Colbert proves SCOTUS made the right ruling in Citizen's United

[Quantum Windbag]

I love irony.

Comedy Central funnyman Stephen Colbert, like most of his friends and allies on the left, thinks that last year's Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC is, literally, ridiculous. To make his case that the ruling invites "unlimited corporate money" to dominate politics, Mr. Colbert decided to set up a political action committee (PAC) of his own. So far, though, the joke's been on him.
The hilarity began last month, when Mr. Colbert began to have difficulty setting up his PAC, which is a group that can raise money to run political ads or make contributions to candidates. So he called in Trevor Potter, a former Federal Elections Commission (FEC) chairman who is now a high-powered Washington lawyer.
Mr. Potter delivered some unfunny news: Mr. Colbert couldn't set up his PAC because his show airs on Comedy Central, which is owned by Viacom, and corporations like Viacom cannot make contributions to PACs that give money to candidates. As Mr. Potter pointed out, Mr. Colbert's on-air discussions of the candidates he supports might count as an illegal "in-kind" contribution from Viacom to Mr. Colbert's PAC.
All was not lost, however. As Mr. Potter explained, the comedian might still be able to set up a "Super PAC," a group that can raise unlimited sums of money as long as it spends it only on independent ads, without donating at all to candidates. Super PACs exist because of another case that proponents of campaign-finance law despise, SpeechNow.org v. FEC.
So the newly dubbed "Colbert Super PAC" was off to the races. Mr. Colbert could finally show us how amusing it is to raise unlimited corporate dollars and spend them on political ads.

Steve Simpson and Paul Sherman: Stephen Colbert's Free Speech Problem - WSJ.com

 

[midcan5]

Citizens United ranks as one of the worst SCOTUS decisions of modern times. Corporate worship is a powerful force in the American mind, the power of many years of propaganda is obvious, business has attained religious status for the impressionable.

See editorial and video by Lawrence Lessig below.

"Institutional corruption does not refer to the knowing violation of any law or ethical rule. This is not the problem of Rod Blagojevich, or, more generally, of bad souls acting badly. It instead describes an influence, financial or otherwise, within an economy of influence, that weakens the effectiveness of an institution, especially by weakening public trust in that institution. (An “economy of influence” rather than the simpler “system of influence” to emphasize the reciprocal character of such influence, often requiring little or no direct coordination.) Boston Review — Lawrence Lessig: Democracy After Citizens United


This is excellent. Democracy after Citizens United | MIT World


"Personally, I question whether any of these approaches will work. The CU ruling established control over all three branches of government. The president and members of congress now know that they cannot be reelected without the financial support of corporations and special interest groups." Citizens United - One year later - Steven Rockford - Open Salon



"Corporate propaganda directed outwards, that is, to the public at large, has two main objectives: to identify the free enterprise system in popular consciousness with every cherished value, and to identify interventionist governments and strong unions (the only agencies capable of checking a complete domination of society by corporations) with tyranny, oppression and even subversion. The techniques used to achieve these results are variously called 'public relations', 'corporate communications' and 'economic education'." Alex Carey

 

[Dot Com]

Robert$ sold the government to the highest bidder. Also, if it was such a righteous decision, why was it 5-4?

 

[KissMy]

As Mr. Potter pointed out, Mr. Colbert's on-air discussions of the candidates he supports might count as an illegal "in-kind" contribution from Viacom to Mr. Colbert's PAC.

Then how the hell does MSNBC get away with airing 24/7/365 Obama & Democrat political campaign ad?

 

[StevenC]

Citizens United ranks as one of the worst SCOTUS decisions of modern times. Corporate worship is a powerful force in the American mind, the power of many years of propaganda is obvious, business has attained religious status for the impressionable.

See editorial and video by Lawrence Lessig below.

"Institutional corruption does not refer to the knowing violation of any law or ethical rule. This is not the problem of Rod Blagojevich, or, more generally, of bad souls acting badly. It instead describes an influence, financial or otherwise, within an economy of influence, that weakens the effectiveness of an institution, especially by weakening public trust in that institution. (An “economy of influence” rather than the simpler “system of influence” to emphasize the reciprocal character of such influence, often requiring little or no direct coordination.) Boston Review — Lawrence Lessig: Democracy After Citizens United


This is excellent. Democracy after Citizens United | MIT World


"Personally, I question whether any of these approaches will work. The CU ruling established control over all three branches of government. The president and members of congress now know that they cannot be reelected without the financial support of corporations and special interest groups." Citizens United - One year later - Steven Rockford - Open Salon



"Corporate propaganda directed outwards, that is, to the public at large, has two main objectives: to identify the free enterprise system in popular consciousness with every cherished value, and to identify interventionist governments and strong unions (the only agencies capable of checking a complete domination of society by corporations) with tyranny, oppression and even subversion. The techniques used to achieve these results are variously called 'public relations', 'corporate communications' and 'economic education'." Alex Carey

Then you must be against collective bargaining for public sector unions too huh? After all they pure money into the democrat machine so these same dems can give them the contracts they want.

 

[kiwiman127]

As Mr. Potter pointed out, Mr. Colbert's on-air discussions of the candidates he supports might count as an illegal "in-kind" contribution from Viacom to Mr. Colbert's PAC.

Then how the hell does MSNBC get away with airing 24/7/365 Obama & Democrat political campaign ad?

Then how the hell does Fox News get away with airing 24/7/365 a pro-GOP political campaign ad?

To NOT include Fox News with MSNBC is the above rant is disingenuous.

 

[Truthmatters]

Colbert isnt done yet folks.

Sit back and watch the game play out.

He is going to make a mockery of the decision by showing Americans how it really works.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Citizens United ranks as one of the worst SCOTUS decisions of modern times. Corporate worship is a powerful force in the American mind, the power of many years of propaganda is obvious, business has attained religious status for the impressionable.

See editorial and video by Lawrence Lessig below.

"Institutional corruption does not refer to the knowing violation of any law or ethical rule. This is not the problem of Rod Blagojevich, or, more generally, of bad souls acting badly. It instead describes an influence, financial or otherwise, within an economy of influence, that weakens the effectiveness of an institution, especially by weakening public trust in that institution. (An “economy of influence” rather than the simpler “system of influence” to emphasize the reciprocal character of such influence, often requiring little or no direct coordination.) Boston Review — Lawrence Lessig: Democracy After Citizens United


This is excellent. Democracy after Citizens United | MIT World


"Personally, I question whether any of these approaches will work. The CU ruling established control over all three branches of government. The president and members of congress now know that they cannot be reelected without the financial support of corporations and special interest groups." Citizens United - One year later - Steven Rockford - Open Salon



"Corporate propaganda directed outwards, that is, to the public at large, has two main objectives: to identify the free enterprise system in popular consciousness with every cherished value, and to identify interventionist governments and strong unions (the only agencies capable of checking a complete domination of society by corporations) with tyranny, oppression and even subversion. The techniques used to achieve these results are variously called 'public relations', 'corporate communications' and 'economic education'." Alex Carey

Do you have an opinion about any subject that is not based on the opinions of others you think are smarter than you are? Can you tell me what it is about the Citizens United decision, as it was actually written, that you disagree with personally? Or is all you have to go on what others have told you it does? Because I can guarantee that it does not do what either of those idiots you quoted says it does because corporations are still categorically prohibited from making political contributions to candidates.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Colbert isnt done yet folks.

Sit back and watch the game play out.

He is going to make a mockery of the decision by showing Americans how it really works.

He already proved it doesn't do what he thought it does, so how is he going to make a monkey out of anything?