Rep. Alan Grayson comments on SCOTUS ruling.

[LongTomH]

There are two press release on Rep. Grayson's blog commenting on the recent Supreme Court ruling extending First Amendment 'rights' to campaign spending.

From the first press release: Grayson Condemns Court Ruling:

(Washington, DC) – In a 5-to-4 decision today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that corporations have the "right" to spend an unlimited amount of money to influence and manipulate federal elections. The decision overturns more than a century of law and precedent. Rep. Alan Grayson (FL-8) immediately condemned the decision. "This is the worst Supreme Court decision since the Dred Scott case," Grayson said. "It leads us all down the road to serfdom."

The court decision completely ignores the likelihood that corporations will spend money to elect officials who will do their bidding, and punish those who won't. It allows unlimited election spending by all corporations, even foreign ones. "The Supreme Court has decided to protect the rights of GE, Volkswagen, Lukoil and Aramco, at the expense of our right to good government," Grayson added.

Rep. Grayson has introduced a package of 5 pieces of legislation entitled: Save Our Democracy.

The actual titles of the bills are:

1) The Businesses Should Mind Their Own Business Act (H.R. 4431): Implements a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns.
2) The Public Company Responsibility Act (H.R. 4435): Prevents companies making political contributions and expenditures from trading their stock on national exchanges.
3) The End Political Kickbacks Act (H.R. 4434): Prevents for-profit corporations that receive money from the government from making political contributions, and limits the amount that employees of those companies can contribute.
4) The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act (H.R. 4432): Requires publicly-traded companies to disclose in SEC filings money used for the purpose of influencing public opinion, rather than to promoting their products and services.
5) The Ending Corporate Collusion Act (H.R. 4433): Applies antitrust law to industry PACs.

I apologize if I've broken the 'four paragraphs' rule; but, these excerpts are from two different press releases, and the bill titles and descriptions are short.

[brentspeak]

1. "Serfdom" is the correct word to use in this case

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

56. yes, but by the next generation they will be too poorly educated to care

education reform will be indoctrination to make good "serfs". So this will word be one of the 1st targeted by "new speak".

[Go2Peace]

60. He needs to call the reform legislation the "Save Democracy Bill". Not kidding either

The public needs to understand how critical immediate reform will be. If there was ever a time to cut the bullshit and call a spade a spade on Capital Hill now is the time.

[snagglepuss]

2. Thanks for posting. K & R nt

[immoderate]

3. If it's a "press release" it's not subject to the rule.

Releases are just that. Rights are not retained. (But I'm not a lawyer.)

--imm

[crazyjoe]

4. "The Businesses Should Mind Their Own Business Act" ??

ok, whose naming these things over there? that's the stupidest name for a bill I ever heard.

[newtothegame]

6. Especially if we're trying to be taken seriously.

Like "Mad as Hell." They were shocked they didn't get into the White House with that name? :shrug:

[SaveOurDemocracy]

7. LOLLLL ... I Love It!!

Alan is a fighter with a keen sense of irony. He got your attention, didn't he?

[xxqqqzme]

22. The irony is the corporate owned congress critters will never

allow any of these bills to see the light of day. Jeebus we can't even get single payer healthcare passed w/ 77% of the people supporting it.

I applaud Representative Grayson and wish I had a rep w/ even 1/100 of his integrity, but corporate money will not allow this. We are going to have to have an amendment to the Constitution to curb the corporate lapdogs sitting on SCOTUS.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

29. I agree, so let's join the fight:

http://www.movetoamend.org/

On January 21, 2010, with its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons, entitled by the U.S. Constitution to buy elections and run our government. Human beings are people; corporations are legal fictions. The Supreme Court is misguided in principle, and wrong on the law. In a democracy, the people rule.


We Move to Amend.

We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United, and move to amend our Constitution to:

•Firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.

•Guarantee the right to vote and to participate, and to have our votes and participation count.

•Protect local communities, their economies, and democracies against illegitimate "preemption" actions by global, national, and state governments.



AND~~~~~~~~~~~



http://www.freespeechforpeople.org/


On January 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations are entitled to spend unlimited funds in our elections.

The First Amendment was never intended to protect corporations.

