Occupy Supreme Court

[liberalmike27]

I don't know how the Supreme's work, or how close you can get. But the protestors in Washington should consider Occupy Supreme Court, since they are partly to blame for the 'extra' corporate money flowing into elections, and the 2010 insertion of so many extra republicans.

Seeing Democrats winning in 2006 and 2008, they chose to substantially change the structure of campaign donations, allowing corporations to finance the 2010 elections, in effect turning back the tide of people, with all of the propaganda they were able to buy and put on the media with corporate money. Admittedly it was bad before. But they deserve some of the attention.

[otohara]

1. Excellent Idea

If I didn't live so far away...

[polichick]

2. Absolutely! The Court is the biggest symbol of DEMOCRACY LOST...

...after the 2000 "election" and Citizens United.

k&r

[wildeyed]

3. Yes.

Anytime we try to limit corporate money in politics, the Supremes overturn the legislation. When the corporatists try to limit voter participate, say the ID laws that have recently passed, they ok it. Not sure how to address the problem. Supremes are there for life and therefor pretty much impervious to political pressure.

I have been working grassroots and local for years on campaign finance reform issues and am pretty discouraged. We do the work required to get the reform laws passed and then poof, they are gone on appeal. Thousands of angry people protesting in the streets across the nation might influence their thinking. Or not. They really don't give a shit about normal citizens. It is all about their corporate cronies. Sadly, I believe there will be serious unrest and blood shed before the powerful take any real notice.

[RKP5637]

4. Yep! "They really don't give a shit about normal citizens. It is all about their

corporate cronies." Until the plutocracy sees a dime lost, they could give a shit about the protests or the country. OWS is great, your remarks about SCOTUS are right on. But frankly, I don't think TPTB give a F about these protests. They will give lip service to see if they can co-opt it, but if they gave a F we wouldn't be in this mess in this country in the first place. MILLIONS of Americans are suffering each day financially and/or healthwise and/or on the edge. Many of TPTB just do not give a F. They just do not care. And much of it is out of sight, out of mind.

Too many Americans still think TPTB are on their side. Times have changed. Too many Americans are lethargic thinking these are the old times. They are not, this country has radically changed in my lifetime and not for the better. And many Americans are lambs just plodding along. Hopefully OWS will wake up many Americans.

That all said, I don't know what the final solution is, but IMO these demonstrations although good, might not change a F'en thing. But, it is an excellent start. As more and more people think like OWS, there is a chance to change the direction of this country, I hope.

[liberalmike27]

5. They were a big problem

of course, during FDR's times too. I have known about the infamous, and much-demonized court-packing scheme for a long time now. What I hadn't heard until recently that because FDR tried to do this, it made the Supreme's less likely to rule his new laws to fix the 1929 republican created depression, unconstitutional.

I think the fact he may appoint another less-conservative judge in his next term is about the only thing I still hang with Obama on, as he's sold a lot of democratic principles down the river, and has taken a lot of money, along with a lot of other democrats, from the banking industry.

Clearly this should be issue number one for OWS. If we can't get corporate money out, and reduce the size of contributions down to about $100 maximum, and use public financing of elections, we're going to continue having war-without end, no push toward new clean energy source, cheaper pharmaceuticals, health care, every single issue hinges on this one main thing. Get the influence of money out of politics, and criminalize any other outside way of funneling money to anyone who has ever been in politics, even after they've served. Got to stop the delayed payoffs too.

And you know, I think they all hate raising the money, so if it became a fevered pitch, then maybe. I even heard a guy talk about doing it through the states, one by one the other day on Olbermann. Apparently you've got to get 34 of them to pass the law, then it becomes an amendment to the constitution. OF course, sadly they are bought by the same big money.

[wildeyed]

9. I need to read more about the Depression and FDR.

It would be helpful, considering the parallels with our current time.

You are right about the money. Many of the politicians hate the fact that they have to raise it. Many got into politics for the right reason, but to stay in, they have to bring in the campaign dollars. It slowly erodes their integrity until you end up with the watered down mess that is the current Democratic Party.

[liberalmike27]

11. Yea, that's why

I never have supported term limits, or the idea of getting rid of all of them. Say you manage to do that. The only thing you've accomplished is putting a whole new crop of folks into office, who will then be bought.

There are a few, like Bernie, Al Franken who haven't been bought off yet, who have honor. But when money is involved, no politician can honestly say, without bias, that his vote wasn't bought.

Trade agreements are a fantastic example of what corporations want, and both parties are purchased. It's pretty clear at least the way they are negotiated, we get the short end of the stick with them.

[lunatica]

6. It goes back further than that. They selected George W Bush illegally

I think your idea is outstanding. I hope you send it to them, although I'm sure they're thinking about it. There are too many smart people using the General Assembly meetings for the exchange of ideas and the planning of strategies for them not to have this as an issue.

[TheKentuckian]

7. I don't think the tactic will be of much effect on the fascist five.

Protesting them may raise consciousness about what kind of judges we have and how they can pervert the law if put in place to do so but that change is slow but hopefully deep. It won't change this court or even future ones in the short term but in a generation's time may move the needle where the current nonsense is not acceptable.

You do point out a significant factor of why the system may not be really salvageable if an infinite or at least a very long time frame isn't feasible as we have a host of problems that either will grow beyond management, are too toxic to permit at all, or if left in place prevent even mitigating other hazards.

Working within a system with so much entrenched entropy may be a fantasy, no matter how desirable it may be to maintain order. Methodology cannot trump need and chaos cannot be conflated with entropy.

[Peregrine]

8. Actually against the law to protest at the SC

There is a federal law that forbids all protests at the SC, regardless of content.

[Glimmer of Hope]

14. I participated in a protest in front of the SC the night they deliberated the

Troy Davis case. The police allowed it but we were not allowed to stand still so we walked in a circle.

[Tesha]

10. That should have been done December 13th, 2000.

Five Supremes should have been run out of town on
a rail after being tarred and feathered.

Our democracy died the day before when they decided
they would choose the next President.

Tesha

[liberalmike27]

12. Well

Even though we'd topped a hill during Clinton's years, and were slowly beginning to sink into the Bush years, I think many of us failed to see a downfall of this magnitude, where unemployment created by globalization, and huge tax cuts on the rich, brought on unemployment rates of nearly 20 percent. Personally I was screaming "coming dystopia," years ago. The idea of exporting jobs, good ones, and they were supposedly supposed to result in us having more of them, well, it didn't play very well with my BS detector even back then.

It's really funny in a way--anyone on the outside would almost laugh--"So, your politicians made it easy to purposely export any jobs that helped folks get together enough money to create a new business, and climb the class ladder. And you are surprised that now you've got 20 percent unemployment?" I guess it just goes to show how convincing our media is, and how gullible so many of us were.

[ThomWV]

13. Now is a good time - they have been in session since last week.