Are we a Corporatocracy yet?

[maxx]

Papasito:

What do we need? Campaign finance reform. A constitutional amendment that only allows for publicly-funded elections.

[rb336]

Papasito is actually right on that.

My constitutional amendment would do the following:

1)Any candidate that gets on the ballot in 26 states is automatically on the ballot nationwide
2)Ballots would not reference party affiliations
3)ALL broadcasters would set up rotating time slots giving every candidate equal time -- and all candidates would get equal access to prime slots.
4)All debates would have all candidates, and each candidate would get equal time
5)for state elections ONLY - donations can only come from state citizens
6)for all elections - only individuals may donate

[maxx]

oladub: When a cargo plane's load of cash disappeared in Iraq, someone should have taken a fall.

If you're talking about the money Halliburton lost, I'm not interested in any burueaucrat's head. I want Halliburton to cough up the money.

1) The Fed regulates monetary policy although it is Congress' duty to do so.

And the 16th amendment give Congress the power to collect income taxes, but they delegated that duty to the IRS.

It is Congress job to see that toilet seats, and anything else, doesn't cost too much.

That toilet seat/shroud flap was easily solved, relatively speaking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_...Toilet_Seat.22

I'm sure that most members of Congress would like to cut down cost overruns on military equipment. Easier said than done. If you're really concerned about the Pentagon's budget, you could start by telling your Reps. in Congress to stop contracting with private armies that don't even answer to the Congress. And close down some of those military bases in Europe.

[gdogslim]

Has Obama Sold Out The Oval Office To Wall Street Yet?
Because the only way a Corporatocracy can happen is if the power brokers let it.

I know the Tea Party is taking back power from DC and giving it to the voters. That's why the media and political hacks and so called elites are freaking out at the cocktail parties and in the newsrooms.

[rb336]

I know the Tea Party is taking back power from DC and giving it to the voters. .

that is, by far, the stupidest comment I have seen. The Tea Party is a wholy-owned subsidiary of the Koch Brothers

[Big Dog]

They are republicans indeed, bought and paid for by repubs.

[gdogslim]

The dumbest comment I have seen on this subject is that the Tea Party, which is not really a party at all but a real grass roots movement movement [[not a democrat astro turf party)
Is controlled by the Koch brothers, nice conspiracy theory try,.
We ALL DO KNOW that Billionaire and anti American socialist George Soros started and funds 'The Shadow Party' and 'MoveOn.Ugh' and is a foreigner with money that I though democrats hate so much, [[unles they donate to the democrats)

[rb336]

The dumbest comment I have seen on this subject is that the Tea Party, which is not really a party at all but a real grass roots movement movement [[not a democrat astro turf party)
Is controlled by the Koch brothers, nice conspiracy theory try,.
We ALL DO KNOW that Billionaire and anti American socialist George Soros started and funds 'The Shadow Party' and 'MoveOn.Ugh' and is a foreigner with money that I though democrats hate so much, [[unles they donate to the democrats)

bub, all that is very well documented. keep deluding your poor little self

"you can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time. The later can be found in the Tea Party."

"billionaire socialist" has got to be the single stupidest phrase anyone has come up with yet. Typical of right-wing nut-jobs to slap libelous labels on anyone who doesn't do the jack-boot dance to your mindless dogma.

[gdogslim]

rb333
Do you also beleive that Bush had the twin towers blown up?
And that man can control the temperature on earth?

[maxx]

rb333
Do you also beleive that Bush had the twin towers blown up?

No, that's one thing I don't accuse Bush of doing although his string-pullers certainly took advantage of 911 to start a war with Iraq that they had been planning for years. Google "think tank war".

And that man can control the temperature on earth?

You don't think all the poisons industry has been spewing into the air haven't affected living things on earth? The sea is becoming more acid. There are more people than ever with asthma and other lung conditions. Cancers are on the rise. Industry creates chemical compounds faster than the gov. can test them. There are thousands of compounds the FDA has no guidlines for yet. It didn't help that W and co. cut the FDA and the EPA's budgets significantly. W still believed stupidly that industries would regulate themselves just like when he was Gov. of Texas and the Houston area had some of the worst air pollution in the nation.

[Mikeg]

......... this election will show the power of corporate money to influence gov. for their own profit.........

