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Fugue America
Jan. 20th, 2010 02:11 pmScott Brown Wins Mass. Race, Giving GOP 41-59 Majority in the Senate - The Village Voice
Oh, the world is exciting today. In terms of the victory in Mass, it literally puts the Democrats in the position of having to operate under the terms of the former GOP Senate in maintaining party discipline, making use of procedural devices like reconciliation, and structuring legislation into poison pills to oppose if they hope to have any chance of enacting their platform. Unfortunately, this is not something the Democrats have shown any ability or stomach for since the late 80s, and it seems more likely that a simple obstructionist mandate will be enough to grind any legislation to a halt in the Senate.
The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released an update to their March 2009 study, revising their predictions and now stating that trends show the US on track to beat the 20% GDP spend on health care by 2018. This is projected to make the GDP spend roughly double other developed countries over the same timeline.
***
More importantly, a ruling is said to be imminent from the Supreme Court in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. For those of you not following at home, a ruling for Citizens United would overturn existing legislation which bans unions and incorporated entities such as businesses, trade associations and interest groups from donating to national party committees and congressional and presidential campaigns. The key element in the case is the fact that donating to campaigns either directly or by buying advertising and producing material supporting a specific candidate.
The case stems from Citizens United attempt to broadcast a movie that looked scathingly upon then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The group planned to broadcast ads and on-demand showings of Hillary: The Movie during the election season. The FEC judged such a move to violate the rules regarding 'electioneering communications' (especially since the CU business model was a 'loss only' model with no process for attempting profit or even recoup the cost of the independent film).
If the Court overturns such campaign finance reform (and basically guts the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act, corporations as entities could be able to spend an unlimited amount advocating a specific candidate as protected speech under the First Amendment. So, for example, an ad by Coke trashing Saxby Chambliss during the Super Bowl or the World Series would be considered an expression of free speech and would not fall afoul of campaign financing legislation.
***
In slightly more positive news, if you've been following on http://prop8trialtracker.com/ the case is being very handily carried by the Plaintiff's. The Defense has been all but inept in challenging key experts, and is handling their cross examinations with a surprisingly sloppy manner. Either they already know that any decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court in any case and don't care about mounting much of a defense, or ProtectMarriage.org hired a table full of donkeys accidentally. Either way, the testimony is very intriguing, and it is providing some wonderful moments on the stand. This is one of my favourites:
( San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Testimony )
***
42 more days. Hands shake uncontrollably, pale visage and darting eyes greet all onlookers, patient rocks back and forth constantly, clutching a tear stained baseball cap with 'Roy Halladay' barely legible signed on the brim.
Oh, the world is exciting today. In terms of the victory in Mass, it literally puts the Democrats in the position of having to operate under the terms of the former GOP Senate in maintaining party discipline, making use of procedural devices like reconciliation, and structuring legislation into poison pills to oppose if they hope to have any chance of enacting their platform. Unfortunately, this is not something the Democrats have shown any ability or stomach for since the late 80s, and it seems more likely that a simple obstructionist mandate will be enough to grind any legislation to a halt in the Senate.
The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released an update to their March 2009 study, revising their predictions and now stating that trends show the US on track to beat the 20% GDP spend on health care by 2018. This is projected to make the GDP spend roughly double other developed countries over the same timeline.
***
More importantly, a ruling is said to be imminent from the Supreme Court in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. For those of you not following at home, a ruling for Citizens United would overturn existing legislation which bans unions and incorporated entities such as businesses, trade associations and interest groups from donating to national party committees and congressional and presidential campaigns. The key element in the case is the fact that donating to campaigns either directly or by buying advertising and producing material supporting a specific candidate.
The case stems from Citizens United attempt to broadcast a movie that looked scathingly upon then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The group planned to broadcast ads and on-demand showings of Hillary: The Movie during the election season. The FEC judged such a move to violate the rules regarding 'electioneering communications' (especially since the CU business model was a 'loss only' model with no process for attempting profit or even recoup the cost of the independent film).
If the Court overturns such campaign finance reform (and basically guts the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act, corporations as entities could be able to spend an unlimited amount advocating a specific candidate as protected speech under the First Amendment. So, for example, an ad by Coke trashing Saxby Chambliss during the Super Bowl or the World Series would be considered an expression of free speech and would not fall afoul of campaign financing legislation.
***
In slightly more positive news, if you've been following on http://prop8trialtracker.com/ the case is being very handily carried by the Plaintiff's. The Defense has been all but inept in challenging key experts, and is handling their cross examinations with a surprisingly sloppy manner. Either they already know that any decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court in any case and don't care about mounting much of a defense, or ProtectMarriage.org hired a table full of donkeys accidentally. Either way, the testimony is very intriguing, and it is providing some wonderful moments on the stand. This is one of my favourites:
( San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Testimony )
***
42 more days. Hands shake uncontrollably, pale visage and darting eyes greet all onlookers, patient rocks back and forth constantly, clutching a tear stained baseball cap with 'Roy Halladay' barely legible signed on the brim.
