The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: Corporation Throws Hat In Ring For Maryland Congressional Seat
No matter how much Alito may bobble his head in disagreement with the President over the Supreme Court's recent ruling on Citizens United v. FEC, this is the next logical step in affirming corporate personhood.
Corporation Murray Hill, Inc. has decided to run for the Maryland's 8th congressional district seat, one currently held by DCCC chief Chris Van Hollen. Murray Hill, Inc., will be running as a Republican(s?). From their corporate website:
Following the recent Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission to allow unlimited corporate funding of federal campaigns, Murray Hill Inc. today announced it was filing to run for U.S. Congress and released its first campaign video on www.youtube.com/user/murrayhillcongress
“Until now,” Murray Hill Inc. said in a statement, “corporate interests had to rely on campaign contributions and influence peddling to achieve their goals in Washington. But thanks to an enlightened Supreme Court, now we can eliminate the middle-man and run for office ourselves.”
Murray Hill Inc. is believed to be the first “corporate person” to exercise its constitutional right to run for office. As Supreme Court observer Lyle Denniston wrote in his SCOTUSblog, “If anything, the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission conferred new dignity on corporate “persons,” treating them — under the First Amendment free-speech clause — as the equal of human beings.”
Murray Hill Inc. agrees. “The strength of America,” Murray Hill Inc. says, “is in the boardrooms, country clubs and Lear jets of America’s great corporations. We’re saying to Wal-Mart, AIG and Pfizer, if not you, who? If not now, when?”
Murray Hill Inc. plans on spending “top dollar” to protect its investment. “It’s our democracy,” Murray Hill Inc. says, “We bought it, we paid for it, and we’re going to keep it.”
Damn straight. I think this is an excellent way to illustrate just how short-sighted and dangerous the SCOTUS decision was. Campaign manager William Klein will be updating the status of the campaign on HuffPo:
Corporations are people too--with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by humans. The Supreme Court says so! The courts have devoted endless attention to the rights of the "unborn," but finally, they are recognizing the rights of the never born.
Murray Hill, Inc.'s run for Congress is, therefore, a milestone in the struggle for civil rights.
And the Murray Hill for Congress campaign is drawing support from all over. Our YouTube video is spreading through the Internet, our Facebook page brings in new Friends and Fans every hour, and and Designated Human Eric Hensal appeared on the Thom Hartmann show as well as Russian TV. (How's that for a juxtaposition?)
And now, we're even selling mousepads. Our message?
Corporations are people too!
Thom Hartmann interviewed Murray Hill Inc.'s designated human, Eric Hensel earlier this week about their campaign..
No one will be personally liable for their decisions any longer, because it was a corporation that voted. If it's a bad decision, well the corporation can be sued and damages will stop at the corporate entity.
I can see it coming now. Own nothing control everything.
Goodnight, Frau Blücher
Get thee to a nunn'ry..."
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
It's time to decide which other country that has national health to move to. I mean it. I had so much hope when Obama was elected that I wept for joy. Now Massachusetts, of all states, has sold out. It's time to abandon ship. The rats own it now.
Alan Grayson for President, Elizabeth Warren for Vice President, and Paul Krugman for Secretary of the Treasury!
The New Super Jiffy President . . No money down or payments till next year! Hurry while supplies last!
Be There!
The most exciting match yet. And special appearances by . . Lady Ga Ga . . and . . introducing
Congressional Death Match 2010
I'd watch
Goodnight, Frau Blücher
I think this is actually where we are heading.
They'll be rolling out Red Carpet down Penn Ave . . the awards shows . . Best Politician Category!
. . . And the nominees for Congressman of the year are . . . envelope please
after a word from our sponsor. Wal-Mart! Supermarket to the world!
I love you!
is insane!
Alito can go screw himself. This isn't about interpreting the constitution literally. This is about doing the bidding of his corporate masters along with Roberts and Scalia. He's a traitor to the American people. Nothing less.
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
Alito and Roberts should both be impeached! They were appointed by a president who was a minority appointment due to the Supreme Court. These fascists need to have a shot fired across their bow!
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
I was thinking something else.
I'd be happy with a modicum of rock salt in each of their asses, with some left over for Scalia and Thomas, too.
Can SC justices be impeached? Clearly they are not thinking in the interest of THE PEOPLE.