Here's a case in point involving blatant, in-kind contributions to a political campaign by Harrah's Entertainment Inc. and their unions that appears to have violated Federal law:

.........the Reid campaign sent a desperate e-mail to the senior vice president for government relations at Harrah's Casinos asking the company to pressure its employees to get out and vote for Reid. The campaign even offered to have Reid call Harrah's executives to help give "the backing" needed to get the company working on this.
The Reid staffer involved told Harrah's it needed to "put a headlock" on its supervisors "to get them to follow through."
This plea was distributed to senior executives throughout the company by a Harrah's vice president, Marybel Batjer. Batjer demanded that those executives "do whatever we need to do to get the supervisors to know that there is NOTHING more important than to get employees out to vote. Waking up to a defeat of Harry Reid Nov 3rd will be devastating for our industry's future."
Harrah's did just that, getting headcounts and insisting that supervisors explain why their employees had not yet voted. They also coordinated with employee unions to get buses and shuttles to take the employees to the polls.
None of this should be excused as just "politics as usual." Both the Reid campaign and Harrah's may have violated federal campaign finance law that prohibits in-kind corporate and union contributions to, and coordination with, political campaigns. Corporations and unions may spend money to run ads in support of or opposing a candidate, but they are not allowed to make direct or in-kind contributions to federal candidates.
Federal criminal law also prohibits intimidation and coercion of a person exercising his or her right to vote [[or not to vote).
If a corporation or union spends money to support the election of a candidate in response to a request by that federal candidate [[that is, if they make a coordinated expenditure), as clearly occurred in this case, then they are making an illegal contribution to the candidate........

.........intentional and knowing violations are criminal violations, which are prosecuted by the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department.
It is difficult to believe that neither Reid's staffer nor Harrah's senior vice president for government relations [[its lobbyist), would not know that their coordination and in-kind contributions were highly illegal.
So the question is this -- will the Holder Justice Department open up an investigation into what seems to have been blatant violations of federal law? Or will the administration make the same type of political decision that it has made in numerous other cases, including the New Black Panther Party?
[read the entire article]

I'm not holding my breath until the Justice Dept. launches an investigation.

[rb336]

If a corporation or union spends money to support the election of a candidate in response to a request by that federal candidate [[that is, if they make a coordinated expenditure), as clearly occurred in this case, then they are making an illegal contribution to the candidate........

Really? Show me the statute that was actually broken. Bet ya can't find it!

[Jimaz]

Newly elected GOP senator may back DISCLOSE Act

The Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act [[DISCLOSE Act) would force groups running election ads to disclose the sources of their funding. In addition, the bill would prohibit foreign corporations, government contractors and TARP recipients from making campaign contributions.

The bill has already cleared the United States House of Representatives but failed to be passed in the Senate due to a Republican filibuster....

It remains to be seen whether Kirk would actually support the bill, which his Republican colleagues unanimously oppose. Additionally, during his campaign for Senate, Kirk referred to himself as the "42nd Republican senator, with the opportunity to put the brakes on any lame-duck overreach."

"Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, essentially told any member of his caucus that if they voted for it he'd have their head," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Chris Van Hollen told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast. "Because they understood there were a lot of these big special interests that preferred to operate in the dark."

[Jimaz]

Legal Pros Say No to Citizens United

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC, corporate money has poured into the 2010 elections in unprecedented amounts. Now, a bipartisan group of leading law professors, former state attorneys general, former prosecutors, and prominent attorneys from across the country has signed a letter calling on Congress to consider a Constitutional amendment to overrule Citizens United and return elections and government to the people. We joined that call because the notion of “corporate rights” expressed in Citizens United is antithetical to Constitutional principles of free speech, democracy, and self-government.

[gdogslim]

You can't just throw a few million to some people to organize a group and expect millions and millions of people to respond and go to tea party rallys. It is a grass roots anti spending anti big government party that has real americans responding to the ruining of this country.

"billionaire socialist" has got to be the single stupidest phrase anyone has come up with yet. Typical of right-wing nut-jobs to slap libelous labels on anyone who doesn't do the jack-boot dance to your mindless dogma. "

Really?
George Soros is a foreinger billionaire, socialist, money manipulator, liar, anti american All true.
Is he using his money to BUY DEMOCRATS so he can make more money?, maybe
He became known as "the Man Who Broke the Bank of England" after he made a reported $1 billion during the 1992
Why would this menace donate 1 million for prop 19? [[Calif. legalize dope)
He has done some very good things as well with his money to be fair.

Did Soros have Jaun Williams fires at NP? Probably
Socialist Billionaire George Soros donated $1.8 Million to National Publlic Broadcasting with the instruction to NPR to hire 50 Pundits to promote in US State News to promote his Socialist views.
This donation of Socialist George Soros was made the same day that NPR News Analyst Juan Williams was fired for saying since 9/11 he had experienced anxiety about Muslims in garb at Airports/planes in a piece on the Fox News O'Reilly Factor?

Should this Foreign Socialist Billionaire be pulling strings in our News and promoting his agenda in the pretense of News for US?
What do you think?

[rb336]

"billionaire socialist" has got to be the single stupidest phrase anyone has come up with yet. ..."
Really?
George Soros is a foreinger billionaire, socialist, money manipulator, liar, anti american All true.

