Showing posts with label money in politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money in politics. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Political Verse Nonsense


POLITICS

Republicans just blather and blather.
While Democrats just get in a lather,
Though the rest of us,
We never much fuss,
Still hoping common sense they could gather

John Boehner is certainly not crazy,
Even if you think his man tan may be.
Nonetheless his crying,
Is quite stupefying,
And, puts to shame all other cry babies.

Limbaugh says Health Care is just fine as is,
And needs no new laws, taxes or patches,
“What’s a few million uninsured?”
“Hell, they can be faith cured,”
“And save money by dying in batches!”

Conservative, WASP, evangelical or Anglican
Republicans can be so downright unAmerican,
“To Hell with all the rest,
Let’s feather our own nest!”
Could be the the epithet of the last Republican.

Republicans say their tent is big and inclusive,
Declaring they wish not to be reclusive,
Yet tolerate no homos nor lesbians,
No Atheists, Progressives nor Haitians,
All those and Republicans are mutually exclusive!

"All those whiners!" declared Phil Gramm,
"We've got ours so we don't give a damn.
John 'n me and most of our friends,
Got more money than we can spend.
Let the poor eat cake and marmalade jam."

Too much education is a bad thing,”
Said Karl Rove of the Right Wing.
“It’s really quite pathetic,
Letting people vote Democratic,
Could well cut short a Republican swing.”

The Roadblock and Train Wreck party held a meeting,
“There’s absolutely no doubt we’re in for a beating.”
Said national Chairman Michael Steele,
“And, I must make a last ditch appeal,”
“To return to our core values of lying and cheating.”

An old Republican queer named Mitch,
Swore to run health care straight in the ditch,
Wearing a shirt of bright pink,
He minced as he winked,
“Screw health care, I’m still a stone bitch!”

A Democrat out driving a Toyota,
Ran over a Republican Voter.
‘Thank goodness!’ he cried,
“He was on the wrong side,”
“And I don’t blame myself one iota!”

Of the US Congress, who can say?
Why they plot, sellout, stall and delay?
All we absolutely know for sure,
Their results resemble horse manure,
With the public always the ones who pay.

ALASKANS

MILLEROSCOPY
Joe Miller ran for public office.
Alaska voters held a caucus.
Decided he was a nut case,
Wearing a thug’s beard on his face,
Who made everyone too nauseous.

Joe Miller went all wacky and nervous,
The election became a huge circus,
And, when the recount at last came in,
Poor ol’ Joe took it smack on the chin;
For, voters learned Joe Miller was worthless!

PALINOLOGY
Due to her total refudiation,  
Of all the entire Obama nation,
Sarah Palin drew a bead,
Never mind the need,
On all health care laws and legislation.

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH SARAH PALIN?
Whatever could be the matter with Sarah Palin?
Disturbing all with her sad weeping and wailing.
Insisting the media spawned her political derailing,
Whining by Facebook, Twittering, and secret emailing,
Insinuating so much with insufficient detailing,
Blaming all but herself for her career's curtailing,
Hopefully now her political coffin has its last nail in.

THE DANCER
There once was a dancer named Bristol;
Who was ever so ignorantly blissful.
Like her mom, a mental midget,
She extended her middle digit,
And used her finger as her pistol.

"THE DIM-WITTED TWEETER" 
There was once a dim witted twit who twittered,
Who quitted her governor's job with all its glitter.
And, promised to never, ever leave Twitter.
But soon did so with nary a back-look nor titter.
Then, later behold! About-faced and unquitted Twitter!
Yes, this dim-witted twit recanted and re-twittered,
She twittered about this and that and the other,
Death panels, Russia and Obama's mother.
Hoping everyone forgot the job so blithely quittered.
On, she twittered, and twittered and twittered,
On subjects she hardly knew quit from quinolla,
She expounded on Levi, McCain, Trig and Angola.
On Sesame, governments, church and pipefitters.
She shamefully twittered and twittered and twittered,
While the country grew quite weary and so jittered,
All tired of her nonsense and now sadly embittered,
While the sheen on her star dimmed and quite flittered.
Nonetheless, she persistently, mindlessly twittered,
Ignoring all pleas, imprecations and screams,
Plugging always her twisted, evangelical dreams,
Even husband Todd too, wanted to jump up and hit her.
May we never see again all those perfidious twitters,
Playing so to fears, paranoia, religion and bitters,
Plainly,  insanely, chasing her own lost fame and glitters,
Yes, next time give us at least a rational bullshitter!

