These justices are not just conservative, they have an agenda. They seem to be bent on overturning any previous decisions that are not in line with the neocon philosophy.
If some of these yellow bellied, gutless, hair plugged and blow combed democratic worriers about getting re-elected, don't pass serious legislation to stymie this decision, they'll be out of work along with the rest of the country. Obama may as well turn over the presidency to Goldman Sachs, if he hasn't already.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
CADILLAC (UNION) HEALTH INSURANCE
I'll never forget my conversation with an old pipe fitter years ago. He was reminiscing about his first days in the trade. He said "When I first went to the union hall to sign up I asked the business agent where he wanted me to work. He handed me an axe handle and a length of logging chain and said 'Go down and help those guys on the picket lines.'".
On July 20, 1934 during the Minneapolis Teamster strike, which was also supported by the trade unions, two pickets were killed and sixty seven were wounded by police gunfire.
This and other incidents like it was the start of unionism in this country. People were beaten and killed, arrested and thrown in jail and martial law was declared. It was life and death serious business.
Since that day, union members have fought for and won decent wages and benefits from employers who would rather treat them like a piece of meat.
Union wages have been responsible for an over all higher wage in this country. If it weren't for the UAW the non union workers at he auto plants in the southern states would be making much less today. Why do you think Richard Shelby, Jeff Sessions, Mitch McConnell and others from non union auto producing states, were so gleeful at the prospect of the demise of the UAW.
Now, after all the years of hard fought battles, strikes and strife, why does President Obama declare war on these hard earned benefits? "Cadillac" insurance policy is just code for union insurance policy. After all the years of support the unions have given the Democrats, this is the thanks they get? The unions worked damned hard to put this guy in office. The House Democrats better dig in on this one. A tax on those earning over $500,000 sounds much more palatable.
One thing I hear from time to time from the talking heads is "Some think the insurance companies may raise their rates if there is a tax on these policies". May raise their rates? May raise their rates to cover the tax? THEY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY RAISE THEIR RATES!! ARE YOU PEOPLE LIVING ON MARS? One of the hard and fast rules of business has always been: THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS PAYS. If not the customer, who else? This sort of idiocy makes me crazy!
It's time to end this assault on the unions and require the wealthy to pay their share!
On July 20, 1934 during the Minneapolis Teamster strike, which was also supported by the trade unions, two pickets were killed and sixty seven were wounded by police gunfire.
This and other incidents like it was the start of unionism in this country. People were beaten and killed, arrested and thrown in jail and martial law was declared. It was life and death serious business.
Since that day, union members have fought for and won decent wages and benefits from employers who would rather treat them like a piece of meat.
Union wages have been responsible for an over all higher wage in this country. If it weren't for the UAW the non union workers at he auto plants in the southern states would be making much less today. Why do you think Richard Shelby, Jeff Sessions, Mitch McConnell and others from non union auto producing states, were so gleeful at the prospect of the demise of the UAW.
Now, after all the years of hard fought battles, strikes and strife, why does President Obama declare war on these hard earned benefits? "Cadillac" insurance policy is just code for union insurance policy. After all the years of support the unions have given the Democrats, this is the thanks they get? The unions worked damned hard to put this guy in office. The House Democrats better dig in on this one. A tax on those earning over $500,000 sounds much more palatable.
One thing I hear from time to time from the talking heads is "Some think the insurance companies may raise their rates if there is a tax on these policies". May raise their rates? May raise their rates to cover the tax? THEY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY RAISE THEIR RATES!! ARE YOU PEOPLE LIVING ON MARS? One of the hard and fast rules of business has always been: THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS PAYS. If not the customer, who else? This sort of idiocy makes me crazy!
It's time to end this assault on the unions and require the wealthy to pay their share!
MISERABLE THIEF
This goes to the human condition:
I try try to work out at the Y three to four times a week. This morning, when I got to my locker, I discovered that I had no lock for it. I usually keep it locked to a ring on the outside of my gym bag. After an unsuccessful search of the bag I realized that I must have left it, with the key in it, in the door of my locker the last time I worked out. I checked at the desk and no one had turned it in.
Some no good, low down, poor excuse for a human being had stolen it. A lousy $8.00 lock and key! What don't people understand about "It's not yours"? It never fails to amaze me how cheaply some will sell their souls.
I try try to work out at the Y three to four times a week. This morning, when I got to my locker, I discovered that I had no lock for it. I usually keep it locked to a ring on the outside of my gym bag. After an unsuccessful search of the bag I realized that I must have left it, with the key in it, in the door of my locker the last time I worked out. I checked at the desk and no one had turned it in.
Some no good, low down, poor excuse for a human being had stolen it. A lousy $8.00 lock and key! What don't people understand about "It's not yours"? It never fails to amaze me how cheaply some will sell their souls.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
KILL IT
We have watched the health care reform bill unravel before our eyes and morph into nothing more than a huge insurance company welfare program. It's now time to kill it.