NOBODY 2012
Now, what about the aprox. 50% of the U.S. who think it's actually a good thing to let Walmart run for office because it employes cousin Ned?
the utter insanity of keeping the outdated Social Security system that destroys the sprightly ambition of today's elder working generation.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
We've had people running and governing as corporations now we're completing the circle of life with corporations running as people. This is the new social Darwinism: if people and their ideas are worthwhile, I'm sure they'll prevail. :)
What happens when our choices consist of one of two subsidiaries of the same parent corporation?
is bought out in a hostile takeover by George Soros?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
The Captain Kangaroo Corp® may have something to say about that!
our suffering jurisprudence structure with a more marsupial friendly court system, I will take stock in you.
Remember kids, its Kangaroo Corp. for your Kangaroo Courts.
(Not to be confused with Kangaroo Court, another fine overnight destination brought to you by Marriott)
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
We'll have to wait for O'Reilly's hard hitting editorial commentary then we'll be outraged ... and then turn to American Idol.
What happens when corporations patent the R/D party? Or a D merges with an R? Or and R becomes a D for legal reasons? Think of the possibilities.
or Senate?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
should be from Delaware.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Well...when is NORML gonna at least run for something...?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thum...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
..since Corporations are people, what happens when they merge? Aren't same sex marriages illegal in most states?
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Do you sex a corporation by spreading its legs or by searching through the feathers?
Robert Murdoch!
Steve Jobs!
Jeffrey R. Immelt!
And now it's time for . . American President who will come out on top!
But first a word from Proctor and Gamble
If corporations are really going to achieve personhood, then I may have to change my position on the death penalty.
Rimshot!
will get probation.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Don't corporations have to be at least 25 years old to run for office? (See Article 1, Section 2 of the Quaintstitution)
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.
65 years?
change "inhabitant" to "contaminant."
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
..birth certificate.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
The idea of Murray Hill, Inc. came to Mrs. and Mr. Hill on a cold and stormy night in Baltimore 26 years ago.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
are the new birth certificates?
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
at incorporation? Can gay corporations legally incohabitate?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
hats off to murray hill inc for helping to demonstrate just how dangerous this new precedent is to our struggling 'democracy'.
president obama now has a chance, if he takes on this corpor-o-cratic ruling, to secure a second term and be in league with TR/FDR if he uses all of his political acumen to attack this ruling by getting ahead of, and leading efforts to, protect our democracy.
California Senate Passes Medicare for All Legislation
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
Aetna et al v. Earthquakes Victims, that people had second lien standing when trying to prevent the purchase of California, made possible after the earthquake losses bankrupted American casualty companies and allowed health insurance companies to purchase the state for pennies on the dollar. The ruling denying standing allowed Aetna and its fellow defendants to avoid resorting to rubbing the public's nose in their anti-trust exemption.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
if I didn't tell her
I could leave today
California Dreamin'
on such a winter's day....
was denied insurance coverage when Aetna proved her eating was a pre-existing condition.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
from http://www.casselliot.com/biography.htm
The facts about Cass Elliot's death have existed since a few days after she died on July 29, 1974. The pathologist who performed the autopsy, Keith Simpson, was one of England's leading forensic pathologists.
A competent forensic autopsy showed:
1) A heart problem leading to heart failure;
2) No sandwich or any other item in her throat or trachea; and
3) In fact, she had had very little to eat the day before she died.
Furthermore, the drug screen (a standard part of a forensic autopsy) showed no drugs in her system.
Simpson's conclusion was that Cass died of "heart failure due to fatty
myocardial degeneration due to obesity". Although this conclusion was disputed by American pathologists at the time, fatty myocardial degeneration is now recognized as a potentially lethal condition. The latest (1996) edition of the authoritative "Heart Fascicle" (officially, Tumors of the Heart and Great Vessels) published by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology states: "Rarely, lipomatous [fatty] infiltration ... may cause sudden death" and cites the following reference: Voigt J, Agsal N. Lipomatous infiltration of the heart. An uncommon cause of sudden unexpected death in a young man. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 1982;106:497-8.
One possible theory is that Cass Elliot had a heart condition of this sort for a long time. This would be consistent with the various times she is reported to have passed out during the 1963-74 time period. In a young woman, fainting is usually due to heat, onset of flu, pregnancy, or some other innocuous cause, but if it continues to happen, it warrants investigation. A "cardiac conduction defect" creating a disturbance of heart rhythm just might be caused by a fatty myocardium and could explain a great deal. Failure of the fibers of the heart that should conduct the impulses that cause the heartbeat to do so is a known cause of sudden death.
