Inequality and the USA: A nation in denial?
- Thread starter Padawanbater2
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Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
Republicans Filibuster Constitutional Fix To Overturn Citizens United
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and other Supreme Court rulings dating back to 1976 that invalidated restrictions on money in politics.
The party line vote was 54 in favor, 42 against, falling short of the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster and proceed to a final vote.
The Senate broke an initial filibuster on the measure on Monday. But many Republicans who voted to begin debate did not support the proposal and intended to ultimately block it. The procedural motion on Thursday means the Senate won't move to an up-or-down vote, where it was even likelier to fail because it needed a two-thirds majority to advance.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a fierce opponent of campaign finance restrictions, blasted Democrats for bringing up the measure.
"I have to say it’s a little disconcerting to see the Democrat-led Senate focusing on things like reducing free speech protections for the American people," he said before the vote. "This is what they chose to make their top legislative priority this week. Taking an eraser to the First Amendment."
The proposal, offered by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), would amend the Constitution to restore the authority of Congress to establish campaign finance limits, the kind that were axed in the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC and 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court rulings. According to a Senate Judiciary Committee report this year, it would also overturn part of the landmark 1976 Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo, which upheld campaign contribution limits but invalidated restrictions on spending in elections.
"Since the decision came down in 2010, our campaign finance system has been under siege, buried in billions of dollars from outside groups and super PACs," he said. "We have been fighting from day one to rid our political system of the poison of Citizens United. Folks want their senators to work together to find real solutions, not be bogged down in the endless gridlock of the Citizens United era."
Progressive activists have waged a concerted campaign for the constitutional amendment, which they view as a long-term goal. Despite defeat in the Senate, they characterized the vote as a major step forward for the cause, saying that it shows that Americans are fighting back.
Clarification: This article has been updated to mention that the Udall amendment would also roll back part of a 1976 Supreme Court ruling, in addition to the more recent ones, on campaign finance.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/senate-republicans-filibuster-constitutional-amendment-citizens-united
Fuck Mitch McConnell
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and other Supreme Court rulings dating back to 1976 that invalidated restrictions on money in politics.
The party line vote was 54 in favor, 42 against, falling short of the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster and proceed to a final vote.
The Senate broke an initial filibuster on the measure on Monday. But many Republicans who voted to begin debate did not support the proposal and intended to ultimately block it. The procedural motion on Thursday means the Senate won't move to an up-or-down vote, where it was even likelier to fail because it needed a two-thirds majority to advance.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a fierce opponent of campaign finance restrictions, blasted Democrats for bringing up the measure.
"I have to say it’s a little disconcerting to see the Democrat-led Senate focusing on things like reducing free speech protections for the American people," he said before the vote. "This is what they chose to make their top legislative priority this week. Taking an eraser to the First Amendment."
The proposal, offered by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), would amend the Constitution to restore the authority of Congress to establish campaign finance limits, the kind that were axed in the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC and 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court rulings. According to a Senate Judiciary Committee report this year, it would also overturn part of the landmark 1976 Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo, which upheld campaign contribution limits but invalidated restrictions on spending in elections.
"Since the decision came down in 2010, our campaign finance system has been under siege, buried in billions of dollars from outside groups and super PACs," he said. "We have been fighting from day one to rid our political system of the poison of Citizens United. Folks want their senators to work together to find real solutions, not be bogged down in the endless gridlock of the Citizens United era."
Progressive activists have waged a concerted campaign for the constitutional amendment, which they view as a long-term goal. Despite defeat in the Senate, they characterized the vote as a major step forward for the cause, saying that it shows that Americans are fighting back.
Clarification: This article has been updated to mention that the Udall amendment would also roll back part of a 1976 Supreme Court ruling, in addition to the more recent ones, on campaign finance.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/senate-republicans-filibuster-constitutional-amendment-citizens-united
Fuck Mitch McConnell
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
You can fuck him, he's too old n wrinkly for me. I'm not a big fan of his politics, either.
He's at least an honest advocate for those with all the gold, who want to continue buying all the power.
How could he not be? They've certainly bought and paid for HIS ass, and he's the good little bootlicker to the wealthy and connected they expect from their investment.
Since you and I can't go buying Senators, how are we supposed to be heard?
He's at least an honest advocate for those with all the gold, who want to continue buying all the power.
How could he not be? They've certainly bought and paid for HIS ass, and he's the good little bootlicker to the wealthy and connected they expect from their investment.
Since you and I can't go buying Senators, how are we supposed to be heard?
Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
We go above the judiciary to the state legislatures, right now we need 34 (we have VT and CA, so 32 more) they call for a national convention, then we need 38 states to ratify the amendment. This has never been done before, but I'm confident it'll happen now. 96% of the American public approve of financial reform, and state legislatures are made up of regular people, not career politicians.
Here's an interesting comment from an article I read about this earlier (I think I linked the article);
"A stark difference in political belief:
Democrats believe "one person = one vote".
Republicans believe "one dollar = one vote".
Fairly straightforward, really."
And that hits the nail on the goddamn head.
Lets be clear here though, this is reflecting citizens, not politicians viewpoints. Both the Democrats and Republicans are in the pockets of wealthy corporations, if they weren't we wouldn't have to call for a national convention to get our fucking rights back. They "approve" of these measures only so far as they think it will take them in their careers. If this passed the Senate and went to a vote, you can bet your ass just as many dem's would vote it down as Rep's.
So, what I meant to say was "Fuck our government". I wouldn't fuck Mitch McConnell, I sure as fuck would love to dick slap him though, him, Boehner, Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Gohmert, Bachmann... so fucking many..
Why don't we have doctors, scientists, teachers, etc. running our fucking country, instead we get career lawyers, who are universally fucking hated everywhere..
Bought and paid for, man.. Time to clean fucking house.
On another note, have you heard the opposition to this, how it supposedly limits free speech and subverts the 1st amendment?
Get a load of this justification I read from someone earlier;
"And if you're going to resort to "well, the company has more money" I would encourage you to actually read Buckley. From a purely philosophical standpoint, Justices Brennan, Stewart and Powell discredit that argument quite well:
"the concept that government may restrict the speech of some elements of our society in order to enhance the relative voice of others is wholly foreign to the First Amendment... The First Amendment's protection against governmental abridgment of free expression cannot properly be made to depend on a person's financial ability to engage in public discussion."
The fact that you don't have as much ability to exercise your free speech cannot be an argument that you have less right to free speech. In the same way that my inability to afford a gun would not substantiate an argument that I don't have the right to own a gun."
Unfuckingbelievable, right?
Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
Wake the fuck up old fucks...
It's obviously a young mans game! Bitches can't even expect to bullshit past 7pm..
We should hold the vote at 8
It's obviously a young mans game! Bitches can't even expect to bullshit past 7pm..
We should hold the vote at 8
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
I want to be clear that it isn't just a change of faces, or of parties that I seek; I want to fundamentally change the way power is distributed in this country.
Right now it's for sale, and anyone with enough cash can get their way over the objections of the rest of us. Thus is a total failure of governance AND national security- foreign powers now have a free pass to toss cash around and get basically whatever they want from us...
That doesn't make me feel safe at all. It makes me feel like those in power have taken leave of their senses, their duties and their oath of office.
The system needs to be fundamentally changed so the Greedheads can't do it again. Ever. FOR REAL THIS TIME, DON'T REPEAL THE PROTECTIONS FROM THE LAST TIME WE AS A NATION PAID THE PRICE TO LEARN THIS LESSON?!?
Right now it's for sale, and anyone with enough cash can get their way over the objections of the rest of us. Thus is a total failure of governance AND national security- foreign powers now have a free pass to toss cash around and get basically whatever they want from us...
That doesn't make me feel safe at all. It makes me feel like those in power have taken leave of their senses, their duties and their oath of office.
The system needs to be fundamentally changed so the Greedheads can't do it again. Ever. FOR REAL THIS TIME, DON'T REPEAL THE PROTECTIONS FROM THE LAST TIME WE AS A NATION PAID THE PRICE TO LEARN THIS LESSON?!?
Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
I think most people would agree with you, the system is fundamentally flawed. The problem arises when you try to solve it. Everyone knows it's fucked, but nobody knows how to fix it..
I would suggest getting the worlds leading scientists together to come up with a solution, give them a year to figure something out, then implement it and run the experiment, do it for a decade and measure all the results; Do we have lower crime rates? Lower teen pregnancy/STD rates? Lower drug use? Lower prison population?
I wish sometimes there was still unoccupied land to start up a new country, there's some interesting things going on where people are talking about building floating cities over the ocean and with that comes new political and economic and financial structures that would have to be put in place, but that's really far off into the future..
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/9/why-co-ops-are-thefutureoftheamericaneconomy.html
I especially like the last line of the article;
"That virtually no one in the halls of power appears to be championing it ['it' being the idea that a worker should receive a fair and substantial portion of his work output] should tell us something: They don’t trust we the people to manage our own affairs.
