George Will on This Week thinks we're supposed to believe that corporations have no interest in what goes on in politics and that politicians are not influenced by campaign donations. He also obviously believes that the viewers of This Week are blathering idiots if he thinks anyone is buying this hog wash. And of course he managed to get a shot in on the filthy trial lawyers before he was finished. George loves them about as much as he loves unions.
MORAN: Let's -- let's go across the street from the Congress for a moment. There was a historic decision this week out of the Supreme Court of the United States on the First Amendment, the court holding that the campaign finance reform prohibition on corporations and unions using the money from their general funds to support or oppose candidates, that's a violation of free speech. So is this a vindication of the First Amendment, or is this a surrender to the plutocracy?
WILL: Vindication, because the court recognized the obvious, which is that you cannot disseminate political speech without money. And, therefore, to restrict money is to restrict the dissemination of speech. To that end, they have freed up the amount of money that will be spent.
Now, some people are saying, oh, corporations, that means Microsoft will be buying ads. Microsoft's trying to sell software. They're not interested in getting into political fights.
What this really emancipates are nonprofit advocacy corporations such as the Sierra Club. I pick that not at random because the Sierra Club was fined $28,000 in Florida last year for falling afoul of the incomprehensible, that-thick set of regulations on our political speech.
[...]
MORAN: And here's the concern, George. Let me just challenge -- because you're the advocate on this. The concern is not just in elections, but when they take votes.
ROBERTS: Sure.
MORAN: They're going take a vote, and they're going to know that, if they vote the wrong way, Wall Street can spend against them, the insurance industry can spend against them, directly, right up to the day of the election.
WILL: A mountain of social science has failed to demonstrate that campaign contributions as opposed to the convictions of the legislator and of his constituents determine how someone votes.
Cokie says we're awash in money. All federal elections last year, $5 billion, Congress up to the president, exactly -- almost exactly what the country spends on tortilla chips. This is not -- we're not awash in money. This is a rich country.
Second, what Matt said is exactly right. The Democrats are the ones who are profiting right now. The president came out and said, "This is Big Oil and Big Gas." No, it's -- lawyers are the biggest contributors, and 83 percent of their money today is going to Democrats.
George Will deals in generalities. Corporations don't want... Campaign donations don't determine votes.
Well, you can't say that about all corporations. And campaign donations go toward TV time which can definitely sway elections. Just ask the first guy who ran against Tom Ridge for governor in Pennsylvania. Ridge had such slimy negative ads that the man's credibility and political future were destroyed.
How long until Corporations start to argue that denying them the right to vote in elections is a violation of their First Amendment Right?
* There are two types of Republicans: millionaires and suckers.
"Mugsy's Rap Sheet": Recording history for those who seek to rewrite it.
This my point you are a person if you can vote. Why aren't our kids given the right to vote if corporations can tilt through donations the vote?
(I think) all corporations need to be 18 yrs or older to contribute to the political process! (maybe even 21)
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
for all Corporations at 65 years of age....
..to demonstrate that Will is human.
Did George just come out of an extended training session hosted by beck and limberger?? This is lunacy at some of it's best...
...he probly just stayed at a holiday inn express last night.
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
So just why was it he was all over Obama in the Nov election because he had more money and could spend more than Mr. McSame? I guess if the benefit is in your favor it is fine, until it turns around, then it is horrible. G Will, supports Campaign Donations Do Determine Votes, before he for the Campaign Donations Don't Determine Votes idea.
... what planet does George Will live on?
That said, what about this idea of corporations as persons? I'm hoping some sharp district attorney will start prosecuting firearms manufacturers for murder and imprison whole corporations. If corporate types think they can operate as people, they should incur the consequences that come with personhood!
..why can't I become a "limited liability" persona? Then I could break laws without regard for consequences!
Don't we all deserve corporate tax breaks?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
in Bermuda. Instant off the hook, tax wise.
me-oww!
courts' creative thinking/reasoning. But seriously, if corporations are the same as people, they really should be held responsible for all actions that individuals are capable of making and be held to legal standards no matter what the issue. The supreme court, in its wisdom, shows us that corporation=people. The same law should apply to corporation that applies to people. Excellent point!