With special thanks to Rhonda D. Wright, M.D.
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
heard this. Is it true? Can I finally stop bashing this state?
initiatives and referenda settle.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
the final returns are now in . . The next President . . Walt Disney and VP Kimberly Clark.
What an exciting day for America. .
election as the first Cryonic American President, and said Kimberly
Clarks selection "reassured Americans of a paper product safety net in case global warming were not a conspiratorial fraud and Mr. Disney thawed into a liquid sticky mess before the end of his term.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
You nailed it!
Nails are for boards. Sticks are for popsicles.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
If only ACORN would throw it's collective hat into the ring, Then Rep King R-Ia. could go to their cookie bake fundraiser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo7OAf1ghRw
If this wasn't so serious an issue, I would be ROTFLMAO...
Way to go Murray Hill, Inc.! Show those 5 activist repuke bastards of the SCOTUS just how assinine and dangerous to the country their decision was. Kudo's to you.
Can I register my small corporation as a voter?
The United States aspires to democracy, but no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.
At least Murray Hill Inc. can be boycotted/un-patronized if it/he/she is not responsive to the majority.
I think the corporations are gonna find what the average TV network found.
People wont sit still for endless commercials.
First people fast forward on the VCR through the commercials.
Corps tried advertising on the bottom of the screen like four or five years ago, during the programming, but people made it clear that was annoying.
Then the network started advertising the upcoming shows during the closing credits of another. They're still doing that, but people just TIVO to their next program.
People are constantly campaigning about negative campaigns, but that's usually in reference to the commercials, while the candidates try to appear above it all. Some of the worst offenders are 527's.
And the situation is ripe for criminal corruption. A corporation runs commercials on it's own TV network, thereby decreasing available commercial time for consumer products, so the corporations has to charge them more for quantity demand increase based on the dwindling quantity supply of available air-time, and then when they run their own political commercials it's either at the cost of the other commercials, or a way of moving money around from one account of the corporation to another, and the source moving it can probably claim it as both a tax deduction as well as an expense, to manipulate their profit margins.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
No problem...they (the advertisers) will just incorporate the "commercial message" into the part you sit still for...
...as a matter of fact...they already do.
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
Camaro.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
That's already mentioned and has driven people off of network to cable, satellite and auxiliaries.
Additionally it'll become a nightmare of accounting to dwarf Arthur Anderson. Which are political commercials, which are interest commercials, which are product commercials? Technically any advertising to protect their profitability turf could be considered product commercials.
It has the potential of bringing back the Free/Political/Commercial Speech distinctions that lasted until early 70's porno cases.
Future court decisions in this regard will affect our 1st amendment rights too; they do inevitably.
"People are often complaining about negative campaigns..."
I'm still trying to wake up.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
they were driven off in their shiny Camaros.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Can I register my small corporation as a voter?
The United States aspires to democracy, but no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.
Now, the newly formed International Secular Laws And Messages Cooperation (lets call them ISLAM Co. for short) can buy however many seats they want in Congress and the Senate, and thus influence the judicial nominations to be "suitable secular" for future appointments!
Excellent!
Freedom and justice for all!
Freedom and justice for now!
White House releases visitors list. Big names dominate E-Bay Bedroom stays.
Best Buy wins Congress Building naming rights bid.
And when and if they bring back the Fairness Act, I'd have it so either the cable stations have to provide free air-time for opposing views or not be allowed to voice any of their own on the candidates or issues of an upcoming election within 60 days.
And make cable a'la carte, so we can say in effect, "Sure you have to right to air your view, but we have the right to remove your from our cable/satellite package."
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
That's why cable outlets didn't have to worry about the same obscenity restrictions that broadcast channels did.
The Fairness Doctrine is antiquated. It shouldn't be brought back, but a new kind of accountability legislation that applies to cable and broadcast would be nice.
That's why I would make the change so it would apply to cable.
The idea before was free TV was like an intruder, and had to be treated as such, whereas cable was the alternative. But now there are alternatives to cable not just from satellite but also the internet.
Expect this issue to bleed over into the Internet Issue, where the smaller fry are pushed out by the larger fry (former TV networks), who will then advertise for whatever or whoever they feel like without limitations.
