Money-as-speech has metastasized so extensively it threatens to kill its host, ending democracy here and turning America into another Putin- or Orbán-style autocracy run by Trump...
Excellent article. More people need to know that Alito voted for Citizens United right after he returned from an expensive Alaskan fishing retreat with Paul Singer, a major GOP donor, fossil fuel investor, and hedge-fund manager with multiple cases before the court. Following the junket, Alito failed to recuse himself from at least 10 cases involving Singer. Alito also voted to dismantle EPA climate protections while his wife was profiting from fossil fuel sales on family land. Right after Mrs. Alito leased her Oklahoma land for oil and gas production, negotiating profits of 3/16ths of the fossil fuel sales, Alito voted to block the EPA from limiting greenhouse gas emissions. We are in end-stage oligarchy and it's metastasizing.
Sabrina, Marx predicted end stage capitalism would be like this. Many thought end stage capitalism would evolve into democratic socialism. It will either become that or another dictatorship. Get the vote out.
Money or back-channel support to Greene, Trump, and Vance (among about 150 other Republicans) from Putin, Orbán or Xi is a window of opportunity for trial lawyers.
There are exceptions to Citizens' United. Federal law prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures(including independent expenditures) and disbursements solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election. This prohibition includes advances of personal funds, contributions or donations made to political party committees and organizations, state or local party committees for the purchase or construction of an office building funds under 11 CFR 300.35, and contributions or disbursements to make electioneering communications. https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/foreign-nationals/
During the 2016 cycle, cases were brought involving illegal contributions by Russia/Ukraine.
Good to hear the crooks get caught. But do they get caught often enough and suffer consequences severe enough to make them afraid? Cutting the budgets or regulatory agencies is a GOP tactic.
The prohibition should include expenditures made to distribute fake news and bots- from Xi, Putin, and Fox. I smell a federal class action (said a 25+ year federal trial lawyer). Getting jurisdiction over Fox is easy; Xi and Putin have assets here, lets get a judgment and freeze/ squeeze the hell out of them.
Rupert, said he was neither red nor blue but green.
I do not believe him. He has an agenda, He destroyed the political system in Australia and is persona non grata there he did the same to England, and has done the same to America.,
He hates democracies,or rather western democracies.
Back in the sixties, demonstrations were people by lawyers yelling out to those being arrested: "what'd your name?" immediately informing them that legal help was instantaneously set. Course, back then, lawyers trusted the objectivity of the law and the courts, with ultimate sovereign faith in the final recourse, the SCOTUS. Lawyers, conditionally trained to keep their fingers in the air, reading winds from ALL possible directions, knowing any misstep could result in their own peril, assess the possibilities and probabilities to engage in legal action. A concurrent metaphor is lawyers in the foxholes, wating for leaders (elected Democrats) to provide encouragements to charge. Single, unbacked lawyers willing to confront the dragon (I see none) will be toast, given the size and resources backing the beast. If lawyers come forth, against MAGA money and
already well purchased politicians and courts, I will the first and loudest to cheer them on. Not willing though to suffocate myself by holding my breath while waiting.
Thanks, Thom, for another eulogy for the deceased American dream. 803 billionaires have been running this show ever since Citizens United/Reagan and only more unavoidable concrete evidence of climate collapse can wake up the average American, otherwise being entertained (?) to death/worked to death. I never thought I'd find myself cheering on the tornadoes that ran my parents and I out of Kansas in 1950, but that's what it's going to take, although the GQP controlled media will attempt to convince us that it's not happening and show another football game, etc. while our roofs blow off. I do appreciate your heroic effort to protect the Alamo that once was our beloved USA.
Citizens United, I fear, was just the beginning. I’m guessing that scotus will hand down some sort of “limited immunity” to trump in the next week or so, hoping to influence at least one juror to acquit as they begin deliberation.
It's been said before that Trump is a symptom and not the cause. Just as Tokyo Rose was an instrument of Japan's leaders, Trump is a willing tool of the Oligarchy. We will learn much from who he chooses as his running mate. Thanks for another thought provoking article. Vote and get out the vote.