God, I get so sick and tired of these... people lying at every turn.
So then why are there lobbyists, George?
How many times has Will been right about anything? They just bring him on the show, along with Cokie, to make noise and say shit.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
I can't collect his fee each time I step into the restroom. I'm at least as productive.
How much can a miked bullhorn cost? Standing on a street corner is free...
If that was the court's reasoning, then the court is a ass.
me-oww!
..writing for the majority: "If the First Amendment has any force, it prohibits Congress from fining or jailing citizens, or associatin of citizens, for simply engaging in political speech." I find it hard to believe that all the money that has been spent by health care companies against the HCR or any money that will be spent by corporations will be because they are simply doing anything.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Then a lack of money constitutes a lack of free speech and access.
If poor little old me goes into my Congressman's office to advocate a position and a lobbyist with deep pockets walks in to offer a rebuttal to my position, my ass will be out in the hallway faster than you can say Jack Robinson.......free speech denied...access denied.
'Talk to the hand'
How is it that someone can be entitled to have a louder voice than somebody else? If you can prove that money essentially silences the little guy, isn't that a First Amendment issue?
that they don't control both sides of.
Face it - corporations will not support only one party's candidate, because a political loss would mean an Absolute Zero ROI. Far better for them to spend half as much money and split it between both MS political parties, "Heads We Win, and Tails You Lose". These Appeals Court and Supreme Court decisions need to have permanent Congressional oversight, with the ability to recall those deemed undemocratic.
The SCOTUS needs to be impeached, tried, and convicted, and then booted out of office. The USA needs a Constitutional Amendment to limit SC Justices to a single 10 year Term, with a 66 vote majority required to seat a new Justice.
This is not unlike the Wall Street Mobsters and their loan sharks at the NY Fed Reserve -- selling spooky-bad derivatives that have had their ratings fraudulently boosted, and then shorting their own financial instruments to win on the back side. Until it actually happened, the Wall Street Mobsters had no assurance that the Federal Reserve, the US Treasury, and the US Congress would actually allow redeeming those derivatives at 100% of face value -- Win, Win, Win -- game, set, and match.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
-- John F. Kennedy
conservative members of the supreme court. either that, or establish a constitutional amendment to strike down this ruling, whatever it takes.
george will is auch a big corporate whore,
that when he bends over to grab his ankles
he puts the holland tunnel in nyc to shame.
After all these years, George Will is still little more than an ambulatory sack of shit.
No George, the nice American corporations wouldn't buy up votes and politicians. No way. Those corporations are too concerned with keeping America free. It's those damn foreign owned corporations with the American names that are so ruthless they'll topple a country for a billion bucks. You betcha!
If you vote you are a person.
and now George Will. They already ruin Sundays, are we really gonna let them botch up Mondays as well?
next will be singing
"I'd like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company".
about their corporations "we pretend to work and they pretend to pay us" . . that was before the collapse.
the sound you hear is the babbling of crazy nonsense...go back to your regularly scheduled Republican scare tactics.
Sometimes I do wonder what in the heck are they smoking?
Smoking? I WISH they were smoking what I smoke. Maybe it would open their minds a bit. More like what are they snorting, or drinking.
"Someday somebody related to some of these sufferers, these victims, these collaterally damaged souls, may try to kill you. And I have to tell you, I think you’ll have it coming." - Christopher Cooper
Snorting? I WISH they were snorting what I snort. Maybe it would open their minds a bit.
on TV.
Moses, leading the peoples around the desert for 40 years thinking they are headed to the promised land.
Pigs flew out of my ass this morning.
Government + the Federal Reserve = organized crime
You had a run-in with the New York police?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
So, let's see, George.....
Corporations don't buy votes.....but those damn unions do!!!
That about right, George?
"YOU F**KING IDIOT."
