I’m seeing news flashes that SCOTUS ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby, 5-4. I am unhappy but not surprised. I’m sitting on some deadlines and cannot take time to comment, but discuss among yourselves.
Update:
A startling bit, in which Alito basically says, “no worries, this applies only to women’s health†pic.twitter.com/V4c0G8tTiF
— Michelle Dean (@michelledean) June 30, 2014
Unbelievable.
I expected something like this.
And I’m prepared!
Once I finish the vodka bottle in front of me, I have a large chef’s knife ready to do my own frontal lobotomy!
And when I’m done doing enough ‘dain bramage,’ I’ll probably end up being a conservative Republican.
Well, it’s official. Worshiping the Almighty Dollar is now a religion. And employers can bully employees over how the employees use what they’ve already earned.
Hell hath no fury like an ignorant jackass in a black robe. Well, except for five ignorant jackasses.
This country sucks.
joan,
I’m outta vo… vo… vokda…
But chawanna bo… bo… borrow my knife, when I… I… I’m done?
It’s dismaying, but let’s not forget that there’s an election coming up, and the 19th Amendment hasn’t been repealed yet. Take this decision and Mitch McConnell’s promise that a Republican Senate would focus more on abortion, add in the Right’s insistence that this whole idea of a “war on women” is a liberal feminist scam, and that’s a lot of motivation for all women and all men who don’t hate women to get to the polls.
Democratic message to women: Vote while you still can.
Oh, and no more buffer zones. And fetal personhood. And rape apologists. Etc.
Corporations are people my friend, but women and unions are not, the Supremes have spoken!
I hope I can find a way to channel the rage that I feel today, but I know my little stream will be joining up with a mighty river soon.
All those people standing on the floodplain better go find their boats.
Note to women in 2014 and 2016:
Vote.
While you still can.
Insurance coverage through your employer is part of your compensation package, it is part of your pay. So haven’t the Supremes given employers the power over how you (women only of course) spend your earnings?
So haven’t the Supremes given employers the power over how you (women only of course) spend your earnings?
That’s the way it appears to me.
It’s a lame decision on it’s face that is tailored for one specific goal. The only positive aspect of the ruling is that Ginny Thomas’ $800,000.00+ consultation fee from the Heritage foundation paid off for them.
Holy corporation is exactly the right description of the issue.
Cync Ungar is building an organization called Wolf PAC to convene an Article V Convention to pass a Constitutional Amendment without Congress -by going straight to the states as Article V of the Constitution allows. The founding fathers seem to have anticipated the need to address in the Constitution a problem which benefits Congress (and will be ignored by Congress) and therefore can only be remedied through the states.
The focus of the amendment is that ‘corporations are not people’ (those are Cync’s favorite four words) and corporations should not be allowed to influence politics with money or favors. Legislatures in two states have called for a convention – this isn’t theoretical. It won’t get the support of the media though – campaign finance reform threatens the orgy of money the networks bank every two years. If corporate personhood pisses you off, go out and sign up – don’t give money you don’t have, but get on the email list and stay informed about progress in YOUR state. (And who to contact in your state)
Bitching is easy, and it’s one of my favorite diversions, but getting engaged with a group who is taking action is almost as painless as bitching. It has the added benefit of producing results. The link – http://www.wolf-pac.com/
So, Alito, basically admits that it is a sexist decision.
Rachel Maddow commented on more cases coming along that object to all 20 kinds of birth control, not just these 4. Since they didn’t deal with science here, I don’t expect them to later on, either.
If only the gals could connect birth control to something less controversial, say: stand your ground and or open carry. The country just is not ready for birth control on demand yet. Wait!
“campaign finance reform threatens the orgy of money the networks bank every two years”
Are you suggesting that our media may not be impartial? Every two years is fine as long as they don’t pimp corporate interests on a daily basis. That would lead to a complete breakdown in reality perception and could potentially lead our citizenry astray!
Thanks, Doug!
Check this out:
from: @bakerbk
https://twitter.com/bakerbk/status/483862427071950848
Yes, that’s how Dred Scott was overturned, by the 14th Amendment. That’s what you do when the Supreme Court issues a particularly egregious decision, and this one is up there. Dred Scott still reigns as the most disgraceful of them all, of course, but the powers they just granted to corporations are virulently anti-democratic. We can’t allow this to stand.
@Doug:
Here’s what’s scary about starting at the state level for a constitutional convention:
Article V (in part)
“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress;”
Nothing seems to limit the convention from taking up any topic it wants, that is, it doesn’t seem as if a state-initiated convention can be limited to just overturning the “corporation as person” meme.
OTOH, if we start with legislative language passed by the Congress (which won’t happen under current conditions) and sent out to the states, the issue(s) can be limited to just the one (or ones) in the legislation.
Corporate personhood was already weird, but ‘corporate religion’ is a brand-new level of weird, legislated from the bench by the activist Roberts court. It’s McWorld and Jihad, together at last; the worst parts of the 21st century, all in one toxic combination.
O brave new world, to have such persons in it! If fictitious persons without bodies or minds of their own have the right to speak – and speak in money at that! – and now have religious beliefs that they may impose upon us lesser persons, then what next? Will corporations demand the right to vote? To bear arms? (i.e. raise a private army?) To stand their ground when their fictitious feelings are threatened?
Imaginary entities cannot have positive rights; in practice positive rights for the fictional translate into privileges for the fictional being’s non-fictional spokespersons. This is a takeover bid by oligarchs; therefore I say:
Corporate personhood must be destroyed.