The fundamental problem is that the entire political class, not just the cultists of tfg, is addicted to the money flowing their way from lobbyists, domestic and foreign, and from dark sources now protected by those SCOTUS rulings. Which is why I believe the American experiment is finished. The “better angels of our nature” have proven insufficient against the demonic power of money. In the rise of authoritarianism around the world, we are seeing what we humans really are. To me, an unworthy, rapacious species ill-suited and undeserving of the role of supervising and controlling this world. If we destroy ourselves in the next few decades, it will be a fate richly deserved. Morbidly richly, in fact.
Roy, I hope you're just feeling discouraged today and don't feel that way all the time. Tokyo Rose's purpose was to destroy morale. We need to support each other and continue to fight for the common good.
All of this is disturbing and scary as hell!! We must overturn citizens united as soon as possible. Oligarchs and people with power seem content to destroy all that is good.
Supreme Leader, Ayatolla Alito of SCOTUS (Supremely Corrupted Obstructionalism Team - US), is a shithead among shitheads. He's a shithead's shithead. Did I mention he's a shithead? He's a shitty husband, a shitty neighbor, a shitty citizen, and a shitty justice.
It would be safe to say that the deep state is the same group of individuals that want to destroy our democracy. The maga cult member voters hate the deep state, yet they have been conned by brainwashing to support their own demise by the deep state.
Money is power and nobody should have more power than the will of the people in any Nation. That is what the rich tyrants are afraid of. Being treated equally. There are rich thugs and there are poor thugs and they all want to be immune from prosecution.
By not prosecuting the bigwigs of the insurrection, Garland has allowed the coup to continue. Why has there been no talk of Garland stepping down?
Corruption always turns into directions not perceived beforehand. This is why a candidate campaigns against corruption almost always wins. Use it Biden.
My father was with the Army Air Corps in England during the war. He and other airmen and soldiers heard daily broadcasts from Axis Sally or Lord Haha, both Nazi collaborators and both of whom were executed by the allies. If many of our current judicial and political traitors were to be treated under those rules of war, there would be special appointments and elections held country-wide. I'm not advocating that level of retribution - that being the province of our own wannabe emperor. We do need a major outsourcing, though, to replace those in power who couldn't pass the citizenship test required of recent immigrants.
Today was brutal. The propaganda from countless sources is flooding social media with messages and memes that carry the propaganda mind-control techniques that are effective at strongly influencing thoughts, feelings and behavioral choices.
The rhetoric is specifically framed to invite the target demographic to listen or read and make the proper choice.
This piece by Thom Hartmann had a profound effect on me because it pieces together history not well known or remembered by propaganda weary Americans and concerned folk worldwide.
Consider the following argument in the context of the Citizens United abomination which, together with related rulings, destroyed over a century of American electoral reform and legalized blatant corruption: government of the money, by the money, and for the money.
In 1803 Congress acquiesced to the usurpation of power by the Supreme Court, via the Marbury Doctrine, to determine what the Constitution means. Congress apparently assumed that the members of the Supreme Court would remain honorable and that the usurped power would not be abused. Of course, it has been abused over and over throughout our history. But now with its blatant association with anti-democratic fascists, it is time for Congress to push back; and if a blue wave in November gives control of the federal government to the Democrats, we should organize grass-roots pressure to see that they do it.
The Constitution’s Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 gives Congress the necessary power to do this:
“To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.”
If Congress is to allow the Marbury Usurpation to stand, this “necessary and proper” clause needs to be applied to Court tenure: Article III, Section 1: “The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour…” This has been interpreted as life tenure for justices unless they are removed by impeachment. But the explicit “during good behavior” language of Article III together with the “necessary and proper” language of Article I should, if they choose to use it, give power to Congress to define a removal procedure for failure of “good behavior” distinct from the general impeachment process. No other federal officers have life tenure or the explicit requirement of “good behavior”. The most straightforward procedure would mirror the procedure for accession to the court: Let the President “nominate” a Justice for having failed the “good behavior” requirement and give the Senate “advise and consent” authority mirroring that for an accession to the Court. The creation and application of this law would have a salutary deterrent effect on the Court members, a reminder that they are not above the law either. Obviously, any attempt by the Supreme Court to rule this unconstitutional would be rejected. This could be the primary means for Congress to push back on the Marbury Usurpation.
