Identity Crisis

Citizen's United v. The Federal Elections Committee

Looking at the ruling, I have to disagree with the opinion of Justice Stevens who states, "The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court’s disposition of this case". If that be the case, so should unions, and PACs knowing how they too have lobbyists and in many cases deep pockets (Look for Obama's Campaign finance records). Politically there is no difference between a PAC, a union and a Corp. Both will stop it nothing to get their candidate of choice into office with the plethora of resources that they have. This especially goes with CNN,MSNBC and FOX News who spend money on facilitating political speech . All of those are news corporations, who spend X amount of money, on Y amount of pundits to bring forth their appraisal on Senator A and disgust for President B.

In a sense this ruling will be more or resurgence of the rights of CEOs and corporate leaders as voting citizens who are free to support their candidate. I don't think the notion that you own a successful business disqualifies you from using your resources to support your candidate. Its not the government's decision to decide how you do your politics as long as you respect the life, liberty and property of others.

Its the same with me using my blog to support candidates I agree with. I have an advantage over people who don't know how to make a blog. Should I be barred from making blogs and reduce myself to posting Facebook statuses?

Fact of the matter is, removing the restrictions of campaign donations by corporations is nothing more than increasing the number of entities in civil society. More opinions, more interests, more of a fight of ideas, and in the end more democracy.

So what does this mean to the voter. Well nothing actually. Sure Governor K might get more ads than ex-mayor G, but that does not mean that the former automatically wins the election. Voters need to think for themselves not what some ad says to them. This ruling should really be an incentive for the democracy of the democratic republican system rather than a fear that corporations are running the government. If voters decide to not read up on candidates and vote because someone looked good on camera then the interests of corporations, unions, and PACs have prevailed.

So How is This Government Supposed to Work?

Lee Doren , a conservative blogger, gave a helpful tip for the Democrats amidst their defeat in holding Ted Kennedy's seat. Take a look see!

http://leedoren.com/2010/01/21/federalism-save-the-democrat/

In addition to the Doren's comments I have to expound on his point that the federal government really was not designed to send out 2,000 page bills into federal law in less than a year. This system of the approval of both the House and Senate signifies that governance in the U.S. was intended to be conducted more on the state level. The fact that the current health care effort has not been passed yet by a Democratic congress shows that legislation on the federal level is slow and rightfully designed so.

Alexis De Toqueville states in his book Democracy in America, "The Federal government is far removed from its subjects, while the state governments are within the reach of them all and are ready to attend to the smallest appeal" (385). And this is even true today with the different rules and regulations that each states holds in their respective bodies of law all of which have been shaped by the citizens and situations of each state.

One of my biggest qualms with the health care legislation was the implied, one size fits all approach that federal law has upon the states. Such can be seen by examining tax codes. On the state level, the lawmaking body only has to adapt their legislation to the state's tax code and the tax codes of local governments. However passage of a health care bill on the federal level adds another degree of separation from the governed where one decision affects everyone regardless of the situation they are in.

Would the plan care if Texans can pay for it but New Yorkers can't because of a difference in tax codes?

If a law is passed in Congress, it needs to be thought out, debated upon and down right comprehensive...(as in my senator can read it). It won't just affect the nation, it will also affect the states.

First Post: Intent and Goals

January 23, 2010 begins my life as a political blogger ( or at least a wannabe political commentator).

The purpose of the blog is to bring out the following...

1) My opinion.

2) News that does not get mentioned much on Mainstream Media ( MSM).

3) To get your opinion on my opinion and the opinions of others.

I'm hoping for the best with this. While reading this blog you will know my biases on the issues. However your opinions do matter in this forum and I will do my best to reply with respectful comment as long as you give a respectful one to me or the people who take part in it as well.

Unless you want us to return to the early 19th century where political rivalries were negotiated over duels...I warn you now...I will win.

Well that's the intro. Hoping to see you on the next post.