Too funny to wait until Sunday

Too big to sue

That is essentially what the Supreme Court's Wal-Mart ruling means.

Class action lawsuits have traditionally been the vehicle for individuals to seek justice from large corporations. It allowed these individuals to pool their resources in order to achieve the same level of justice as the corporation. This was the method that was used to counteract a corporation's lawsuit war chest, with which they could buy their way out of a lawsuit with an army of lawyers and endless appeals. The class action lawsuit leveled the playing field.

But the Supreme Court ruling this week means that many corporations are just too big to sue. Since large groups of people are now not allowed to pool their resources due to the vague "glue rule" advanced by Antonin Scalia, the only avenue left for suing these corporations is via small groups or individuals. And of course, when going up against small groups or individuals, a large corporation has all the advantages that money can buy.

Many lawyers are simply not going to take such cases any more, advising their client that they can't win. Thus justice will be denied, over and again. Congress and the White House could work to change this setback for Americans through either legislation or even constitutional amendment, but somehow I doubt they will. After all, they don't want to displease their corporate masters, especially after last year's Citizens United ruling (and didn't Obama make some vague promise about doing something about that atrocity).

We no longer live under the rule of law, but rather under the rule of corporations. That's fascism, folks. Or as Benito Mussolini* pointed out, more properly called corporatism.

What, if anything, should we the people do about that?

Do you still have hope that our elected officials will actually make the necessary changes? I don't.

A stronger labor movement would be a good thing towards this end. But the unions have been dying for decades now, and the corporations and the traditional media are busy putting the final nails in their coffins even as I blog.

Frankly I think that the only option left is the one to which the people of France resorted in 1789. I'm just not certain that I will live to see it. It's also quite likely that if a populist uprising like that occurred it would be led from the extreme Right, such as the TeaBags (they have most of the guns, after all). Which would move the country still further right. Toward more theocracy and more corporatism, without a doubt. With a bit of idiocracy thrown in.

But perhaps we could make a start in the not-right-but-certainly-proper direction by impeaching Clarence Thomas. As former US Senator John Blutarsky famously said: "Who's with me?!"

 *Some disagree that Mussolini actually said this.

Related reading:

Beyond the Supreme Court: Other Strategies Needed to Fight Discrimination at Wal-Mart (and Other Corporations)

Rick Perry "aids" (sic) prepare for his gay rumors to be rehashed

As Evan Smith previously noted, that is a most unfortunate typo in the headline.

Here's the article, still with the header error, as of this posting. Update: Politico editors finally managed to get it fixed mid-morning Tuesday.

If Texas Gov. Rick Perry decides to run for president, his team is more than prepared for a re-airing of unsubstantiated rumors, circulated on and off for years in the Lone Star State, about his personal life.

The crusted-over rumors were in the ether among some attendees at a dinner hosted last week by the Manhattan County GOP, where Perry gave the keynote speech. The rumors, which have never been proven despite repeated review by media outlets, were addressed by the governor himself in a lengthy 2004 American-Statesman story that is sure to see new life if he runs

The claims, which had made the rounds for months by the time the story was written, included rumors that Perry and his wife Anita had split, and that the governor was gay.

"Crusted-over"? Sounds Santorumish. And what's wrong with being gay, anyway? Surely this cannot be the one thing in the entire world that isn't OKIYAR.

But Team Perry, asked about how it's prepared to handle them when they emerge if he runs, said it remains "false and misleading."

"As you may know, Rick and Anita Perry first met in grade school, went on their first date together in 1966, have been lovingly married since 1982 and are parents to two grown children," said top Perry strategist Dave Carney. "This kind of nameless, faceless smear campaign is run against the Perry family in seemingly every campaign, with no basis, truth or success."

"Texas politics is a full contact support, live hand grenades and all; unfortunately there are always going to be some people who feel the need to spread false and misleading rumors to advance their own political agenda," he said.

"He is the most tested, most researched potential candidate or candidate on our side," Carney added to POLITICO.

"Most tested"? (h/t Mean Rachel)

What were the results of the tests, Mr. Carney, head of the Perry aids aides?

My God but that's a lot of presumably unintentional double entendre'.

Update II: Juanita Jean wishes to underscore that Rick Perry is not gay.

The Weekly Wrangle

Have we mentioned that the Texas Progressive Alliance is desperate for rain? Because we're almost ready to pray for some as we bring you this week's roundup.

We have our first poll of Texas for next year's presidential contest and Off the Kuff says that so far 2012 still looks like 2008.

Last week WCNews at Eye On Williamson posted on the Texas Republicans' latest health care scheme: House GOP follows Oklahoma and Georgia into misguided health care compact.

Bay Area Houston has a theory about Rick Perry's veto of the texting-while-driving ban.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus is organizing a series of nationwide rallies calling for our country's leaders to focus on employment, and the road show comes to Houston on July 21st. PDidde at Brains and Eggs has the details on the "Speak Out for Good Jobs Now" tour.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes that John Cornyn had a busy week, what with moving to kill Medicare and raining on Rick Perry's presidential parade.

Libby Shaw explains how Rick Perry is wooing Wall Street. What a shock! Check it out at TexasKaos.

This week at McBlogger, we take a look at the Olympic-sized swimming pool of fail that is the policy section of General Ricardo Sanchez's website.

