Grayson: Fight now or ‘kiss your country goodbye’

[kpete]

Grayson: Fight now or ‘kiss your country goodbye’

By Sahil Kapur
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 -- 9:07 am


Inaction will create 'Congressmen from Wal-Mart'

WASHINGTON -- Responding to the Supreme Court's ruling Thursday to overturn corporate spending limits in federal elections, progressive firebrand Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) immediately highlighted a series of moves to "avoid the terrible consequences of the decision."

"If we do nothing then I think you can kiss your country goodbye," Grayson told Raw Story in an interview just hours after the decision was announced.

"You won't have any more senators from Kansas or Oregon, you'll have senators from Cheekies and Exxon. Maybe we'll have to wear corporate logos like Nascar drivers."

Grayson said the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling -- which removes decades of campaign spending limits on corporations -- "opens the floodgates for the purchases and sale of the law."

more:
http://rawstory.com/2010/01/grayson/

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. That's the fighting spirit we need!!!

[Kelvin Mace]

2. As far as I can see, there is only one possible solution

and that is a constitutional amendment EXPLICITLY stripping corporation of these rights. I proposed this once on this very board and was derided for wanting to destroy every liberal institution on the planet. I admit, the wording is critical, since we must accomplish our goal, strip corporations of "personhood", while preserving a free press (almost all corporations).

My original amendment was:

"Corporations, partnerships, and all other "artificial persons" shall exists at the sufferance of the People, and shall enjoy rights,privileges, duties and responsibilities as mandated by the People."

I welcome any constructive advice on how to re-phrase this. But remember, the longer it becomes, the less likely it is people will understand it and support it.

[MUAD_DIB]

3. I like Grayson, but isn't that what we elected our Reps and Congress critters for?

Not that I don't want to fight, but if they won't fight hard for us then what options do we have: the rule of the gun?

We can sign petitions, which I have, until the cows come home, but if our elected officials are looking for us to lead then they have a serious problem.


If we act like the teabagers do you really believe that the media will cover it as well as they did the afore mentioned fools?

We actually need our elected officials to start fighting for us. NOW. Not later.

:mad: :banghead: :mad: :banghead: :mad: :banghead: :mad: :banghead: :mad: :banghead: :mad: :banghead:

[bullwinkle428]

4. Well, let's see what kind of media coverage Grayson gets

in the weeks and months to come...that should be quite telling. I think his desire to exhort the public is based on a fear that his voice will become more and more muted.

[janet118]

5. Grayson sure has knack for naming bills . . .

Here are the bills that Congressman Grayson has introduced, and what they aim to accomplish:

1) The Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act (H.R. 4431): Implements a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns.
2) The Public Company Responsibility Act (H.R. 4435): Prevents companies making political contributions and expenditures from trading their stock on national exchanges.
3) The End Political Kickbacks Act (H.R. 4434): Prevents for-profit corporations that receive money from the government from making political contributions, and limits the amount that employees of those companies can contribute.
4) The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act (H.R. 4432): Requires publicly-traded companies to disclose in SEC filings money used for the purpose of influencing public opinion, rather than to promoting their products and services.
5) The Ending Corporate Collusion Act (H.R. 4433): Applies antitrust law to industry PACs.

[newtothegame]

6. Is this decision the result of a lawsuit filed by progressives our conservatives?

Who took this to the courts?

[Selatius]

10. Citizens United is and has always been a far right group. They brought this lawsuit.

You can look up the case under Citizens United v. FEC. It seems they succeeded in their lawsuit.

[Rapanui1]

7. Now Obama will surely fight Alan Grayson

Our weak kneed president would immediately start threatening Grayson for speaking the truth after an elaborate lip service y'day. If the demomcrtas had leaders with spine like Mr Grayson, and not someone like Nancy Pelosi or Reid the country could be saved. If Obama is re-nominated I am definitely not voting.

[depakid]

9. Unlikely- that's not his style

and go ahead- be a fool don't vote and hasten yours and the nation;s decline.

[olegramps]

11. I realize and share your frustration however I urge you to not capitulate.

We are experiencing the legacy that we have inherited from the Bush-Cheney fascistic administration that got us into two wars, bankrupt the nation and placed these traitors on the Supreme Court. If the fascist right wing regains control of congress and the Whitehouse you will live to regret your decision. Don't allow your discouragement to totally block your reason since that is exactly what the enemy prays will happen when they have pursued a campaign to destroy President Obama.

[Doctor_J]

23. They have already regained control

If you can't see that, og, I envy you your rose-colored glasses.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Don't not vote

At least vote for state and local candidates, who have a far greater influence on your daily life than the president does.

If left-of-center people stay home because they're disgusted with the national Democratic Party, they will be cutting off possibly progressive local candidates (the future Kuciniches, Sanders, and Graysons) at the knees.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

8. Anyone still believe there's no difference between the Rs and Ds?

This ruling is why it make a difference who is in the Whitehose.

Kudos to Grayson for speaking up.

[Vidar]

12. K&R.

[MrsCorleone]

13. He's right. This is it for us. Tell everybody you know what the SC did to this

country yesterday. It is critical that low-information voters understand the implications of this ruling in order to have massive support for congressional fixes to the damage done by the SC.

Facebook, tweet, post comments on your community news sites, post on RW websites, etc. This needs to go far and wide, as RW radio and websites are already confusing the peeps about what just happened to this country. Their spin & propaganda will only worsen the situation as time passes.

[Doctor_J]

24. Please. Fox News has already convinced them that SCOTUS was right

Step one of resisting is admitting the situation we're in

[agent46]

15. It occurred to me

t occurred to me that if word gets out about what this SC decision actually means to the future of American politics - ordinary citizens will have something to agree about across idealogical lines. Problem is a lot of Americans are functionally illiterate at this point and don't have access to reliable information.

[glitch]

19. It's an attack on anyone not pro-MEGA-corporate.

Libertarians should hate it, real Conservatives should hate it. Anybody who isn't on the board of Exxon or Walmart or Goldman-Sachs should hate it.

Plenty of small-medium-large corporations aren't huge and some are already speaking out against it.

[Odin2005]

16. Dean/Grayson 2012!

[Bluebear]

17. Works for me!

[lib_wit_it]

28. I'm in!

[Echo In Light]

18. K&R

[DKRC]

20. K&R

:kick:

[donheld]

21. k & R

[nilram]

26. ditto

[Doctor_J]

22. The ship has already sailed

democracy was on death's door step before yesterday. Now it's stone cold. We have two choices

1. Learn to make the best of living in Beckland
2. Get some torches, pitchforks, and rope

Sadly, Grayson has only about 10 months left to try to fight his fight. He's got as much chance of making a difference as a Glade plug-in in a slaughterhouse. You can tell he's on our side by the fact that Big Media avoids him like the plague.

[madokie]

25. I was watching Grayson earlier on tweetys show

and tweety was being a total ass, I'm surprised Grayson didn't tell him that to his face too. it was enough to piss me off.

[DisgustedInMN]

27. Hey jellyfish...

.. pay attention to what a real Democrat acts like.