One day Crooks and Liars may cease to exist, or from economic necessity be forced to carry shitloads of palin for president ads.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The idea just rips my abs.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Justice Sammy "the Stockholder" Alito announced the Court would reaffirm Dred Scott and Plessy v. Ferguson while voiding Brown v. Board of Education to prove their unwavering commitment to judicial inactivism.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
They couldn't even wait for the ink to dry.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
Inc. It went the way of pinkos back in the fifties. Not surprised you hadn't heard though.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
I've noticed something interesting, Article III of the Constitution only says, "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish," and list a rather long list of situations where it's the orignating court.
Here's a thought, couldn't legislation, be passed, that would make the Supreme Court the clearing-house for Constitutional cases to those inferior courts, who under the supremes supervision makes the decision. The only objections the supremes can raise would be one of procedures and law. The power is still there's but the responsibility delegated.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
anyone?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Interesting, when I was typing about the bleed over of Citizens United v the Federal Election Commission into the internet issue, I was drawing a blank on the name of the issue (I'm only half-way through my first cup of tea).
Wouldn't you know it, the newest thread provides the name, Net Neutrality.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Oh, and additionally the Fairness Act can be brought back and updated to include today's technology, because of the name of the act, the only thing that would change would be the names of the sponsors in the House and Senate. For example you can't bring back the Glass/Steagall act, because both Glass and Steagle are otherwise too occupied to do so themselves.
Much of law is filling out the proper forms, like found in the Uniform Commercial Code, and then making the relevant changes for your particular situation. The Fairness Act provides the template for such forms. So the only other reason to change the name would be to distinguish it from the first, like a II (as in a sequel), to distinguish that the first wasn't renewed but used as an inspiration for new legislation, or because the name of the first has been too disparaged to make it's utilization politically feasible.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
If property is now a person, what are people? I think this case inherently says people are now property. Otherwise, you can't afford equal protections under the first amendment if you don't define corporations and people equally. So who owns you? Someone owns a corporate person so what about an actual one?
You mean the Supreme Court has reversed Amendment XIII?
Technically we've had the legal ficition corporate personhood since 1886 with Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad.
What I wonder is if we could categorize corporations as a person in need of loco parentis, which would in effect be the government's responsibility to regulate the people who run them, if not regulate them themselves.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Property is tangible. Corporations are not. For the purposes of the SCOTUS decision, corporations are a collection of people (stockholders).
What about intellectual property?
And people aren't tangible?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
He specifically says Citizens United vs. FEC was the mirror of Dred Scott vs Sanford. Instead of a person being property, it says property is now a person.
I just believe that making property a person implicitly does the inverse.
Supreme Court's next decision:
People are no longer considered people.
The next we'll hear is that people are no longer people when they are employed by a corporation. That would solve all their union and safety problems. If a corporation's "human resources" are their property then no rights need be afforded to them.
They could certainly be considered part of their liabilities already, the cost of doing business
Or an asset, in the case of a particularly talented person.
Something like that has already occurred when a corporation can sue an individual, who the plaintiff can claim came up with an idea while under their employ, even if they hadn't made it yet.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
What law or legal finding made corporations into people? And, I don't mean the bogus entry by the Court Reporter in 1886? Help me here.
If this really gets going, I expect something to happen that would make the French Revolution look like a walk in the park.
More fallout from the supreme court's decision>
I am curious to how a challenge as to how corporations are treated under the new bankruptcy laws and we "other" citizens.
IS this serious? It's not an Andy Borowitz parody or something?
Really, I'm stunned into speechlessness. And for this wordsmith, that's really something.
BID
Are they running seriously or satirically to make a point? I'm confused.
They're a progressive group making a serious point by taking a ludicrous (but SCOTUS-endorsed) stance.
I mean, at the same time do they really want to win and have congressional power?
It will be challenged in court and that's the point.
They're a progressive PR firm, and man, I think if I need some PR, these guys just proved they are THE company I would want designing MY public relations campaign! Hats off to them, they've got MY vote!
LOL
I want the biggest and the best.
can you imagine newscorp as a legislative entity?
Given that corporations are considered for protection of constitutional rights, and that Article 1, Section 2 Paragraph 3 states that “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.” Should these corporations be counted?
An if not Why not?
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