I didn't have a chance to get an Ayn Rand "primer" today, so am I sparked in diary dialog tonight? ;) KIDDING - IT'S A JOKE!
The cupboard's pretty bare in "this day in history" items, so this part at least shouldn't take long.
On this date in 1793, France's King Louis XVI, condemned for treason, was executed on the guillotine. And, Kennedy Center Honoree Mel Brooks was there! :D
And, today is AG Eric Holder's 59th birthday. Give a birthday present to our nation; investigate & prosecute the crimes of the previous administration! And, about that Gitmo detainee "suicide" thing? You might want to brush up on that a little, too. Just sayin'...
Let's Countdown!
#5 "Supreme Corporatists" AKA "How to Make Friends & Influence People" - I listened to the oral arguments of this case – the first for JUSTICE (suck on it, Uncle Pat!) Sotomayor, and I knew damn well they would rule the way they did today. Sometimes, it sucks donkey droppings to be right. Corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money in elections, for candidates, etc.; SCOTUS overturned nearly 100 years of precedent today. Now, for any Obama detractors in da’ house, and I’ve not withheld my gripes with him over the last months, here is 1 reason – 1 HUGE reason – why I’m thanking {insert deity of your choice here} he won the election because he can nominate justices to SCOTUS like Justice Sotomayor to hopefully eventually turn this tide & all the other ilky tides that have been turned by this current SCOTUS. Justice Kennedy, for the majority, wrote the current restrictions amount to censorship. It’s the old argument of money = speech, etc. which is a crock of $hit.
NPR interviewed Newt Gingrich about the decision, and he’s absolutely THRILLED! He was quick to point out that unions also have this new power, too, but since when do labor unions or any other union have the damn financial resources as corporations do?! President Obama sided with the dissenters today – YEA!
With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. This ruling gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington – while undermining the influence of average Americans who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates. That’s why I am instructing my administration to get to work immediately with Congress on this issue. We are going to talk with bipartisan {oh brother...} Congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision. The public interest requires nothing less.
Senator Russ Feingold ain’t a happy camper, either. Senator Chuck Schumer’s not happy, either. Senator McCentury ain’t happy, either! Mitchie McConnell is pleased as punch. Small Price to Pay Boehner is a happy camper, too. Here’s Jonathan Turley! GET HIM TO SCOTUS, PLEASE?! Now, wait a minute; I’m confused. He said he’s on the side of free speech & doesn’t think a line in the sand should be drawn between Michael Moore films & the film that was the subject of this case but went on to talk about the icky consequences of what all this money’s going to do to our political process. So, is he a happy camper with today’s decision or not? Professor Turley wants big ‘ol changes in the political system overall – not just limited to campaign finance reform. Yea...good luck with that, honey. Wow, Professor Turley would’ve voted with the majority. Wow... well, I guess in the free speech realm, some speech is going to be more "free" than others. And, all free speech being equal, some free speech is going to be more equal than others. I cannot believe he would’ve voted with the majority; I’m very disappointed to hear that.
Rep. Alan Grayson has spent the last few days getting ready for this decision by introducing some legislation, and here he is! He’s shocked by the decision? I’m not. I would’ve been more shocked to hear that SCOTUS had ruled the other way, and, once again, I base this opinion on listening to the entirety of the oral arguments when they were presented & made available. He’s equating today’s decision to the Dred Scott case. OK, anyone who has a problem with today’s decision, go here & sign!
#4 "For Sale" AKA "Highest Bidder" - The health insurance industry admitted last week they helped to fund ads against the HCR legislation being bandied about in Congress. To paraphrase Keith, take that & "turn it to 11" as far as what today’s SCOTUS decision did. Howard Fineman thinks Keith is understating the issue – HA! He’s seeing results & implications way before November of this year and said Dems in "red states" where unions don’t have power need to get down on their hands & knees & kiss their butts good – bye!
Well, he didn’t say EXACTLY that; I just paraphrased. ;D Howard mentioned my "favorite" Senator as one who needs to look out. No, he doesn’t; he’s suckling at the health insurance industry teat. He ain’t Senator WellPoint for nothin’! So, Evan’s got no worries. Wow! Howard called today’s decision the most radical he’s seen in a long LONG time – DAMN! Ya’ want yer "activist judges"?! There’s yer damn "activist judges"! And, extry – special kudos to Keith for the ORIGINAL Producers shout – out! Howard done damn good tonight!
#3 "Breaking the Banksters" AKA "Health & Corporate Welfare" - President Obama – before the SCOTUS decision today – vowed to do what he could to make sure that no longer banks "too big to fail" would drive our economy into the terlet. Banks with big ‘ol profits & dolling out bonuses after the bailout can’t seem to lend money, and President Obama ain’t happy with that. The FDIC Chair was in property negotiations with some of the banks that she was in the process of helping to bail out – OOPS! "Speaker" Pelosi seems to be poo – pooing the notion that the House is just going to vote for the Senate version of HCR because she claims the votes aren’t there. Lady, I trust you & respect you about as far as I can throw you. Paul Krugman is about to give up on President Obama. Eugene Robinson thinks today’s decision tilts the political playing field toward the GOP. Eugene Robinson wants President Obama to "...stamp his foot" – YES! Testify, brother!!
#2 "Haiti Earthquake" - People who survived the initial horrible earthquake are beginning to die. There are still bottle – necks in getting aid & supplies to where they are desperately needed. There have been 54 aftershocks. Ugh... The homeless in the Haitian capitol are being bused to tent cities outside the city limits. The US military is beginning to take over some more airports to hopefully speed the aid along. The Senate voted today that people who donate to Haiti can write off the donation on their 2009 returns; over $25 million is aid has been generated from the texts!
"Special Comment" - Keith thinks tonight’s special comment could be his last based upon what happened in SCOTUS today. We get a history of the Dred Scott decision & how that connects to what happened today. Within 4 years of this decision, the Chief Justice’s decision was being roundly ignored even in the South – DAMN! After today, corporations can spend all the money they want on any issue they want on any candidate they see fit to. Laws criminalizing unions could be down the pike. Grandma ExGov TurkeyLover got called a tool – HA! The right – wing "media" apparently hasn’t discussed today’s decision too much.