Comments on: Another Two-Thousand Page Page-Turner http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/ If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. — Samuel Adams Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:18:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Doug Gibson http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36538 Doug Gibson Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:23:09 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36538 An easier, and much more urgent fix might be for states to require a "no political speech" clause in corporate charters. If you want to form a corporation, then that corporation can't spend <i>any</i> money on political speech. That's about the only way I can see avoiding the problems that might be caused if the Supreme Court does as people expect and grants corporations the same rights to donate to politicians and spend money independently in elections as citizens enjoy. An easier, and much more urgent fix might be for states to require a “no political speech” clause in corporate charters. If you want to form a corporation, then that corporation can’t spend any money on political speech.

That’s about the only way I can see avoiding the problems that might be caused if the Supreme Court does as people expect and grants corporations the same rights to donate to politicians and spend money independently in elections as citizens enjoy.

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]]> By: Jim Reeves http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36532 Jim Reeves Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:33:04 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36532 Good luck with that as there is plenty of case law [ Covington & L.Turnp. Co.v. Sanford,Smyth v. Ames, People v. Fire Assn.,U.S. v.Supply Co.,] establishing corporations as "persons" entitled to equal protection under the law. I am suprised it has stood for this long,and no I am not a proponent of corporate "persons", sewage sludge "bio-solids"or individuals having status of federal citizenship [not existing before the 14th amendment] having no inalienable rights except through the 14th. Good luck with that as there is plenty of case law [ Covington & L.Turnp. Co.v. Sanford,Smyth v. Ames, People v. Fire Assn.,U.S. v.Supply Co.,] establishing corporations as “persons” entitled to equal protection under the law. I am suprised it has stood for this long,and no I am not a proponent of corporate “persons”, sewage sludge “bio-solids”or individuals having status of federal citizenship [not existing before the 14th amendment] having no inalienable rights except through the 14th.

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]]> By: Tom Sullivan http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36458 Tom Sullivan Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:05:30 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36458 John, Maybe you do it one township at a time: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/greenrights/5925.html http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/porter_township_ordinance.html OCTOBER 2004 TAKING ON 'CORPORATE PERSONHOOD' KEN PICARD, STRAIGHT GOODS - Porter Township in northwestern Pennsylvania was an unlikely hotbed for an anti-corporate uprising. The tiny rural community about an hour north of Pittsburgh has a population of only 1500 people, many of whom are staunch Republicans with deeply-held conservative values. But after the Alcosan Corporation, a Pennsylvania sewage-sludge hauler, threatened to sue Porter Township in 2002 for passing a local ordinance regulating the dumping of sludge in their community, town officials decided that their citizens had taken enough crap from corporations. Literally. So on December 9, 2002, Porter became the first municipality in the United States to pass a law denying corporations their rights as "persons" under the law. Weeks later, Licking Township, another rural Pennsylvania community facing a similar lawsuit, passed a more expansive ordinance revoking all constitutional rights of corporations within their jurisdiction. Since then, dozens of other municipalities across Pennsylvania, some with as few as 1000 residents, have followed suit, reversing nearly 120 years of corporate encroachment on the rights guaranteed to all citizens under the US Constitution. Prompted by the failure of state and federal regulatory agencies to protect citizens' health, safety and quality of life from large-scale corporate activities, these municipalities took matters into their own hands and reclaimed their right of self-rule. Though the laws fly in the face of more than a century's worth of legal precedents that say corporations are "persons" protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, thus far these ordinances seem to be working. Now some Vermonters are looking to follow Pennsylvania's example and draft similar ordinances here to address environmental and public-health problems stemming from large corporate activities: the influx of big-box stores, the spreading of toxic sludge, even the proposed power increase at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Proponents of this strategy suggest that these laws may even be used one day to challenge undemocratic principles that were written into the World Trade Organization charter and the North American Free Trade Agreement. John,

Maybe you do it one township at a time:
http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/greenrights/5925.html
http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/porter_township_ordinance.html

OCTOBER 2004
TAKING ON ‘CORPORATE PERSONHOOD’

KEN PICARD, STRAIGHT GOODS – Porter Township in northwestern Pennsylvania was an unlikely hotbed for an anti-corporate uprising. The tiny rural community about an hour north of Pittsburgh has a population of only 1500 people, many of whom are staunch Republicans with deeply-held conservative values.

But after the Alcosan Corporation, a Pennsylvania sewage-sludge hauler, threatened to sue Porter Township in 2002 for passing a local ordinance regulating the dumping of sludge in their community, town officials decided that their citizens had taken enough crap from corporations. Literally. So on December 9, 2002, Porter became the first municipality in the United States to pass a law denying corporations their rights as “persons” under the law. Weeks later, Licking Township, another rural Pennsylvania community facing a similar lawsuit, passed a more expansive ordinance revoking all constitutional rights of corporations within their jurisdiction.

Since then, dozens of other municipalities across Pennsylvania, some with as few as 1000 residents, have followed suit, reversing nearly 120 years of corporate encroachment on the rights guaranteed to all citizens under the US Constitution. Prompted by the failure of state and federal regulatory agencies to protect citizens’ health, safety and quality of life from large-scale corporate activities, these municipalities took matters into their own hands and reclaimed their right of self-rule. Though the laws fly in the face of more than a century’s worth of legal precedents that say corporations are “persons” protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, thus far these ordinances seem to be working.