This cannot stand. Sign up to protest this decision and protect our democracy!

Free speech is for people — not corporations.

[gkhouston]

36. I would love to see the President sign this. He won't, but it's a pleasant fantasy. n/t

[bobbolink]

40. So, therefore, he shouldn't try?

[The Wielding Truth]

53. Lovely!!

[gkhouston]

18. As opposed to the "Clear Skies Act"?? This one at least points out that businesses

should have some business other than underwriting political campaigns.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Quantess]

51. The name "teabaggers" caught on, didn't it?

Could there possibly be a worse name than teabaggers?

[SaveOurDemocracy]

5. Save Our Democracy. Sounds kinda familiar...

:rofl: (sorry, couldn't help myself)

YES!! This can't be allowed to stand.

Support Alan Grayson and also join ... http://www.freespeechforpeople.org

[babyblonde]

8. so the Saudis and Chinese

WHO OWN big stakes IN OUR CORPS,WILL now fund elections

YEA Yea...USA,USA

:banghead:

[BrklynLiberal]

9. Scary sheet!!!

[JDPriestly]

15. Did you ever doubt that they were funding them all along?

I have thought this for years. Now they will just be able to do it more openly.

[klook]

10. I support this whole slate of bills

and I want to see any congress critter who opposes them defeated.

Grayson is doing a great job -- we all need to encourage our elected reps to support his efforts.

[drm604]

11. Foreign Corporations.

This is the talking point to convince freepers and teabaggers how bad a decision this was.

[KittyWampus]

12. Oooo, taxing corporate contributions. I LIKE IT!

[kiranon]

13. This decision will allow Saudi Arabia or any other country to influence political decisions

in this country. Why isn't this supporting those who fund "terrorism" since there are now no limitations on corporate funds? Can we use security concerns to limit certain corporate funds from entering politics? How can the government now prosecute those who receive funds from terrorist organizations if those funds are given through corporations for political purposes? How far does this new decision reach and can it be limited? In my opinion, this is a terrible decision by a very activist court that interprets the Constitution only to support its own conservative agenda. What would the founders say about this? What about no entanglements with foreign governments? Now foreign governments and businesses get to buy influence all the way to the top of our political system.

[The Wizard]

14. Can corporations

make donations to Judges for favorable rulings?

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

57. as long as they do it pre-emptily, the election cycle before their case comes up

[corpseratemedia]

16. our elections from now on = NASCAR

our candidates should be wearing all the stickers of who they're running for


....."and there's the Exxon candidate, with additional funding by Pamprin, Metamucil and BOA"

[PJPhreak]

47. Like This...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_anqVy8b414Q/SqdgmEzSw3I/AAAAAAAACG0/FVLmRpKRQjk/s320/baucus+sponsors.jpg

[corpseratemedia]

70. perfect!!

:thumbsup:

[Skidmore]

17. Posted the link to that legislation on my Facebook page

and a status update encouraging people to disregard their political ideology and read the proposed bills, noting that their votes are all they will have left since the corporations have been handed a megaphone that will drown them out and politicians will be for sale in the public square.

Do this on FB and My Space, if you have accounts.

[reformist]

19. Dred Scott came to my mind, too.

I think exactly like Grayson.... I must be a liberal!

[ddeclue]

20. I know Alan personally, he's a friend and he will NOT object - post as many paragraphs

as you want.

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[LongTomH]

23. Thanks ddeclue

I was really worried what the moderators might think! If you know Rep. Grayson - give him my regards and congrats, and tell him he has my support.

[Bluenorthwest]

26. Tell him I want to vote for him, as do many other Oregonians

And there is only one way for us to do so...

[ddeclue]

27. I keep saying that too

:D

Maybe someday he will run for President but I wouldn't count on it before 2016.

[Ignis]

42. Still, that's something to look forward to.

Some days, that's what we really need. :patriot:

[SaveOurDemocracy]

64. Well, any friend of Grayson's is a friend of mine!!

:hi:

[TornadoTN]

21. We are really going to need people like Alan Grayson now more than ever

This ruling is ridiculous and is absoloutely the worst I have seen in my lifetime of 30 years (right there with Bush v. Gore).