As it stands, the legislation will do nothing for the forty five thousand uninsured people who are going to die in the next twelve months. Traitor Joe Lieberman's blimp sized ego and overwhelming childish desire to get even with the Democratic Party put a knife into the heart of the bill. More on Traitor Joe later.
Forty five thousand (45,000) citizens of the United States of America will die for lack of access to a doctor. We have elected a Democratic majority in the congress only for them ignore our will and throw forty five thousand of us who have the misfortune not to have health care into our graves.
These senators are so enamored with their power and influence that they will do anything it takes to stay in office. Not only can't you insult these clowns, you can't influence them unless you've got the money. I think the health care reform debacle is a perfect example. You need to look no further. This is not a political argument. It's a moral argument! Every religion I am aware of tells us to care for the less fortunate.
Then there is the cost concern. God forbid that health care would cost us some extra money. Where the hell was all this concern from either side of the isle when it came to funding these senseless wars we can't seem to get out of. It's mind boggling if you take a moment to contemplate this.
There may be some small good left in this bill but certainly not enough to offset the bad.
Rescission will still be allowed. To quote Wikipedia "In 2009, during the national debate over U.S. health care reform, rescission became popularly understood as a process by which insurance companies canceled a policyholder's insurance, sometimes after the patient was diagnosed with an expensive-to-treat illness, sometimes by claiming that the patient previously withheld information about their medical condition." The insurance company can dig out your application and go through it with a fine tooth comb. If they find any small error, say you forgot you saw your primary care doctor for a sore throat in 1982. They then cancel your policy claiming fraud. There are no cost controls on premiums. It's going to make thirty million voters mad as hell when they are forced to buy a policy or be fined.
I just don't see this thing ending up as a benefit for anyone but the insurance industry. It's time to put it out of its misery.
As it stands, the legislation will do nothing for the forty five thousand uninsured people who are going to die in the next twelve months. Traitor Joe Lieberman's blimp sized ego and overwhelming childish desire to get even with the Democratic Party put a knife into the heart of the bill. More on Traitor Joe later.
Forty five thousand (45,000) citizens of the United States of America will die for lack of access to a doctor. We have elected a Democratic majority in the congress only for them ignore our will and throw forty five thousand of us who have the misfortune not to have health care into our graves.
These senators are so enamored with their power and influence that they will do anything it takes to stay in office. Not only can't you insult these clowns, you can't influence them unless you've got the money. I think the health care reform debacle is a perfect example. You need to look no further. This is not a political argument. It's a moral argument! Every religion I am aware of tells us to care for the less fortunate.
Then there is the cost concern. God forbid that health care would cost us some extra money. Where the hell was all this concern from either side of the isle when it came to funding these senseless wars we can't seem to get out of. It's mind boggling if you take a moment to contemplate this.
There may be some small good left in this bill but certainly not enough to offset the bad.
Rescission will still be allowed. To quote Wikipedia "In 2009, during the national debate over U.S. health care reform, rescission became popularly understood as a process by which insurance companies canceled a policyholder's insurance, sometimes after the patient was diagnosed with an expensive-to-treat illness, sometimes by claiming that the patient previously withheld information about their medical condition." The insurance company can dig out your application and go through it with a fine tooth comb. If they find any small error, say you forgot you saw your primary care doctor for a sore throat in 1982. They then cancel your policy claiming fraud. There are no cost controls on premiums. It's going to make thirty million voters mad as hell when they are forced to buy a policy or be fined.
I just don't see this thing ending up as a benefit for anyone but the insurance industry. It's time to put it out of its misery.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
HEALTH CARE CAVE IN
It appears that the Democrats have all but caved in to the Republicans and big insurance. The public option, I suspect, will soon be nothing but a memory. The new rules that are supposed to reign in costs will only give the insurance industry millions of new customers who will be forced to buy their lousy products.
The insurance companies will have to insure everyone who applies but the words "affordable rates" have been removed. If I apply for a health insurance policy and have a "pre-existing condition", they can charge whatever premiums they want, in effect denying my application by making it too expensive. Nice work guys. I guess, once again, even though the vast majority favors a strong public option, our elected officials will flag their noses at us, pat us on our little heads and say "We know best children. Now go along and play." Sooner or later, as a citizenry, we MUST STOP putting up with this patronizing!
The insurance companies will have to insure everyone who applies but the words "affordable rates" have been removed. If I apply for a health insurance policy and have a "pre-existing condition", they can charge whatever premiums they want, in effect denying my application by making it too expensive. Nice work guys. I guess, once again, even though the vast majority favors a strong public option, our elected officials will flag their noses at us, pat us on our little heads and say "We know best children. Now go along and play." Sooner or later, as a citizenry, we MUST STOP putting up with this patronizing!
Monday, November 16, 2009
SO MUCH TO WRITE ABOUT
Where do I begin? There is so much going on in the world it's hard to find a starting place:
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, health care reform, gutless intellectually deficient politicians, term limits, war, war tax, tax cuts for the wealthy. So much to write about. Where do I begin?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, health care reform, gutless intellectually deficient politicians, term limits, war, war tax, tax cuts for the wealthy. So much to write about. Where do I begin?
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