Now some Vermonters are looking to follow Pennsylvania’s example and draft similar ordinances here to address environmental and public-health problems stemming from large corporate activities: the influx of big-box stores, the spreading of toxic sludge, even the proposed power increase at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Proponents of this strategy suggest that these laws may even be used one day to challenge undemocratic principles that were written into the World Trade Organization charter and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

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]]> By: John http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36452 John Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:19:25 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36452 Tom, Just out of curiosity, how is congress going to undo 200 years of legal precedent? Corporate personhood gets its roots way back to John Marshall’s day. Are we talking the 28th amendment here? Tom,
Just out of curiosity, how is congress going to undo 200 years of legal precedent? Corporate personhood gets its roots way back to John Marshall’s day. Are we talking the 28th amendment here?

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]]> By: Tom Sullivan http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36441 Tom Sullivan Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:16:39 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36441 It's online now: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-sullivan/human-vs-predator-who-wil_b_363795.html It’s online now: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-sullivan/human-vs-predator-who-wil_b_363795.html

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]]> By: Michael Muller http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36436 Michael Muller Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:39:52 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36436 I just get Harper's for all the naked pictures. I don't actually <i>read</i> it. MM I just get Harper’s for all the naked pictures. I don’t actually read it.

MM

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]]> By: shadmarsh http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36423 shadmarsh Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:34:20 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36423 Shuler is a douche...but the more important question is why is Michael reading that pinko commie rag Harpers? Et tu, Brute? Shuler is a douche…but the more important question is why is Michael reading that pinko commie rag Harpers? Et tu, Brute?

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]]> By: Mark Nicolson http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36421 Mark Nicolson Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:04:31 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36421 sorry, off topic but i don't know how to start a thread yet. But... Is anyone going to talk about the biggest news in WNC right now which is that Shuler has been caught 100% with his ethics/honesty pants down? http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091114/NEWS01/911130361 http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20091113/SERVICES03/911131048 if he wasn't in danger before, he sure is now. do we care? sorry, off topic but i don’t know how to start a thread yet.

But… Is anyone going to talk about the biggest news in WNC right now which is that Shuler has been caught 100% with his ethics/honesty pants down?

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091114/NEWS01/911130361

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20091113/SERVICES03/911131048

if he wasn’t in danger before, he sure is now. do we care?

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]]> By: Tom Sullivan http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36419 Tom Sullivan Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:17:56 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36419 Thanks for the tip, Michael. The Harpers article is related to the one I submitted to HuffPost this morning: Human vs. Predator - Who Will Be Master? (not yet online) Grassley thinks, “Government is not a fair competitor. It’s a predator.” And Grassley's a tool. Government and the people are no longer masters, but servants to public corporations that, as Harpers suggests, are now large enough to threaten their creators. That's why we have leash laws. Thanks for the tip, Michael. The Harpers article is related to the one I submitted to HuffPost this morning: Human vs. Predator – Who Will Be Master? (not yet online)

Grassley thinks, “Government is not a fair competitor. It’s a predator.” And Grassley’s a tool. Government and the people are no longer masters, but servants to public corporations that, as Harpers suggests, are now large enough to threaten their creators.

That’s why we have leash laws.

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]]> By: Michael Muller http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36415 Michael Muller Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:46:34 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36415 Tom, This isn't exactly on topic, but here's a <a href="http://www.mullerbost.com/public/harpersobamacare.pdf" rel="nofollow">fascinating article</a> in this month's Harpers Magazine that those interested in the health care discussion might find worthwhile. MM Tom,

This isn’t exactly on topic, but here’s a fascinating article in this month’s Harpers Magazine that those interested in the health care discussion might find worthwhile.

MM

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]]> By: The Watcher http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/11/19/another-two-thousand-page-page-turner/comment-page-1/#comment-36413 The Watcher Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:35:54 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=9630#comment-36413 Your jokes are all directed at Republicans, but the Democrats control the White House, House of Representatives, and Senate and are largely responsible for the bill that you find to be such great joke fodder. You can't blame all the crap on the Republicans/Conservatives but toast Democrats/Progressives just because they did "something". The Democrats have not really fought for anything--- a Republican pops out of the bushes and yells "Boo", and they don't grow a spine, they go running to MSNBC to cry on Keith Olbermann's shoulder about "obstruction"! The House bill sucks and the Senate bill is going to suck. We know this. It sucks because the system is thoroughly and completely corrupt. We will be powerless to change it as long as we buy into the illusion of a two-party system. There is ONE party, and it ain't concerned with us. Your jokes are all directed at Republicans, but the Democrats control the White House, House of Representatives, and Senate and are largely responsible for the bill that you find to be such great joke fodder. You can’t blame all the crap on the Republicans/Conservatives but toast Democrats/Progressives just because they did “something”. The Democrats have not really fought for anything— a Republican pops out of the bushes and yells “Boo”, and they don’t grow a spine, they go running to MSNBC to cry on Keith Olbermann’s shoulder about “obstruction”! The House bill sucks and the Senate bill is going to suck. We know this. It sucks because the system is thoroughly and completely corrupt. We will be powerless to change it as long as we buy into the illusion of a two-party system. There is ONE party, and it ain’t concerned with us.

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