[pleah]

24. K&R

[emsimon33]

25. Now this is change that I can believe in!

[Oldtimeralso]

28. K & R n/t

[Blue Owl]

30. Once again

Grayson's out there walking the walk.

Good on him!

Half our other D-reps won't even talk the talk these days.

[harun]

31. It is people like Grayson who can save this country.

[penndragon69]

32. Grayson and Franken are right!

The dlc / bluedog rethugnican enablers are dead WRONG!

Elect more Progressives and No more blue dog / dlc TRAITORS !

[Goldstein1984]

34. Grayson is a guy for the people.

He has a little bit of Hugo Chavez's irreverant style, and I think I see a little bit of George Carlin in there somewhere. I wish we had anybody near as good in Alaska.

[Martin Eden]

35. Corporatocracy, here we come

We were halfway there already.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. K&R

:applause:

:kick:

[xchrom]

38. Recommend

[barb162]

39. "This is the worst Supreme Court decision since the Dred Scott case

BINGO

[Dappleganger]

41. ONE good thing about Florida!

Besides me, of course. :D


Edited to add:

And madfloridian!

[Vidar]

43. K&R.

[Harry Monroe]

44. GRAYSON FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[santamargarita]

45. An uprising to support this would be nice

[Saxon]

46. Bye Bye Rep. Grayson.

You can kiss Rep Grayson goodbye.

The corps will super fund an opponent in nov.

Can't allow a congressman who might be an effective voice
for the actual humans to remain in office.

The Cooperations Uber Alles.

[Quantess]

49. Oh, I don't know about that.

Welcome to DU! You may want to opt to make your profile visible.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

54. in denial about the coup?

Not yet ready to bow down before your cooperate masters, hang in there.
Do any of you remember internet talk about a CIA manual, on how to take over a country, back in 2000.
We are now most of the way through that process if i remember it correctly.

Do the Tea Partyer's even have any concept they are the "Brown Shirts".

[Quantess]

58. No, Yoda. Keep your pants on.

All I meant was that there are more vulnerable Dems than Grayson who should be worrying about 2012.

And no...Teabaggers, as they call themselves, are convinced that liberals and Obama are the Nazi fascists (in case you weren't aware). It's like a game of I'm rubber you're glue.

[BeHereNow]

50. Welcome to DU... my thoughts exactly

Maybe this is why we saw Dorgan's resignation.
He probably knew this was in the works.

BHN

[jwirr]

48. Is there anything that Congress can do to overturn this decision?

[midnight]

52. k&R.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

55. short of impeach members of the court ---- not really

old McCain looked stupid as her railed against this decision, as he was instrumental in getting their confirmations

[Tx4obama]

59. Be sure to sign Grayson's petition at: www.SaveDemocracy.net n/t

[spooky3]

61. If Justice Stevens retires, I'd like to see Grayson nominated for SC Justice.

The court needs another progressive voice, and one with a backbone.

[alarimer]

62. Maybe we need a law that all candidates list their corporate donors in some prominent locations

I think that would be perfectly legal. They could take whatever money they wanted but they would have to tell us exactly who gave and how much.

Or better yet, make they wear patches on their jackets, like NASCAR drivers do.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

69. No patches on their suits like a nascar driver, sell space by the square inch

[Spike from MN]

85. On the ballot would be a good place.

Then people would know exactly what/who they were voting for.

Not that it would change the outcome, mind you. That's already pre-determined.

[Melissa G]

63. Press releases can be printed in full as far as I know

I used to organize the Election reform daily news threads and I usually posted full press releases and no one ever gave me grief on that count.
Thanks for posting!

[defendandprotect]

65. Grayson has a PETITION . . .

PETITION TEXT

I support the "Save Our Democracy" Package:

We cannot have a government that is bought and paid for by huge multinational corporations. We need a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

http://salsa.mydccc.org/o/30019/p/dia/action/public/?ac...

[gtar100]

66. Kick AND Highly Recommend. Grayson is for real!

[Shanti Mama]

67. GO TO GRAYSON'S SITE

and sign his petition and forward to friends. He has the energy and determination to get this done. He does NOT sit on his butt all day like the rest of them.

