Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The U.S. Supreme Court has bastardized the 14th Amendment by finding that corporations are "persons" too and enjoy the "privileges and immunities" of political speech under the First Amendment in Citizens United v. FEC (where's your "original intent" jurisprudence now, Justice Scalia?)
Not only that, but corporation's rights are superior to your individual rights — corporations can spend unlimited amounts of campaign money and not have to disclose the names of contributors or amounts given. This allows the Chicoms Chamber of Commerce to comingle money from foreign corporations in its general account and use those funds to influence U.S. elections (foreign campaign contributions in U.S. elections are prohibited – for now. There is actually a case in court challenging this prohibition). You and I, however, are subject to strict campaign contribution limits, and our contributions are a matter of public record disclosure.
The Federal Election Commission has been a completely dysfunctional regulatory agency for many years. Complaints take months, if not years to be determined, long after an election has been held and certified. And per se violations of the law — as occurred with the John McCain campaign in 2008 — result in a mere wrist-slap of a fine, if any enforcement at all. The FEC is a toothless tiger that no one fears or takes seriously.
I believe this is what comedian Stephen Colbert is mocking with his bit of performance art by filing an application to become a Super PAC with the FEC. And today, the FEC actually approved his application. Our election system is broken, and Colbert is proving the point. Outside FEC, Stephen Colbert Says His 'Super PAC' Is No Joke | TPMMuckraker:
The Federal Election Commission gets it — Stephen Colbert is punking them. But the FEC treated the Comedy Central host's request for an advisory opinion like anyone else, and on Thursday granted him the ability to form a "super PAC."
Their ruling allows his parent company Viacom to pay for most of their "coverage" of Colbert Super PAC's activities under a press exemption without having to disclose such expenditures as in-kind donations.
The law of unintended consequences, Mr. Colbert, would suggest that FAUX News personalities will now follow the precedent you have set. And that is not a good thing. Be carfeful what you wish for.
Campaign finance reform groups opposed Colbert's motion because they said it would allow other media companies and politicians who have their own programs to promote their political action committees under the guise of a media exemption.
After the meeting wrapped, Colbert addressed a throng of supporters and reporters just outside the FEC building [jumpy video].
"Now some people have cynically asked, is this some kind of joke? Well I for one don't think that participating in a democracy is a joke," Colbert told the crowd. "I don't think that wanting to know what the rules are is a joke."
"But I do have one federal election law joke if you'd like to hear it," Colbert said.
"Knock knock?" Colbert said.
"Who's there?" asked the crowd.
"Unlimited union and corporate campaign contributions," Colbert said.
"Unlimited union and corporate campaign contributions who?" the crowd replied, not quite in unison.
"That's the thing, I don't think I should have to tell you," Colbert replied.
Colbert said he didn't know what he'd be doing with his unrestricted "super PAC" money, but said people should give him cash so they could find out.
"I don't know about you, but I do not accept limits on my free speech," Colbert said. "I don't know about you, but I do not accept the status quo. But I do accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. $50 or less please, because then I don't have to keep a record of who gave it to me."
* * *
Colbert — who joked on his show that the first priority of his "super PAC" would be getting raises for the FEC — said that the commissioners should get "full body scrubs." He said that Karl Rove and Sarah Palin should send them "bouquets of flowers" if they stay at Fox News.
Where Colbert goes with his bit of performance art from here is really up to him. I don't think anyone can predict what his comic genius mind will do with this.
I do think it would be more useful to reform our election system,