Comments Posted By michael reynolds
Displaying 41 To 50 Of 839 Comments
WHAT'S ALL THE HUB-BUB ABOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE?
Really quite simple. This ruling treats “ALL” Corporations equally. IF this ruling is in error as some suggest, than the alternative is to ELIMINATE the exception for “Media” Corporations. Since IF the “Corporate” structure is the issue, IF a “Corporation” DOES NOT have Free Speech rights, IT CANNOT have Free Press rights.
This is the sad, silly drivel the right wing comes up with in a lame attempt to justify the fact that they've just corrupted the American political system even further while handing foreigners major rights in US elections.
Dragon: the 1st amendment guarantees a free press. A free press is not paid political advertising. And the right to a free press does not rest on recognition of corporate personhood -- it predates the ludicrous notion of corporate personhood.
The effort was to curb paid political advertising. The NYT does not buy attack ads, it runs a newspaper. Of course given that one has to assume most of your news comes through the GOP's pet network, Fox, I can understand your difficulty in understanding the notion of an independent press.
The decision is indefensible and just more evidence -- like any was needed -- that all the talk of opposing judicial activism is a smokescreen for the naked political agenda of the Republican Supreme Court.
The bottom line is that a Venezuelan oil company or Korean car company or Chinese apparel manufacturer can now run a million dollars worth of attack ads in the last three days of a campaign -- too close to election for fact-checking or counterattack. That's what your ideology has brought down on us. Thanks. Wonderfully "conservative."
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 24.01.2010 @ 10:52
This is a novel idea. It presumes that non-humans run the companies, work for them, and invest in them.
This is utter nonsense. The people already have a vote and a right to contribute and to speak. This is purely about the corporation as a separate and distinct entity. No human's rights were ever abrogated or in question.
Republicans may wish to consider that US corporations are not necessarily owned or run by Americans. There are a number of Indian and Chinese CEO's of US corporations, for example, and those gentlemen and ladies are now entitled to spend millions on ads attacking your favorite candidate. A Chinese CEO, who may have strong ties to the PRC's Communist Party and its economic interests, can have a far greater direct influence on an American election than, say, Rick Moran.
In fact, there's nothing stopping any foreign national from establishing a US corporation for the sole purpose of interfering -- excuse me, I mean speaking freely with millions of dollars -- in American elections. That corporation is a person, you see, with free speech rights. Even if it is owned by Libya or Venezuela or Pakistan or China.
Olbermann was hysterical, but this was a deeply stupid decision perfectly in line with a deeply stupid political party.
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 23.01.2010 @ 14:17
ZUCKERMAN'S LAMENT, KRUGMAN'S DISGUST
Poster:
Europe is overrun by Islamists? Have you ever been to Europe? Netherlands is overrun by tall, blond beauties on bikes. France is overrun with -- and this is a shock -- Frenchmen. Italy is filled to the brim with Italians -- I just spent 8 months living there and trust me: Italians. There are a lot of immigrants in the UK but the bulk are not "Islamists" they are rather "Shopkeepers." No one has been overrun.
Your comments are simply at odds with reality. And too much at odds, in too many ways, for me to spend a long post in refutation.
Your initial point was that we need to defend our culture. You've said nothing to support that paranoid claim.
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 22.01.2010 @ 13:13
I'll address the most telling part of your comment:
Other countries protect their cultures. We should do the same. We have every right to do so. Also, by failing to protect your culture you lose respect.
We are far and away the world's largest cultural exporter. Our culture is everywhere. Our movies, our TV, our books, our games, our software. We are the OPEC of culture.
Not only have we successfully sold our culture everywhere, we've convinced the entire developed world -- Europe, Japan, India, South America, and, increasingly China, that our economic system and our political system is the only workable one.
Worrying that we aren't protecting our culture is like absurd. We're not only protecting it, we're selling it to everyone on Earth.
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 21.01.2010 @ 23:00
B. Poster:
So pull up the drawbridge? What is this, the 1930's?
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 21.01.2010 @ 15:53
I don't agree with Shaun that Obama can't change the political culture. I think he can. He can open up meetings and deliberations. He can release records. That means less capacity to wheel and deal. But I wonder if openness and political integrity aren't more important than passing legislation right now.
Cynicism is always with us, but it is more painful in the wake of raised hopes for something different. And cynicism eats away at real power. Obama should start by ordering full disclosure on all TARP documents, AIG, and Bush administration torture memos and reports as well.
And from here going forward take the health care thing public -- all of it. Stop feeding the paranoia and cynicism with back room deals for Nebraska. Risk failure for the sake of honesty because I think the greater risk is immobilization by sheer weight of cynicism.
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 21.01.2010 @ 12:02
SCOTT BROWN BITES THE HEADS OFF LITTLE CHILDREN AND DRINKS THEIR BLOOD
So three of the three liberals condemn the ad.
Meanwhile SShiel exults that Teddy is spinning in his grave. The intellectual leaders of your party squat on the airwaves and denounce donations for children in Haiti.
Look at the people you align yourself with, Rick. Look at your friends and ask yourself why. Have you no sense of decency at long last?
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 16.01.2010 @ 21:54
The ad's a lie. I condemn it unreservedly.
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 16.01.2010 @ 17:31
WHY CONSERVATISM IS DISCONNECTED FROM REALITY
I don't mean this to be facetious, but isn't the short version: Conservatism is disconnected because conservatism was just plain wrong?
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 12.01.2010 @ 15:36
OF AX GRINDING AND SCORE SETTLING
SShiel:
Actually the closest analogue would be Joe Biden's remarks about Obama being "clean and well-spoken." And there was an uproar, mostly from Republicans.
Meanwhile at the tea party demonstrations we have conservatives portraying Obama as a witch doctor and using a misspelled N-word. And of course we get blatant race-baiting from Limbaugh on a regular basis. And not a word from conservatives.
You all have great sensitivity to racially insensitive or anachronistic remarks from Democrats and no interest at all in the blatant racism that characterizes many on your side of the spectrum. Mote and beam, if I may go New Testament on you.
Comment Posted By michael reynolds On 11.01.2010 @ 14:29
