Jeers and cheers
January's Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission removed all federal restrictions on election spending by corporations. The decision has been widely criticized for its endorsement of "corporate personhood," the idea that corporations are entitled to the same free speech rights as individuals. Rightly so, but equally-as-misguided and less-discussed is the court's implicit approbation in this case that money equals speech.Sign the petition to draft a Constitutional Amendment overturning this decision at Movetoamend.org.
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Three cheers for Iowa State Senator Tom Courtney of Burlington, who's going to the mat for workers in Iowa with a proposal that would guarantee at least a small amount of paid sick time for part-time and full-time employees in the state. Standing up to the business lobbyists at the Statehouse, particularly in the wake of Citizens United, takes backbone.
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Three more cheers for the decision by an acting VP at the University of Iowa to cancel this weekend's midnight screenings of a classic pornographic film, "Disco Dolls in Hot Skin," at the student-run Bijou Theater. The film was previously screened before a packed house at the venue three years ago, and the theater is funded by ticket sales and student activity fees, not tax dollars, but independent thought is liable to break out unexpectedly if such events are not curtailed. As a CR Gazette reader pointed out online, a good tax-funded and state-approved film to substitute would be "Triumph of the Will".
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A quiz:
Match the figure who has admitted his culpability during baseball's steroid era with the resulting fate.
1) Jason Giambi
2) Andy Pettitte
3) Alex Rodriguez
4) Bud Selig
5) Mark McGwire
a) Media-beloved member of New York Yankees/Colorado Rockies post-season teams 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009. Recorded final hit at historic Yankee Stadium.
b) Media-beloved member of 2009 World Champion New York Yankees, winner of ALCS-clinching Game 6, World Series Game 3, and World Series-clinching Game 6. Re-signed with Yankees December 9th for one-year, $11.75 million.
c) 6 home runs and 18 RBIS in 2009 postseason, first World Championship in '09, 500th home run ball just sold at auction for $103,579.
d) Announcement last week that a statue with his likeness is being erected in Milwaukee.
e) Media purgatory
posted by CM @ 2:54 PM
2 Comments:
When did Bud Selig admit his culpability?
He don't think he really has. I was just hoping I could shoehorn him into the Match game.
Is it causing you trouble in completing the exercise?
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