:)
Given the fact that anyone over 10 years old know that what he is denying is actually true, George is either:
1. Lying in order to protect his own political/economic agenda.
2. Stupid enough to believe what he is saying.
In case 1, his views cannot be trusted because he is willing to lie and distort facts to forward his own personal agenda. In case 2 his views should not be given any weight because they are the result of massive stupidity.
The "news" program that allow George to spout off his nonsense are faced with selecting option 1 or 2. They are willing to allow George air-time to lie or act stupid. Perhaps their sponsors are willing to purchase ad time under these conditions?
Why not just advertise on the "Worlds Stupidest Animal Videos" or something?
The Corporate Borg Unit (nn,nnn,nnn,nnn) known commonly as George Will is functioning correctly according to program.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
There is definitely more than one moran on that panel.
Good Dog, how could anybody be that disingenuous and still make it out of bed each morning?
Why is it you need a unanimous jury to convict someone
A super majority to pass amendments
But only a simple majority from the supremes?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Very good observation.
far left loon >.<
A) There are no restrictions to political speech. Political speech is the most protected form of free speech, so I don't know what "thick book of regulations" he's talking about.
B) If he really believes contributions don't affect election outcomes, ban them completely.
C) So corporations don't buy airtime to affect politics? What about all the big pharma and insurance companies that just spend tens of millions trying to affect public opinion on the health care bill?
Liar.
Wills' first try for lie of the year?
to our democracy than big oil will be?
What about when that debate for drilling in ANWR comes up again - are they going to have bought off enough politicians in Congress to put them over the top this time?
How about COMPLETELY killing the roadless rule in wilderness areas?
How are some working class environmentalists going to keep up with, dollar for dollar, some corporation that makes hundreds of billions a year?
Big corporations spend millions on advertising. If an ad doesn't work they are quick to remove/replace it. It is insanity to think these same corporations send money to politicians and don't expect something for their spending.
One other thought: The way I understand the SCOTUS ruling on campaign spending is that any company that does business in the US is covered under this. Citgo is a United States-incorporated, Venezuela-owned refiner. Since this is a corporation owned by Venezuela I don't think it is a stretch to worry that that crazy president Hugo Chávez could actually get involved in our elections. Whoops
I don't care what you have to say. Your opinion means nothing to me.
George Will and his kin are nothing more than bad movie critics. They expect us little people to swallow their drivel as if it was wine from the alter. Well, I've seen this movie George. Its recycled garbage. The little brown people from a foreign country are the set up while the real villain bleeds us dry. But you are so damn smart in your righteous opinion ,George, you can't give away the ending for what could you be so smug about. But we know the ending already George. The trials of the hero lead a violent struggle.
I hope this does not lead to violence George, but I can tell you it is time to fight. This is worth writing letters, making phone calls, petitioning our government for CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. It is worth missing a day from work to volunteer or march. Though I know these things have been tried in the past they are worth doing doubly. And maybe some new tricks are in order. We could call every radio and tv show with a politician, right or left, no matter what the subject is and DEMAND they tell us where they stand on CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. We could comment in every nonpolitical blog about the ramifications of this SCOTUS travesty in terms relevant to that blog. It is worth drowning newspaper editorial pages and answering Jack Cafferty's daily question ONLY in terms of this issue.
Every issue needs to be this issue. And George Will and his kind need to know we are NOT sheep who will go quietly into the slaughterhouse on their word.
Sorry if I go on, but yeah it's that important.
I never knew George Will was such a comedian.
He used to star opposite Alf.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Rep. Alan Grayson on SCOTUS Decision to Lift Campaign Contribution Limit for Corporations
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
If beaucoup bucks was all that was needed to win the presidency why hadn't ross perot or steve forbes?
Of course I'm sure people have bought their way into Congress.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
STFU Will , you lying panty hose wearing fascist . How I HATE these scum bag traitors ! Willing deceit is right .
"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."
What a lying POS.
Republicans are liars and simply cannot be trusted.
Corp America has no interest in political fights.
He is absolutely right.
They are interested in political victories without a single punch thrown at them.
