Category: Society

Columns, Congress, Constitutional Law, International, Justice, Military, Politics, Society

Forget Wall Street, Occupy Corporate Boardrooms

Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger

Sometimes a story comes around that writes itself and merely needs highlighting of certain facts to make its points. This link below will provide concrete data on why this country has become a corrupted corporatist state, along with why the federal budget deficit is so high. Its title is “For Hire: Lobbyists or the 99%? How Corporations Pay More for Lobbyists Than in Taxes”

http://publicampaign.org/sites/default/files/ReportTaxDodgerLobbyingDec6.pdf

What this document clearly shows, with highly readable charts is that 30 of the top US Corporations not only pay more for lobbying than in taxes, but in fact that they receive huge tax credits, although being highly profitable. Over a three year period 2008-2010 these companies had combined profits of $163.691 billion, received tax credits of $10.602 billion and spent $475.67 million on lobbying. Only one of these companies, FedEx, actually paid taxes. They paid $37 million in taxes, on a profit of $4.247 billion and spent $50.81 million for lobbying. As you might guess the most glaring example was General Electric whose profits were $10.460 billion, received tax credits of $4.737 billion and who spent $84.35 million in lobbying.

I could certainly provide you with commentary on this report, but the starkly written manner of the report and the easily read charts do a far better job of explanation, than would my rhetoric. The next time someone comments on the “theft” that is taxes and the need to defend the 1% and their corporations from government intrusion show them this. If they defend the inequity shown here then you will know they are either part of the 1%, brain-washed or brain dead. It isn’t of course that many of us haven’t known the state of things, or these facts, we have discussed them here repeatedly. Nevertheless, each time the message of the destruction of our Constitution, our America and our people in the service of greed and ego is shown to me, my blood boils. Please check out the link and share your thoughts.

Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Light Saber Versus Taser- And The Winner Is …

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

A man in Portland, Oregon, may hold the answer to indiscriminate use of   Tasers by police in his hands.  Seems the 33-year-old was shopping at Toys-R-Us, when he seized a toy light saber and began swinging the “weapon” at shoppers and mumbling incoherent statements. Police responded and the man met them in the parking lot seised for battle. A few swings later and the police whipped out their Tasers.  Simultaneously,  feeling and then opposing “The Force,” our Skywalker wannabe apparently mentally disabled the first taser when it failed to work. He then manually disabled the second with a well-placed blow of the plastic sabre breaking one of its wires. Sheer numbers ultimately led to the man’s capture. None of the shoppers in Toys-R-Us were harmed in the making of this episode.  The cosmic lesson seems to be that if you’re anticipating an encounter with Taser-wielding police, arm yourself with 1977  toys and sally forth!

Source: Yahoo News

~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Justice, Society

BLOG DELETED – A 50 Year Restraining Order and the Resolution of Conflicting Rights

Submitted by Gene Howington, Guest Blogger

“Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.” – The Mourning Bride, Act III, Sc. VIII, by William Congreve

“The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins.” – Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes

Your rights end where the rights of others begin is a maxim that posits you are free to exercise your rights until such exercise infringes upon the rights of others.  It seems like a straight forward proposition, but like many seemingly straight forward propositions, sorting out the primacy of rights when they are equally valid yet conflicting is the basis of many a lawsuit.  An interesting case from Minnesota provides an example that illustrates the balancing act between competing individual rights.  The decision also provides a solution that while it may address the problem at bar may also be overreaching and a threat to the rights of all.

Continue reading “BLOG DELETED – A 50 Year Restraining Order and the Resolution of Conflicting Rights” →

Academia, Columns, Congress, Justice, Media, Politics, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

Is the American Left Ineffective in Economics?

Submitted by Mike Spindell, guest blogger                                      

“Ian Fletcher is Senior Economist of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, nationwide  grass-roots organization dedicated to fixing America’s trade policies and comprising representatives from business, agriculture, and labor.” http://www.prosperousamerica.org/2011/02/23/ian_fletcher/

Mr. Fletcher wrote an article in HuffPost this week titled ” Why Is the American Left So Ineffective in Economics?” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-fletcher/why-is-the-american-left-_b_1142615.html?ref=politics&ir=Politics . On my first reading of this article, I sped through it cursorily, with general agreement and approval, book marking the link for further reference. As the day went on the article remained stuck in the back of my mind, for there was something about it that disturbed me, but I couldn’t quite figure out why. I looked up Mr. Fletcher’s credentials and they seemed good and certainly not one of being a Corporatist economist. The Coalition for a Prosperous America appears a worthwhile middle-of-road organization, whose supporters include labor unions, as well as medium and small businesses. They look askance at current US trade policies and that is a view with which I agree. Mr. Fletcher has a book titled: “Free Trade Doesn’t Work” http://www.freetradedoesntwork.com/  which people I respect like Fritz Hollings and Thom Hartmann have praised. In it he discusses how there is a free-trade hegemony of both Democrats and Republicans representing the Washington establishment and marginalizing all the voices who disagree with free trade policies. This hegemony is what I describe as the Feudalist Corporatocracy. This is a man with who I’m in general agreement, why then my discomfort with his thesis in this article?