If he were considered important at the time, JD Vance would have gotten thousands of sandals in the mail when he flip-flopped on Trump. He's disgusting, and I bet his intellectual friends have dwindled down to nothing. Poor Ohio, they thought they were getting Mitt Romney and instead got a Ted Cruz.
Sadly, JD's an Iraq veteran who worked in Public Affairs as an enlisted Marine; he saw no combat. After that he was a fantastic student, got a Yale law degree, and became an author with a movie based on his memoir. The point is he knows the power of WORDS. There has to be something behind what he did on those talk shows about the munitions. I don't know how much of it is bullshit, but I do know 100% of it is Putin.
By the way, Senator Cruz is not an idiot either. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a law degree. It's that sleaze factor---you just know it when you see it.
What's the pay-off? Will Putin have Trump pick Senator Vance as his running mate? He's the right height at 5'7'', from the working class, became Catholic in 2019, and apparently he's not burdened with a conscience either.
While a Blue Wave is the fastest way to repel the onslaught of American fascism, it seems to be increasingly unlikely to happen in my lifetime. The DNC is striving to repeat history by conferencing in Chicago - again. Only this time, there is no Richard J. Daley in the equation yet a high likelihood of disgruntled young adults ready to rumble in the streets like I and my peers did. The same unintended consequence of 1968 will be a strong right-wing reaction to the lawless commy libtards as mature democrats throw their hands up in disgust. The only citizens who are united are called MAGAs.
I would not expect a huge Democratic Party voter surge supporting the re-election of Biden no matter what happens in Chicago. Most of my Chicago prep school pals (class of 1965) are disgusted by the pending presidential rematch. We are chagrined that Biden is the best candidate the DNC can muster. It signals that Democracy is probably already beyond salvation.
If the GOP candidate turns out to be a Liz Cheney - Biden is history. If the Democratic candidate is somebody like Newsom, Whitmer or Warren then Trump is doomed - not holding my breath. My only hope is that one party's candidate will have to be replaced due to health or something.
I watched the State of the Union Address which changed my view of President Biden. He came across as a strong leader. Take time today or tomorrow and watch it. He has continued to deliver speeches with greater power. He is a decent man who will fight for democracy tooth and nail. Moving forward with and after Biden’s administration our nation will be able to accomplish great things in this fast changing world. Democracy needs many warriors over the next 6 months, it’s a time of unity.
That was one very rehearsed performance. It is how Biden behaves everyday that I find troubling. He seems to impulsively stumble into too many disasters without thinking strategically. In contrast to Trump, Biden does not appear psychopathic, fascist, vengeful, or reckless. But this contest begs the question: Are these two the best America can do? If circumstances force a replacement of either candidate, that candidate will win.
What comes to mind is “Be Here Now” if you place your thoughts on the present moment, you’ll experience a greater sense of peace. This phrase in quotes is the title of book by Ram Dass. I aspire to be an activist with the focus on what is now, supporting President Biden and the other candidates. I find inspiration listening to candidates, historians, newsletter writers, other activists at zoom meetings and on their websites. Writing letters, participating in call banks, and knocking on doors settles my anxiety because I see hundreds or thousands of others doing the same. We are a force of power and a community.
Excellent article. More people need to know that Alito voted for Citizens United right after he returned from an expensive Alaskan fishing retreat with Paul Singer, a major GOP donor, fossil fuel investor, and hedge-fund manager with multiple cases before the court. Following the junket, Alito failed to recuse himself from at least 10 cases involving Singer. Alito also voted to dismantle EPA climate protections while his wife was profiting from fossil fuel sales on family land. Right after Mrs. Alito leased her Oklahoma land for oil and gas production, negotiating profits of 3/16ths of the fossil fuel sales, Alito voted to block the EPA from limiting greenhouse gas emissions. We are in end-stage oligarchy and it's metastasizing.
