Three Cheers for the Supreme Court
Well, two anyway. The Supreme Court has done plenty of damage with their retarded “reasoning” that money and speech are the same thing, and corporations are people. And they also just ruled today that fraud — along with bribery — is a cherished Constitutional freedom that our Founding Fathers envisioned.
But back to that silver lining: They ruled today, 8 to 1, that people who sign petitions — for the purpose of getting an initiative or referendum onto the ballot — can NOT run and hide and keep their names secret. If you’re going to take part in the political process, man up. Or else stay on the sidelines and shut the fuck up. One or the other; you can’t cherry-pick the best of both.
This case was scary, mostly because of the slippery greasebag, James Bopp, who brought this case to the Supreme Court. James Bopp has a long range incremental plan. In his twisted little dream world, corporations will not only be free to purchase elections (like they already are), but ALL disclosure laws will be ruled unconstitutional as well.
As corrupt as things already are, diligent voters can follow the money to see who’s bribing which congressman and who’s funding those “grass roots” demonstrators who keep screaming that health care reform equals Nazi Germany. And if you see one of those intelligence-insulting political hit pieces on TV, you can move up really really close to the screen and see the .01 font lettering that says “this crock of shit was paid for by ___________________.”
Keeping petition-signers’ names secret was Step One of James Bopp’s master plan. Now that he’s been kidney punched by the Supreme Court, maybe James Bopp will slink back under his rock and go back to pulling the wings off of flies, smelling bicycle seats or whatever his favorite hobbies are.
And yesterday the Supreme Court, in an 8 to 0 ruling, dealt a slight setback to those anal retentive property owners who think they own the beach, the ocean, the view, the air supply…
I realize that access to the beach isn’t exactly up there with the economy or health care. But if you live — or have ever lived — in a coastal community, you know what a contentious issue this is.
Labels: James Bopp, Supreme Court beach access, Supreme Court petition signers
posted by Tom Harper @ 12:44 PM
9 Comments:
As a misplaced Floridian, I am in total agreement with the beach property decision...very infuriating the asswipes who arrogantly section off beaches simply because they have a builing on it. However, if things continue in the downward swing of recent events, the beach issue may become moot (not making light of the other issues mentioned here, mind you).
So if people with beachfront property don't actually own the beach, does that mean their property taxes can go down?
I have problem with that disclosure decision. Technically I agree with it, but what if a Conservative Employer (for example) looked up every name of his employees that signed the Marijuana initiative in California and decided to try and terminate them? Or a Gay employer who wondered how many of his employers signed the petition to repeal the Gay Marriage initiative last year?
Officially there are law making it illegal to discriminate on political beliefs but I don't know it this applies!
Plus there is that ever present burden of truth. Proving that's why you were harassed!
Erik
Erik
Honest I'm not sure about this, but I think an employer doesn't even have to have a reason to fire you. So the reasons you gave and the ones for no reason at all exist. Your boss may not like you because you do your job to well and it shows them up.
PS...that's why I favor unions but that's for another time..
I'm in favor of disclosure laws..Dick the prick Armey watch out.
I pretty much agree, Erik. The good of this outweighs the bad. Now that corporations are allowed to spend like people can, we need to know when they are pulling the strings.
I think full disclosure in the long run serves far more good than it does harm.
Again, if you are embarrassed to have your name publicly announced as having signed a certain petition, then should you really have signed it?
jadedj: Good point. If things keep deteriorating, beach access will be pushed to everyone's back burner by all the other raging emergencies.
Lew: Sure. I think property taxes should be closely tied to things like whether someone owns a beach, has a great view, etc. If they don't own the beach their property taxes should go down. And they should go down if some buttwipe builds a 5-story McMansion next door and wrecks the view. Unfortunately, property taxes are too arbitrary. But that's a whole 'nother post.
Erik: I can't imagine this ever happening. I hadn't even heard of the idea until these homophobes started claiming that wicked gay people were calling them up and harassing them because they signed a petition. I have no idea whether there's any truth to it or whether it's an urban legend.
Tim: That's true; with "employment at will" or whatever it's called, an employer can fire an employee at any time, with or without cause. They don't even have to make up a phony reason.
JR: Yup, it's more important than ever to keep track of which corporations are bribing Congress and paying for huge ad campaigns.
TP: "If you are embarrassed to have your name publicly announced as having signed a certain petition, then should you really have signed it?" My sentiments exactly.
Regarding Bopp, note that rats and cockroaches also prefer to do their thing in darkness.
Erik, "man up" cuts both ways. Sometimes, people have to put it on the line for what they believe in.
On the fraud decision, SCOTUS actually got it right. The law was sloppily written and vague. It just needs to be redone in a properly target fassion.
On the petitions, I won't sign one unless I'm proud to be associated with it.
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