This article opens up with the following paragraph: “Anyone who’s still in a state of denial about the thesis implied by the title of this article can stop reading right here. I’ll just assume it’s obvious enough that we can take it as a given.” He’s right, the thesis implied in the title is indisputable. The Left has been ineffective in combatting the economic policies started by Ronald Reagan’s election and has been in constant retreat from the onslaught of right-wing economic policies. This has been true to such an extent that Bill Clinton reaffirmed Alan Greenspan as the head of The Federal Reserve and Barack Obama reaffirmed  G.W. Bush’s choice of Ben Bernake. Both of these men are little more than philosophical minions/co-dependents of Wall Street and the Big Banks. Where I take issue with Mr. Fletcher is in why he believes the Left’s economic weakness has come about. To me his view of the origins of this Left Wing retreat is shortsighted and ignores the 800 pound gorilla in the room. If we don’t understand the causes of problems we face, then no matter how prescient the analysis of their nature, we are almost powerless to combat them. Since the article in question is rather brief, I’m going to dispute it point by point.   Continue reading “Is the American Left Ineffective in Economics?” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Thinning The Hurd: Bears Wide Receiver Arrested in Drug Sting

As if things were not bad enough for Bears’ fans with the loss of Jay Cutler and other mishaps, Bears wide received Samuel Hurd, 26, has been arrested and charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine. Hurd looks like he was sacked in a pretty damning sting operations where he not only is caught arranging delivery of coke and pot but actually accepts a sample (the latter move should have been a tip off of a sting operation).
Continue reading “Thinning The Hurd: Bears Wide Receiver Arrested in Drug Sting” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Society

Federal Court Considers Standing in Sister Wives Case

Today I will be appearing in federal court in Salt Lake City, Utah to argue for standing in our challenge to the Utah statute criminalizing bigamy and cohabitation. I have previously written about the constitutional issues raised by the action. This hearing, however, concerns the effort of the state to avoid review of the law by claiming that the family lacks standing, even though the state has declared their family to be a criminal association and prosecutors have declared them to be guilty under the law.
Continue reading “Federal Court Considers Standing in Sister Wives Case” →

Criminal law, International, Society, Torts

France Facing Crisis After Discovery That Tens of Thousands of Women May Have Been Given Industrial Silicone In Breast Implants

France is experiencing a massive tort scandal after it was discovered thousands of women were given breast implants containing industrial silicone rather than medical silicone. We have seen <a href="In Vassallo v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., 696 N.E.2d 909 (Mass.1998), a court looked at the liability of one such company under an implied warranty of merchantability for failure to warn or provide instructions about risks. The appellate court Defendant did have actual or constructive knowledge.”>such cases in the United States of faux doctors using industrial silicone purchased from auto and home repair stores. Nothing, however, comes close to the French scandal. Over 30,000 women in France (as well as some in Spain and the UK) may have had the defective products from Poly Implant Prosthesis (PIP).
Continue reading “France Facing Crisis After Discovery That Tens of Thousands of Women May Have Been Given Industrial Silicone In Breast Implants” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

Happy Birthday, Bill [of Rights]: Obama Breaks Promise To Veto Bill Allowing Indefinite Detention of Americans

There was a brief moment when civil libertarians were stunned to see President Barack Obama actually take a stand in favor of civil liberties after years to rolling back on basic rights of citizens and moving beyond the Bush Administration in building up the security state. Obama said that he would veto the defense bill that contained a horrific provision for the indefinite detention of American citizens. While many predicted it, Obama has now again betrayed the civil liberties community and lifted the threat of the veto. Americans will now be subject to indefinite detention without trial in federal courts in a measure supported by both Democrats and Republicans. It is a curious way to celebrate the 220th anniversary of the Bill of Rights.
Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Bill [of Rights]: Obama Breaks Promise To Veto Bill Allowing Indefinite Detention of Americans” →

Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Police In Indonesia Capture Dozens of “Punks” For “Spiritual Cleansing” In The Name Of Islam

My last column discussed how the Obama Administration is continuing its dangerous effort to appease Muslim allies in establishing limitations on free speech to combat “intolerance” for religion. Yesterday, there was an interesting article from Indonesia where police raided punk parties and took kids into custody to be “spiritually cleansed” in the name of Sharia law. Police insisted that the shaving of their heads and other abuses were perfectly consistent with human rights law because it was benefiting the subjects.

Continue reading “Police In Indonesia Capture Dozens of “Punks” For “Spiritual Cleansing” In The Name Of Islam” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Society

China Arrests Two Bloggers For The Crime Of Spreading Rumors

The Chinese government is obsessed with suppressing free speech on the Internet — legitimately fearful that citizens speaking with each other could bring an end to its regime. The recent protests in Russia likely reinforced those fears for the Chinese. Thus, it should come as no surprise that when two men told people online about a huge police presence supporting a wedding, the Chinese government had them arrested.
Continue reading “China Arrests Two Bloggers For The Crime Of Spreading Rumors” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

Saudi Kingdom Executes “Sorceress”

The Saudi Kingdom has now executed yet another “sorcerer” — part of a continuing trend in Muslim countries in arrested suspecting Genies and sorcerers in the name of Allah. In this case, the Saudis appear to have arrested a garden-variety carnival healer — a woman saying that she could heal illness for $800 per session.
Continue reading “Saudi Kingdom Executes “Sorceress”” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society, Torts

Police Reportedly Take Two Hunters Into Custody In Texas School Shooting

We have followed a long line of hunting accidents and buck fever cases which are becoming more and more common as housing areas expand into rural areas (here and here). Now in Edinburg, Texas, police have taken two hunters into custody on suspicion of firing the stray bullets that cut down two middle school students at Harwell Middle School.
Continue reading “Police Reportedly Take Two Hunters Into Custody In Texas School Shooting” →