THE QUITTER
Sarah Palin thinks everyone's out to get her,
Which makes her mad and so awfully bitter,
She's resorting to politically incorrect twitters.
The public is greatly amazed, and all in a titter,
Her constituents never agreed to permit her,
To abandon her state nor to submit her,
To ridicule, amazement and rude side-splitters,
Being a lipsticked mom from a pit bull's litter,
Didn't qualify Sarah nor make her one bit fitter,
To govern a state nor be a political outwitter.
Turns out, Sarah's only an inept, low-octane quitter!

Tweet!

Tweet!

Tweet!


Monday, October 19, 2009

The Real Golden Rule: 'Those with the Gold, rule'

Special Interest Money Buys Elections - pretty much all the time today.  Tom Ferguson in his book 'Golden Rule:  The Investment Theory of Politics' says, "Elections are moments when groups of investors coalesce and invest to control the state."


Special interest money - and especially corporate special interest money buys elections.  Historically, 9 out of 10 victors in elections have outspent their opponent, whatever their party.  Surprised?  No one should be.  Deep down, I think everyone probably kind of suspects that behind-the-scenes special interest money is funneled into election campaigns.   But, the trouble is, no one really understands how pervasive and serious this problem actually is.  No one seems to understand the danger this places us all in.  The danger to us collectively as a society that is.

Various campaign finance rule changes over the years resulted in a system which allows - even encourages - special interest money to influence and buy elections.  Massive amounts of money, millions and millions of dollars, from anonymous donors is utilized for ad campaigns favoring particular candidates or issues.  The main culprits are '527 groups' after the section of US law they are permitted by.  Much of their money - often called 'soft money' - doesn't even need to be reported to the Federal Election Committee until after the election is over - if then. 

In fact, the Federal ElectionCommission (FEC) decided in 2004 that 527's were not even to be regulated under campaign finance rules unless they 'directly advocate' the defeat of a candidate.

'Political Action Committees' (PACs) are more regulated, yet still able to spend vast sums lobbying and donating to other political campaigns.  Most federal level politicians now have their own PACs and use their discretion to dispense contributions as they see fit.  PACs are the so-called 'non-profit' 501(c) political organizations formed ostensibly to 'educate and inform'.

Those are the rules.  Those are the rules put in place by our legislators, elected by us, to serve 'we, the people', who instead are often persuaded to legislate in favor of some special interest or the other, which is often directly AGAINST the interests and welfare of the public.  A lot of money is at stake.  The people who do this - infuse the special interest money into the campaigns - claim it is their perfect right under the First Amendment - freedom of speech.  But, leaving aside the discussion as to whether or not a corporation, business group or PAC can be - as they are today - considered 'persons' (and very special 'persons' at that!) - the net effect drastically loosens the laws and allows massive amounts of cash to be unfairly inserted into campaigns in one form or the other.  Those with the gold, rule in other words.

An actual 'person' may not do this - unless it is to finance his or her own campaign.  Real people are limited in the amounts they are allowed to contribute - unless of course it is to a 527 group - and there they don't even need to be identified.  But any real person making a direct contribution over $100 to a political campaign must be identified by name, address and occupation/employer.

527 groups are allowed to spend unlimited amounts in favor of, or against any candidate or issue they so desire.  The only limitation to their spending when they qualify as a 'Trade Association' Business Leagues, Chambers of Commerce, Real Estate Boards, etc., is that intervening in political campaigns is not  their 'primary activity'. 

How wrong is that?  And who decides whether or not political activity is their primary activity?  Surprise!  That is usually done by people appointed by politicians themselves.  On yes, something is definitely rotten in Denmark all right.

You and I as individuals may not contribute unlimited amounts for political advocacy (unless to a 527 group),  yet the 527 groups may do so, as much as they wish so long as they claim to be a trade association or like group.  How did it ever come to pass that these types of 'persons' have rights superior to actual people?  Beats me.  Oh yeah, wait a minute. . . . ,  I guess it's because politicians collectively decided it is advantageous to them personally, either in their own election campaigns, or in the massive amounts of money which will be funneled to them as advocacy for one issue or the other.  Public interests be damned.

Do we need election campaign finance reform?  You Bet! 

How can we do this without inhibiting rights to free speech?  There must be some mechanism which will permit real democracy to be maintained without endangering constitutional rights.  I believe there is.  In fact, it ought to be pretty darned simple if our political leaders actually believe in fairness and democracy.  In keeping with a 'one person, one vote' democracy, this is what is needed:
  • Each person should be allowed to donate a limited amount to any candidate or issue he or she chooses.  No limits to the number of candidates or issues;
  • No company, group, organization or entity other than actual persons should be considered as persons, or permitted to contribute to any candidate or issue whatever.
Simple, right?  Probably much too simple for the political leaders of today.

If you have the time, please view the excellent documentary on the new Golden Rule.



"The world is ruled only by the consideration of Advantages"
    ~ Friedrich von Schiller