Comments on: The SCOTUS Endorses Sociopathic Elections

By: Murray Hill Inc. For Congress « Blog Here Now

Murray Hill Inc. For Congress « Blog Here Now — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:11:21 +0000

[...] As I recently posted, according to the Supreme Court, a corporation, being a person, has all of the free speech rights accorded to persons. To be logically consistent, should the Court also permit a corporation to run for office? Only if the corporate person in question is also a citizen of the USA, I suppose. And just who is a citizen of the USA? There are lots of court decisions on this issue, but given the current Supreme Court’s penchant for overturning precedents, Murray Hill Inc. clearly thinks that the time is right to test the legal waters- [...]

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:02:18 +0000

Good point.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:49:07 +0000

Well, zealots generally believe they’re doing God’s work, no matter how twisted their thinking. These guys seem to be employed by other more worldly masters. It’s a huge powergrab for the corporations.

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:13:34 +0000

You mean you wouldn’t want to raise them to the level of, say, the young Bill Ayers?

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:59:25 +0000

Actually, after a little reflection, I realize I was being too kind to call them radical zealots—

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:43:20 +0000

I couldn’t agree more, Jim. But if I’m not mistaken (and I might well be), the court hasn’t overthrown the provisions concerning corporations or unions giving money directly to candidates; what they’ve overthrown are the provisions limiting issues-oriented advertising within 30 or 60 days of an election…

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:24:50 +0000

the legal argument (that giving money to a candidate is the equivalent of free speech, so if you can’t limit free speech, you can’t limit giving money) is specious at best. The court has recognized time, place and manner restrictions on free speech as constitutional for a long time (ie, you can’t yell fire in a crowded theatre)….Also, does that mean some people have more free speech than other people simply because they have more money. . .But, if you have radical zealots on the court, this is what you get.