1 Company, 1 Vote

Thank you, Supreme Court, for ruling McCain-Feingold unconstitutional. I know that corporate sponsored candidates are exactly what our founding fathers had in mind when they were drafting the ol' First Amendment. After all the text does protect freedom to buy elections. Wait, what's that? It just says freedom of speech? And money isn't speech? Get outta here. My money talks to me all the time. It says things like "Bet on the Texans to win the Superbowl," and "Eat twelve pounds of fertilizer." Stupid crap like that. So why would I want to listen to it? But money isn't the same thing as speech. Money is a medium through which we can purchase commodities and services. Like elections. Sweet. That's how we can further disenfranchise the people who are already at the bottom of society. Because what we really need is our leaders to be looking out for corporate interests, rather than protecting those who have the fewest protections and the most need.
Me: The First Amendment does NOT protect the political speech for corporations.
Other: But we treat corporations as legal entities. They have other legal rights.
Me: But, unlike real people, they can't vote.
Other: Oh. Right. So they don't have the same vested interest in freedom of political speech?
Me: Exactly.
Other: So their political speech doesn't seem like it needs to be protected in the same way.
Me: Right.
Other: Because all they have to speak about is their interests. And allowing them to 'speak' is more like business promotion and profit maximization than political speech.
Me: Now you are catching on. If only the Supreme Court would.

Next on the Supreme Court docket: a reconsideration of Dred Scott. (Legit, a commentator called this the worst decision since Dred Scott.)

Also, Massachusetts, my native land, my love, the bedrock of liberalism in this country. ARE YOU SMOKING CRACK?!?!?! Did you not see the "R" next to Scott Brown's name on the ballot? Words (at least non-profane words) cannot express my shock, dismay, and anger. Then again, Coakley ran a beyond awful campaign. She acted like she didn't want to be a Senator. Way to take a month off of campaigning. You don't get to do that when you are running for a seat in the United States Senate. This isn't an election for class president where you have the best hair. Whatever. It's fine. It really is a referendum on the current state of politics. Once again the Democrats have shown no backbone. And the Republicans have acted as obstructionists and won. Dems, time to play by the same rules. Throw some elbows. Get down and dirty. Maybe even get some legislation passed. It wouldn't kill you to do a little governing as long as you are in power. That does double for President Obama. I love the guy. I love the party. But this is floundering is ridiculous. Democrats look like...well...flounders. The fish. And not the one that a hot mermaid chills with.
Why are 60 Democrats equal to 51 Republicans? It's just not right.
My prescription for the Democrats is simple.
1) Transparency - you can't have 7 different copies of the same bill floating around that are each 2000 pages. Of course everyone is going to be suspicious of that. I pay attention to politics and I don't even know much of what is in the Senate and House health care bills. Keep it simple. "Here's how many more people are covered, here's what it does for existing health care plans, here's how much it costs. It's good. You'll love it." Keep it simple, keep it transparent.
2) Jobs - everyone wants one and there ain't enough to go around. Even if you don't have a good answer, at least try to have one. That's what people want you to talk about. You need people to win elections. Winning elections is important to your survival. Talk about jobs.

I'm full of anger. Other things too, like worrying about getting a job for the summer. But mostly anger. And internal organs.