They will fund a fight if they have to, but they would much rather just write a check, buy a hooker, and hire a rep's child or other family member and call it a done deal.
...but doesn't the very fact that this ruling is a result of a case brought before the SCOTUS completely belie the idea that corps aren't interested in getting involved in politics?
And who the hell does Will think is pumping billions into lobbyists?
You come across as seeming to have an idea what you're writing about when you stick to baseball.
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
Peter Gammons kicks his ass when it comes to intellectual baseball commentary.
He sucks at everything.
(Note to BS: This is a reply to Geazer. I am not casting aspersions on Peter Gammons)
me-oww!
You ain't gonna baptize him
By sprinklin' on him?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
is in the mail. Dipsh*t...
It is sad when a man as intelligent as George Will can say something so incredibly false. He is trying to tell us that corporate American has no political irons in the fire, and that the billions of dollars that are spent for advertising on election campaigns have no effect. What total crap.
Alive and well in Montana.
Is there a conspiracy of businessmen to take over the US government and our politics?
Doubtful
But is there a collusion of businessmen to get a political environment conducive to their way of doing business (one that is daily becoming anachronistic?)
Indubitably.
I would suggest the collusion is changing an illegal bribe into a legal campaign contribution, as per Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, to establish an unfair advantage over the voting public.
That being said we have to remember the fascist businessmen attempt to overthrow FDR in 1933.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Haven't watched Sunday morning TV news since 2003. Got fed up with their meaningless beltway blather. There is no shortage of ignorance in America.
This is not my father's America
A question popped in my head, whose vote is not affected by campaign contributors
The voters
Or the ones receiving the contributions?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
...as opposed to the convictions of the legislator...
What about the ones who were merely indicted?
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
They're conviction is JAAAAYZZZUUUSSSSS.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Neither does money, or lobbyists, or the rich who pay for whores. You are just not familiar with that demographic Georgie, because you are so pure!
Corporations, since they are now the same as people, can spend freely in political campaigns since they have the same 1st amendment rights to free speech as individuals. But the really great part is that corporations don't have any limits placed on their "freedom of speech" or the amount of money they spend (buying candidates) but individuals are limited to small contributions. Ahh, justice, Bush-style. I just love it. So does Georgie cuz Georgie loves all things Bush.
A few weeks ago, Will was lamenting the fact that unemployment benefits have been extended. Why? "Because when you subsidize something, you get more of it."
What an asshole! My wife was laid off last September, and I'm a stay-at-home dad. My wife is collecting unemployment and currently attending school for re-training.
Unemployment doesn't cover the bare minimum of our monthly expenses. The only reason we aren't destitute is that we did NOT follow the Rethug's post 9-11 command to "shop, shop, shop." As a result, we have a decent savings to draw on. Lots of others aren't so fortunate.
Will is an example of someone who has spent WAY too much time insulated behind the Ivy Towers of academia and who has never had a REAL job where he's had to bus tables, flip hamburgers, etc. The guy's a perfect example of what happens when you don't have anything to do but read philosophy all day.
It sounds reminiscent of Thomas Malthus An Essay on the Principles of Population (1798), only he didn't argue cutting back on social spending, probably because England wasn't really spending much on that yet other than debtors prison.
Malthus wanted to interfere with the poor getting married at all, because then they would have children, and only people with money should have children.
I still see that viewpoint to this day whenever the Dallas Morning Nudes letters to the editor after they run any story about how some families have to struggle.
Oh yeah, Thomas Malthus was an Anglican priest.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I used to work with a guy who was a few years behind George Will at Trinity College in Connecticut. He said that he was an asshole even back then. Nice to see that some things never change.
Van - And he hid out in school during his favorite war.
so why do corps buy ad time?
i know will aint stupid....so who is paying him off
the corporations for their freedoms....
not the people...
Shill is stupid!
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness.
Lying sob!
This is nothing but purposeful deceit on Biff Will's part . He may put on as being an intellectual and a high society elite but he has no more integrity than Limbaugh or Hannity .He's a right wing fountain of bullshit . I'm sure he throws a temper tantrum every time Krugman comes on the show as Krugman routinely corrects Will on his history and on the facts . It's very amusing .