Soros is a billionaire. The rest of your garbage is just that - garbage. He has been a US citizen since before I was born, he is a self-made man. My guess is that you haven't a clue what "socialism" entails, and I know you can't back up your bullshit with any facts.

He became known as "the Man Who Broke the Bank of England" after he made a reported $1 billion during the 1992

he made money betting against the pound. anyone with half a brain and money to invest would have too. I bought Euro futures back before the Euro was introduced and made a tidy profit three years later. BFD

Why would this menace donate 1 million for prop 19? [[Calif. legalize dope)
He has done some very good things as well with his money to be fair.

Did Soros have Jaun Williams fires at NP? Probably
Socialist Billionaire George Soros donated $1.8 Million to National Publlic Broadcasting with the instruction to NPR to hire 50 Pundits to promote in US State News to promote his Socialist views.

more baseless BS.

Should this Foreign Socialist Billionaire be pulling strings in our News and promoting his agenda in the pretense of News for US?
What do you think?

That anyone who believes that crap needs a serious remedial course in critical thinking, at the very least.

[oldredfordette]

You believe everything you hear on Faux, don't you gdog?

[gdogslim]

Everything I said is 100% fact. RE: Socialist Billionaire George Soros donated $1.8 Million to National Public Broadcasting with the instruction to NPR to hire 50 Pundits to promote in US State News to promote his Socialist views.

"The anti american socialist, Soros, is also profiting handsomely off the TSA.
He owns 11,300 shares of OSI Systems Inc., the company that owns Rapiscan. Not surprisingly, OSI's stock has appreciated considerably over the course of the year. "

I sort of admire his greedy capatalism ways, which is very strange coming from a liberal socialist. As a jew from hungary who went through the nazi reign, you would think he would be FOR the war on terror, not against standing up to terrorists.

Like hollywood libs who talk out of both sides of their mouths, pretending to be 'green' while flying on private jets and driving in big suv's while telling everyone else to buy into the global warming crap.
Gates - billionaire democrat, Buffet - same, list goes on and on.

[rb336]

Everything I said is 100% fact.

Prove it.
woops -- you can't for the same reason I can't prove the events in some Sponge Bob episode really happened

[gdogslim]

"This smacks of anti-semitism. It certainly has nothing to do with logic. Too much viewing of Glen Beck addles the brain. "

Anti semitic? How so? Because I mentioned Soros is jewish and grew up in Nazi Hungary? I still don't know why so many so many Jewish people are against the war on terror and are against helping Israel fight off terrorism.

Talk about big money in elections, George Soros gave 27 million last year to liberal groups, politicians and is trying to influence the media. The chart is correct and factual. If someone doesn't agree with a fact it doesn't make the fact wrong.

I don't watch Glenn Beck, but I do know for a fact, the Obama said he watches Glenn Beck a lot, and it sounds like you do too.

[rb336]

Talk about big money in elections, George Soros gave 27 million last year to liberal groups, politicians and is trying to influence the media.

what are you, un-American? that is his constitutional right. At least he doesn't run a "news" network that is nothing but a propoganda machine for the most vile wing of American politics

[johnsmith]

Talk about big money in elections, George Soros gave 27 million last year to liberal groups, politicians and is trying to influence the media

gdogslim, you obviously haven't read the "Liberalism For Dummies" book, available on the clearance rack at any Borders or Barnes and Noble. According to liberal propaganda, big money in elections is only bad when it's conservatives behind the big money. Remember, there are no rich liberals. Read up in the chapter about double standards, then check out the chapter that convinces/indoctrinates you to think that neocons, Republicans and conservatives are all the same thing. When you're done with the book, remember it is bound so that the pages are easy to tear out so you can wipe your a$$ with them.

[maxx]

gdog:
Why don't you complain about all the money Diebold is making off voting machines which have been shown to interfere with our elections?
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0828-08.htm

. As a jew from hungary who went through the nazi reign, you would think he would be FOR the war on terror, not against standing up to terrorists.

This smacks of anti-semitism. It certainly has nothing to do with logic. Too much viewing of Glen Beck addles the brain.

[maxx]

What are the Republicans afraid of? Why don't they want the American people to know the financial sources of their political ads?
http://politifi.com/news/McConnell-F...m-1247931.html
McConnell, what a hypocrite. He gives Kentucky a reputation for stupidity all by himself. Stupidity at best.
http://www.citizen.org/disclose-act-action

[maxx]

gdog: I don't watch Glenn Beck, but I do know for a fact, the Obama said he watches Glenn Beck a lot, and it sounds like you do too.

Then you must be reading Beck copycats. If one rightie gets an idea, it goes viral on the rightwing websites. I don't have to watch Beck. I get his craziness second hand from people commenting on his nuttiness. Still no sources I asked for? Soros used his money to topple "communist" regimes in Czechoslovakia and the Ukraine. That's a detail Beck left out.