Sabrina, Marx predicted end stage capitalism would be like this. Many thought end stage capitalism would evolve into democratic socialism. It will either become that or another dictatorship. Get the vote out.
“Liked” the comment, but really hate all this happening … We need action strategies that will reach voters in November.
Money or back-channel support to Greene, Trump, and Vance (among about 150 other Republicans) from Putin, Orbán or Xi is a window of opportunity for trial lawyers.
There are exceptions to Citizens' United. Federal law prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures(including independent expenditures) and disbursements solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election. This prohibition includes advances of personal funds, contributions or donations made to political party committees and organizations, state or local party committees for the purchase or construction of an office building funds under 11 CFR 300.35, and contributions or disbursements to make electioneering communications. https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/foreign-nationals/
During the 2016 cycle, cases were brought involving illegal contributions by Russia/Ukraine.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/political-consultant-convicted-scheme-involving-illegal-foreign-campaign-contribution-2016
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/political-donor-sentenced-12-years-prison-lobbying-and-campaign-contribution-crimes-tax
Good to hear the crooks get caught. But do they get caught often enough and suffer consequences severe enough to make them afraid? Cutting the budgets or regulatory agencies is a GOP tactic.
The prohibition should include expenditures made to distribute fake news and bots- from Xi, Putin, and Fox. I smell a federal class action (said a 25+ year federal trial lawyer). Getting jurisdiction over Fox is easy; Xi and Putin have assets here, lets get a judgment and freeze/ squeeze the hell out of them.
Can we include Rupert Murdoch, from Australia?
Murdoch was Naturalized by Reagan,. To buy an American TV station one had to be an American citizen.
True. But he’s like the silent puppet master directing multiple propaganda media outlets.
Rupert, said he was neither red nor blue but green.
I do not believe him. He has an agenda, He destroyed the political system in Australia and is persona non grata there he did the same to England, and has done the same to America.,
He hates democracies,or rather western democracies.
I believe that …
Mmmm, yep
doing business here, and having assets here, subjects you to our jurisdiction.
Didn’t he become a US citizen? I may be wrong on that … But I thought he did. Gave him more leeway to own lots of communications outlets.
". . . window of opprtunity for lawyers."
Back in the sixties, demonstrations were people by lawyers yelling out to those being arrested: "what'd your name?" immediately informing them that legal help was instantaneously set. Course, back then, lawyers trusted the objectivity of the law and the courts, with ultimate sovereign faith in the final recourse, the SCOTUS. Lawyers, conditionally trained to keep their fingers in the air, reading winds from ALL possible directions, knowing any misstep could result in their own peril, assess the possibilities and probabilities to engage in legal action. A concurrent metaphor is lawyers in the foxholes, wating for leaders (elected Democrats) to provide encouragements to charge. Single, unbacked lawyers willing to confront the dragon (I see none) will be toast, given the size and resources backing the beast. If lawyers come forth, against MAGA money and
already well purchased politicians and courts, I will the first and loudest to cheer them on. Not willing though to suffocate myself by holding my breath while waiting.
Monitoring and prosecuting is the key … expensive and time consuming, but it needs doing …
RIGHT NOW, this close to November, where do we put our energies for the most effective ue of it?
Thanks, Thom, for another eulogy for the deceased American dream. 803 billionaires have been running this show ever since Citizens United/Reagan and only more unavoidable concrete evidence of climate collapse can wake up the average American, otherwise being entertained (?) to death/worked to death. I never thought I'd find myself cheering on the tornadoes that ran my parents and I out of Kansas in 1950, but that's what it's going to take, although the GQP controlled media will attempt to convince us that it's not happening and show another football game, etc. while our roofs blow off. I do appreciate your heroic effort to protect the Alamo that once was our beloved USA.
Citizens United, I fear, was just the beginning. I’m guessing that scotus will hand down some sort of “limited immunity” to trump in the next week or so, hoping to influence at least one juror to acquit as they begin deliberation.