Well, DUH- after all, managing your life for you creates all sorts of economic opportunities... for ME.
I especially like the last line of the article;
"That virtually no one in the halls of power appears to be championing it ['it' being the idea that a worker should receive a fair and substantial portion of his work output] should tell us something: They don’t trust we the people to manage our own affairs.
Well, DUH- after all, managing your life for you creates all sorts of economic opportunities... for ME.
Harrekin
Well-Known Member
A worker receives the amount they freely contracted to receive in exchange for their labour.
Only you jobless/minimum wage lefty fucks care, that's why.
Rob Roy
Well-Known Member
It is good that you recognize the system is flawed. The reason is easy, all coercives governments are designed to protect the people that coerce, not the people that don't.
There is no Easter Bunny, no Santa Claus and no system that has coercion as part of its foundation will ever be improved by shifting the players around.
Starting new countries that have coercion as the foundation of their existence will not change anything....BUT!!.....you can make colorful new flags and force kids to sing patriotic songs of the glorious revolution etc.
HigherGroundz
Member
America is a land of Equality , just ask an American Indian !
NLXSK1
Well-Known Member
American Indians are not equal?
Doer
Well-Known Member
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
HigherGroundz
Member
Leonard Peltier turned 70 yesterday in prison for a stance he took against the injustices against a people, even though he was never proven guilty of anything and till this day he is a political prisoner .Wounded knee 1973 will never be forgotten and one trip to Pine Ridge reservation will show onesel how well equal the nation is in the land of the sick and depraved
Did you know not one of over 300 Treaties signed in North America were ever honored ? All were broken
http://nativeamericanrights.wordpress.com/pine-ridge/
Did you know not one of over 300 Treaties signed in North America were ever honored ? All were broken
http://nativeamericanrights.wordpress.com/pine-ridge/
NLXSK1
Well-Known Member
Is that person paying taxes to the US government for the land he is living on? Is he receiving benefits for living on an indian reservation and being an indian??
The US government's job is not to try to fix dysfunctional people. It sucks at it.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Right. And every time it happens in our name, WE the People are the ones who are made less secure, less wealthy and the first to be sent to war to suffer the consequences.
Those are high stakes, high enough to make me want to change the system.
High enough for me to sacrifice a lot to do it.
Padawanbater2
Well-Known Member
I'm an employer, there are 90K unemployed, I offer $.01/hour...
The droves fill out applications, because they're starving. So many to choose from, I find the best suited at the lowest price. I hire Bill. He's great, so after 3 months, I give him $.02/hour overtime, DOUBLE!! Plus benefits. HOLY SHIT I'm generous!
I get his full time plus half that and only have to pay him $.02! Fucking owned!
My company, that Bill works for, jumps 15% in the stock market, my shareholders are happy! Instead of allocating that 15% throughout the company [and Bill], I give it to me and my shareholders, and tell Bill that times are tough, his time will come, he just has to work a little bit harder and make sure the company grows, because if the company grows, as a valued employee, he'll grow too!...
4 decades pass..
Bill's been working for said company the entire time, all the while he's seen a 2%-3% annual raise, if he's lucky, no bonus', and benefits were cut a long time ago.. The CEO and top officers have seen a 96% increase, annually, since business began.. already on top of their million dollar salaries..
Bill and his coworkers can barely afford to put food on the table or provide for their families while a handful of executives use the profits earned by Bill and his colleagues labor to pay for their expenses..
IMO, the saddest part is how the GOP has brainwashed the conservative right, made up of mostly poor Americans, to vote/believe bullshit that go against their best interests, using Christianity, racism, equal rights, and all the other bullshit diversionary tactics to separate people between party lines.
The whole American government, from house to Senate to Supreme Court to the White house is filled with corruption. Most conservatives I talk to only see the corruption on the left and champion the right. Most liberal, center, independent people I talk to see the corruption throughout the whole of the government.
The fanatical conservative right will be dead within a decade, so I'm not too worried. Average O'Reilly factor viewer is 64, LOL! That idiots show will be gone when his demographic dies off, same with Hannity, same with most of Fox News..
Old media has been on the out for about a decade already, most of it will be gone within 10 years, we simply don't need it anymore. If you look at any measurement, they all signal the same thing
Harrekin
Well-Known Member
Well my opinion is that Bill took a shitty job, and should've read the contract before signing it?
The contract does list details of wages, which are signed by the employer and potential employee.
And you're an employer? That'd be the fucking day, lol, even in a hypothetical it's too ridiculous.