Detroiter walks 21 miles in work commute

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Unless and until they do something illegal, there's nothing to let them off the hook from.

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Of course they are not breaking any laws. These people pay their lobbyists to write the legislation the way they want it. Then it is passed along to the legislators that have been bought with their campaign contributions and they pass it, in most cases without even reading it.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

.
Of course they are not breaking any laws. These people pay their lobbyists to write the legislation the way they want it. Then it is passed along to the legislators that have been bought with their campaign contributions and they pass it, in most cases without even reading it.

I hate to break the news to you, but both sides are doing that (and have done so for decades). Does it suck? Yes. Are the Koch's the sole proprietor in this tawdry enterprise? Not even remotely.

[merrylander]

Well to begin with no matter what SCOTUS says money does not equal speech and corporations are definitely not people. Add to that the First amendment most definitely does not provide for lobbying. A more corrupted reading of that amendment has never been made.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by finnbow

I hate to break the news to you, but both sides are doing that (and have done so for decades). Does it suck? Yes.

What we have in America is a center right party, the Democrats, and a far right party, the Republicans. And it does suck that we have no left to speak of. But does that mean the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans? Absolutely not.

Originally Posted by finnbow

Are the Koch's the sole proprietor in this tawdry enterprise? Not even remotely.

You mean the Koch Brother's aren't the only ones that are screwing the average Americans!?

Gee Finn!

I didn't know that!

Thanks for filling me in!

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Well to begin with no matter what SCOTUS says money does not equal speech and corporations are definitely not people. Add to that the First amendment most definitely does not provide for lobbying. A more corrupted reading of that amendment has never been made.

And exactly where did you get your degree in Constitutional Law?

The money=speech doctrine has been in place for over 40 years (since Buckley vs. Valeo in 1976). Also, the First Amendment expressly prohibits making any laws prohibiting petitioning the government (e.g., lobbying). You may not like the idea, but it is on sound constitutional footing.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by finnbow

I'd say it's more the fault or blue collar right-wingers voting against their own best interests. Corporations will always try to maximize profits and shareholder wealth because it's their fiduciary responsibility to do so. It is the job of the political system to balance this against societal needs.

Yep. They've bought into the line that;

"What's good for the mine, is good for the miner.".

It wasn't necessarily so a hundred years ago and it isn't necessarily so today.

Dave

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Yep. They've bought into the line that;

"What's good for the mine, is good for the miner.".

It wasn't necessarily so a hundred years ago and it isn't necessarily so today.

Dave

Maybe we've reached a tipping point when even Mitt Romney claims to be concerned about income distribution, poverty, etc.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Maybe we've reached a tipping point when even Mitt Romney claims to be concerned about income distribution, poverty, etc.

FLASH! POLITICIANS ARE SAYING WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR!

Oh yes, a tipping point.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

And exactly where did you get your degree in Constitutional Law?

The money=speech doctrine has been in place for over 40 years (since Buckley vs. Valeo in 1976). Also, the First Amendment expressly prohibits making any laws prohibiting petitioning the government (e.g., lobbying). You may not like the idea, but it is on sound constitutional footing.

You're absolutely right about lobbying but Buckley, Citizens United and Santa Clara County were all wrongly decided.

John

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

You're absolutely right about lobbying but Buckley, Citizens United and Santa Clara County were all wrongly decided...

John

... or so said the dissenting (and now irrelevant) minority.