It's been said before that Trump is a symptom and not the cause. Just as Tokyo Rose was an instrument of Japan's leaders, Trump is a willing tool of the Oligarchy. We will learn much from who he chooses as his running mate. Thanks for another thought provoking article. Vote and get out the vote.
The fundamental problem is that the entire political class, not just the cultists of tfg, is addicted to the money flowing their way from lobbyists, domestic and foreign, and from dark sources now protected by those SCOTUS rulings. Which is why I believe the American experiment is finished. The “better angels of our nature” have proven insufficient against the demonic power of money. In the rise of authoritarianism around the world, we are seeing what we humans really are. To me, an unworthy, rapacious species ill-suited and undeserving of the role of supervising and controlling this world. If we destroy ourselves in the next few decades, it will be a fate richly deserved. Morbidly richly, in fact.
Roy, I hope you're just feeling discouraged today and don't feel that way all the time. Tokyo Rose's purpose was to destroy morale. We need to support each other and continue to fight for the common good.
All of this is disturbing and scary as hell!! We must overturn citizens united as soon as possible. Oligarchs and people with power seem content to destroy all that is good.
Supreme Leader, Ayatolla Alito of SCOTUS (Supremely Corrupted Obstructionalism Team - US), is a shithead among shitheads. He's a shithead's shithead. Did I mention he's a shithead? He's a shitty husband, a shitty neighbor, a shitty citizen, and a shitty justice.
That's it.
Love it Jon!!! He's a Shithead!!!
It would be safe to say that the deep state is the same group of individuals that want to destroy our democracy. The maga cult member voters hate the deep state, yet they have been conned by brainwashing to support their own demise by the deep state.
Money is power and nobody should have more power than the will of the people in any Nation. That is what the rich tyrants are afraid of. Being treated equally. There are rich thugs and there are poor thugs and they all want to be immune from prosecution.
By not prosecuting the bigwigs of the insurrection, Garland has allowed the coup to continue. Why has there been no talk of Garland stepping down?
Corruption always turns into directions not perceived beforehand. This is why a candidate campaigns against corruption almost always wins. Use it Biden.
This is the new world order MAGAs say they are against.
My father was with the Army Air Corps in England during the war. He and other airmen and soldiers heard daily broadcasts from Axis Sally or Lord Haha, both Nazi collaborators and both of whom were executed by the allies. If many of our current judicial and political traitors were to be treated under those rules of war, there would be special appointments and elections held country-wide. I'm not advocating that level of retribution - that being the province of our own wannabe emperor. We do need a major outsourcing, though, to replace those in power who couldn't pass the citizenship test required of recent immigrants.
Today was brutal. The propaganda from countless sources is flooding social media with messages and memes that carry the propaganda mind-control techniques that are effective at strongly influencing thoughts, feelings and behavioral choices.
The rhetoric is specifically framed to invite the target demographic to listen or read and make the proper choice.
This piece by Thom Hartmann had a profound effect on me because it pieces together history not well known or remembered by propaganda weary Americans and concerned folk worldwide.
I could not agree with Mr. Hartmann more.
Consider the following argument in the context of the Citizens United abomination which, together with related rulings, destroyed over a century of American electoral reform and legalized blatant corruption: government of the money, by the money, and for the money.
In 1803 Congress acquiesced to the usurpation of power by the Supreme Court, via the Marbury Doctrine, to determine what the Constitution means. Congress apparently assumed that the members of the Supreme Court would remain honorable and that the usurped power would not be abused. Of course, it has been abused over and over throughout our history. But now with its blatant association with anti-democratic fascists, it is time for Congress to push back; and if a blue wave in November gives control of the federal government to the Democrats, we should organize grass-roots pressure to see that they do it.
The Constitution’s Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 gives Congress the necessary power to do this:
“To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.”