"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."
"...lawyers are the biggest contributors, and 83 percent of their money today is going to Democrats."
Hey,George...Last time I checked (most) lawyers were actual people.
"I can't keep doing this on my own with these...people."
Heaven forbid
Lawyers involved in the drafting of laws.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Has anyone asked George will if he is aware how much monied free speech corporations have spent of past elections?
How about how much Health Insurance companies has spent to thwart health care reform?
Does he know what "K" street is and what they do there?
Does he have any idea how much money flows through K Street?
Once a dick, always a dick.
Yet another brilliant statement by the biggest manure spreader in print today.
My newspaper carries columns by George Will, David Broder and Bill O'Rielly. It has also shrunk to the size of sheet of toilet paper, and if they would just make it softer, I could use it for that purpose.
Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years
George is always right. Just ask him, he'll confirm it. Didn't you hear that social science polled all our Senators and Representatives and every one of them swore that campaign contributions had never influenced their vote and were totally meaningless to them. And George checked; not one of them had their fingers crossed.
Ol' George is just saying that social science has never proved that the people vote for a candidate because of the campaign cash he or she receives from outside sources. ("Someone" referring to voters not to the representative). Now that would make some sense.
Of course, his real intended statement is so ridiculous that only an untethered reference to "mountains of social science" could make it more laughable. I wonder if Will has ever referenced the influence of corporations or special interests on any legislative vote in all the time he's been taking up air and space on that roundtable.
"Trust me".
Fans of patriarchal rule suffering from daddy complexes are easily mollified by this phrase.
I'm just superstitious enough to hedge my bets.
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain..."
NOBODY 2012
"The appearance of influence or access, furthermore, will not cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy. By definition, an independent expenditure is political speech presented to the electorate that is not coordinated with a candidate. See Buckley, supra, at 46. The fact that a corporation, or any other speaker, is willing to spend money to try to persuade voters presupposes that the people have the ultimate influence over elected officials.This is inconsistent with any suggestion that the electorate will refuse “‘to take part in democratic governance’” because of additional political speech made by a corporation or any other speaker. McConnell, supra, at 144 (quoting Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government PAC, 528 U. S. 377, 390 (2000))." Slip op. at p. 44.
See? Nothing to worry about. Obviously, if people still vote then corporate influence is a non-factor in our loss of faith in democracy.
"Indeed, to exclude or impede corporate speech is to muzzle the principal agents of the modern free economy. We should celebrate rather than condemn the addition of this speech to the public debate." Scalia concurring op. at p.9.
I wish somebody should ask George Will if he agrees with this statement. Then we'd see where his "truth" is. DeMint barely escaped getting pantsed the other day on the issue of whether a domestic corporation (and therefore an American "person") owned by foreign interests (actual foreign people or governments) should be free to spend as much money as it wants to influence our elections. The genuine fascists are going to have to come up with an answer to this issue that doesn't blow a big hole in their new found belief in corporate First Amendment absolutism. I don't think it can be done.
So, I always thought that George will was a central figure on This Week (and I assume he has some editorial say there as well) as a balance to that "notorious lefty" Stephanopoulos. Now that shorty is gone (I'm not much taller, so I can make that joke!) why does Will still have the forum? Your Liberal-Media-Bias is showing, ABC.
This is what conservatives always say when they know they are about to rob you and that is essentially what Will has laid out here. Trust him, trust the corporations. Trust is for suckers and daddy complex, conservative constituents fawning over their favorite GOoPer of the week.
I'm just superstitious enough to hedge my bets.
Georgie Boy must be drinking heavily again and hanging out with the Drugster getting stupid.
Fnally Will has found his niche. Comedy writing.
He is an insult to any thinking person.
"Respect for the rights of others is peace." --Benito Juarez
There are thousands of lobbyists. Politicians retire then come back as lobbyists but they're all just banging their heads against the wall when it comes to bribing public officials. Yeah, right.
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