[AzDar]

68. K & R

[Truth2Tell]

71. no small planes Alan. K&R nt

[vanlassie]

72. Quick- I want the names of some prominent FRENCH corporations

who will have more say in American than my Amurican' neighbors will.

[GiveMeFreedom]

73. Alan Grayson

gets it!

I was just wondering if he will enter the presidential race anytime soon? Maybe grow the goatee back, a leather vest and motorcycles boots, then head to Washington to kick some ass?

[avebury]

83. K&R

He'd have my vote for President!

[Piewhacket]

74. Damn it. This will not work. (all unconstitutional under the new ruling) . IMPEACH THE SUPREME COURT

[Piewhacket]

75. IMPEACH 5 Justices.

[CTLawGuy]

76. All good ideas

I would add one to make every contribution subject to approval by a 2/3 majority shareholder vote. They would have to take a vote for each contribution.

[fasttense]

77. Remember when the Supremes picked our President for us?

Now the Supremes have picked fascism as our form of government for us. Look how easily President Obama fell for all the corporate money and influence. If it can happen to him it can happen to any politician. The Supremes have ensured We The People ar now We The Corporate Powers.

[Enthusiast]

78. +1 !

That decision in 2,000 made absolutely no sense. It was completely partisan. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't their decision say "Stop counting the votes."? Such a decision certainly can't be considered favorable to democracy.

And you are right. If corrective measures aren't taken, this government is as good as fascist. I mean, don't we have too much corporate influence already? This is a huge overreach and exactly the kind of judicial activism "conservatives' whine about.

[yellerpup]

79. K&R!

Lobby for all these bills. Get them passed. Keep fighting. Go Grayson!!!

[dotymed]

80. Corporations, by law,

are required to maintain their "fiduciary responsibility" to their stockholders. So, these "contributions", again by law, must be considered investments that they expect to see a monetary gain from. It is so sad that America has come to this. USA inc.

[creekboy]

81. You don't like the SCOTUS ruling?

Get ready for a lot more if you let the republicans back in control of congress.

If you kill this bill, you kill this presidency.

Sarah Palin will walk in.

Thanks so much

Idiots.

[INdemo]

82. Its too late..

By the time Congress could enact any legislation to limit corporate funding, 2010 elections would be over. Republicans will certainly gain if not regain the majority ,at least in the Senate. Then any legislation hopes would be lost..
SO ....Its over..This is not all about corporate funding..this all took one giant leap toward corporate take over in 2000 when Geo Bush was appointed.. Corporations then had their puppet President..Then along came the 2004 elections and it was an obvious victory for John Kerry but the corporate power group had every thing in place to pull off an election theft..
So here we are with the SCOTUS making this ruling treating corporations as individuals with equal rights and giving this corporate power group complete control over our Democracy.
George Bush gave away every thing the corporate world ask for without the need for Congressional approval. The banks and Wall Street no longer had to play by the rules and walla...It drove us into a depression..and the "no back bone" Democrats allowed the Republicans to blame them for this huge deficit and "runaway spending" and yet corporations are benefiting from every action Congress is taking..How is that for greed...
So now the mist unqualified person can become President as long as they are willing to wear the hardware needed to attach those corporate puppet string
So pay your taxes,sit back and watch as we become the Corporate States of America

[ooglymoogly]

84. All this legislation should be called the Dread $cali@ legislation.

Though Robert$ is the titular head cheerleader of the thuggish end of the supreme court that the Capo's of the B*sh crime family placed there, Tony the fat boy runs things and the stealing of the 2000 election so this calumny could take place officially handing over the government to the mob and making their crimes legal was at his behest. He is the leader of the pack.

[wizstars]

86. "We hold these truths to be self-evident:..."

"...that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR ABOLISH IT, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness..."
"...But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, IT IS THEIR DUTY, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies..."


Anyone up for Revolution II???

[earcandle]

87. How can the supreme court create this obvious link to future crime?

[SalviaBlue]

88. K&R

[Lone_Star_Dem]

89. excellent post!

Just so you know in the future, any press release such as these are not subject to copyright restrictions and can be posted in their entirety.

[saracat]

90. We need leadership like Grayson. This is what real leadership looks like!

He isn't afraid of offending the corporate schills and GOP!