If Congress is to allow the Marbury Usurpation to stand, this “necessary and proper” clause needs to be applied to Court tenure: Article III, Section 1: “The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour…” This has been interpreted as life tenure for justices unless they are removed by impeachment. But the explicit “during good behavior” language of Article III together with the “necessary and proper” language of Article I should, if they choose to use it, give power to Congress to define a removal procedure for failure of “good behavior” distinct from the general impeachment process. No other federal officers have life tenure or the explicit requirement of “good behavior”. The most straightforward procedure would mirror the procedure for accession to the court: Let the President “nominate” a Justice for having failed the “good behavior” requirement and give the Senate “advise and consent” authority mirroring that for an accession to the Court. The creation and application of this law would have a salutary deterrent effect on the Court members, a reminder that they are not above the law either. Obviously, any attempt by the Supreme Court to rule this unconstitutional would be rejected. This could be the primary means for Congress to push back on the Marbury Usurpation.
If he were considered important at the time, JD Vance would have gotten thousands of sandals in the mail when he flip-flopped on Trump. He's disgusting, and I bet his intellectual friends have dwindled down to nothing. Poor Ohio, they thought they were getting Mitt Romney and instead got a Ted Cruz.
Sadly, JD's an Iraq veteran who worked in Public Affairs as an enlisted Marine; he saw no combat. After that he was a fantastic student, got a Yale law degree, and became an author with a movie based on his memoir. The point is he knows the power of WORDS. There has to be something behind what he did on those talk shows about the munitions. I don't know how much of it is bullshit, but I do know 100% of it is Putin.
By the way, Senator Cruz is not an idiot either. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a law degree. It's that sleaze factor---you just know it when you see it.
What's the pay-off? Will Putin have Trump pick Senator Vance as his running mate? He's the right height at 5'7'', from the working class, became Catholic in 2019, and apparently he's not burdened with a conscience either.
PACK SCOTUS WITH HONORABLE JUSTICES!!!!! What could be simpler or quicker?
Unfortunately easier said than done. Google what does it take to expand the supreme court.
While a Blue Wave is the fastest way to repel the onslaught of American fascism, it seems to be increasingly unlikely to happen in my lifetime. The DNC is striving to repeat history by conferencing in Chicago - again. Only this time, there is no Richard J. Daley in the equation yet a high likelihood of disgruntled young adults ready to rumble in the streets like I and my peers did. The same unintended consequence of 1968 will be a strong right-wing reaction to the lawless commy libtards as mature democrats throw their hands up in disgust. The only citizens who are united are called MAGAs.
I would not expect a huge Democratic Party voter surge supporting the re-election of Biden no matter what happens in Chicago. Most of my Chicago prep school pals (class of 1965) are disgusted by the pending presidential rematch. We are chagrined that Biden is the best candidate the DNC can muster. It signals that Democracy is probably already beyond salvation.
If the GOP candidate turns out to be a Liz Cheney - Biden is history. If the Democratic candidate is somebody like Newsom, Whitmer or Warren then Trump is doomed - not holding my breath. My only hope is that one party's candidate will have to be replaced due to health or something.
I watched the State of the Union Address which changed my view of President Biden. He came across as a strong leader. Take time today or tomorrow and watch it. He has continued to deliver speeches with greater power. He is a decent man who will fight for democracy tooth and nail. Moving forward with and after Biden’s administration our nation will be able to accomplish great things in this fast changing world. Democracy needs many warriors over the next 6 months, it’s a time of unity.
That was one very rehearsed performance. It is how Biden behaves everyday that I find troubling. He seems to impulsively stumble into too many disasters without thinking strategically. In contrast to Trump, Biden does not appear psychopathic, fascist, vengeful, or reckless. But this contest begs the question: Are these two the best America can do? If circumstances force a replacement of either candidate, that candidate will win.
What comes to mind is “Be Here Now” if you place your thoughts on the present moment, you’ll experience a greater sense of peace. This phrase in quotes is the title of book by Ram Dass. I aspire to be an activist with the focus on what is now, supporting President Biden and the other candidates. I find inspiration listening to candidates, historians, newsletter writers, other activists at zoom meetings and on their websites. Writing letters, participating in call banks, and knocking on doors settles my anxiety because I see hundreds or thousands of others doing the same. We are a force of power and a community.