Neil at Texas Liberal posted a picture of a man wading in the waters of the Houston Ship Channel. No matter how bad a day you feel you're having, you're likely having a better day than somebody who feels they must wade into one of the most polluted bodies of water in the nation.

Obama comedian at the RLC video

This is really funny stuff.



Be sure and take note of the audience, and how they turn on him when he starts joking about the GOP.

The laughter turned to puzzlement and scattered boos, when (Obama impersonator Reggie) Brown began targeting Republicans. Noting the mass resignation of Newt Gingrich advisers, Brown said that Gingrich supporters “are dropping faster than Anthony Weiner’s pants in an AOL chatroom.”

A picture of George Washington after the rigors of his presidency was actually a picture of former first lady Barbara Bush in a Washington-style wig. When he began making jibes at Tim Pawlenty and Michelle Bachmann, the music came up, the microphone went off and the program moderator escorted Brown off the stage.

I loved the whole thing. And I'm not at all surprised that the Republicans can only laugh when the joke's not on them.

Additional Father's Day Funnies

Cascade, CO

Latest chapter in a continuing series of Dorrell's travels.

Like the Bushes and all the other wealthy Houstonians who blow town for cooler climes in the summer, we decided we'd leave the stifling heat and sweltering drought for the Rocky Mountains. My sister-in-law pulled together a packed itinerary (she spent summers here when she was a kid, and with her parents gone wanted to create some new family memories. We all happily obliged).

The 2011 family reunion happened last week in this little hamlet just south of Colorado Springs, which for anybody's money has the most going on within twenty minutes in all directions. There were 15 of us this year; most of our group stayed here (we were the last ones to arrive Thursday just past and stayed in the cabin, here and here, about 300 yards down the hill). Can't say enough good things about the facilities. Well worth the money even in high season.

Once deplaned in Denver and driven south about 90 minutes, we picked up Mom and Mother Baker and headed out for Cripple Creek -- about a 45-minute very scenic drive away -- so they could feed the slots. Had dinner at the Steakhouse inside Bronco Billy's and drove back at dusk.

Friday morning was devoted to the photographer at Garden of the Gods. Flickr stream to follow. This was the trip's highlight for me.

It's a free-admission city park with the finest hiking trails you can imagine. You can also Segway it or Jeep it. Both the history and the geology are amazing and the vistas just stun. We had a buffalo burger and sweet potato tots for lunch before driving about twenty minutes to Manitou Springs to take the Cog Railway to the summit of Pike's Peak.

The ride up made my altitude sickness-influenced Meneire's even worse, but that eventually passed. When we got to the top it was 32 degrees (temps were mid-50's to high 70's while we were in Colorado) and we got hailed on twice in 40 minutes -- first gravel-sized and then peas -- before the wind whipped up to about 50 mph just as we were departing. I found that positively invigorating, being peppered by ice the size of Dippin' Dots on top of a 14,000 feet-high pile of granite.

Friday evening's meal brought us all together at the Craftwood Inn, where most of the family had one of the local game selections (.pdf); I had a halibut/salmon/coconut shrimp sampler. Our celebrations included Mom's 85th birthday and my two nieces' engagement /wedding announcements.

We departed Saturday morning, missing the whitewater rafting and zip line activities at Royal Gorge Bridge and Railroad, the Cave of the Winds, the cliff dwellings, Seven Falls, the Air Force Academy, and everything else. Some of the late departures are having brunch at the Broadmoor this morning.

You'd need a week to do half of all that. Maybe next time.

Can you believe I'm related to these people? Me neither.

The brunette's blog has more and many more pictures here, here, and here.

Sunday Funnies

Governor Dominionist

There's just no end to the man's piety this week. Today, this:

During an interview with Neil Cavuto on FOX News this afternoon, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was asked about the criticism he’s received at home from Texas’ newspapers, fellow Republicans and opposition Democrats.

“The prophet is generally not loved in their hometown,” Perry said in response to the question.

Would that this was true; his sorry ass wouldn't be sitting in a $10-grand-a-month rental paid for by Texans right now. That follows this, posted yesterday (but retrieved from an interview last month with the illustrious James Robison):

Perry says he sees a silver lining to the devastating recession that has cost millions of families their jobs, homes, and livelihoods: it will return America to “Biblical principles” and free us from the slavery of big government:

PERRY: I think in America from time to time we have to go through some difficult times — and I think we’re going through those difficult economic times for a purpose, to bring us back to those Biblical principles of you know, you don’t spend all the money. You work hard for those six years and you put up that seventh year in the warehouse to take you through the hard times. And not spending all of our money. Not asking for Pharaoh to give everything to everybody and to take care of folks because at the end of the day, it’s slavery. We become slaves to government.

Perry twists a famous Biblical story into a bizarre anti-government tirade, comparing the U.S. government to slave masters in ancient Egypt. Skewing religion to reinforce his personal political ideology, Perry chastises people not to rely on government for help in hard times, and suggests those who are suffering have no one but themselves to blame for not making adequate preparations.

Let's review.

As the state’s longest serving governor in history, Rick Perry has pushed through a radical right-wing agenda that has left Texas with a record budget deficit, the third-highest poverty rate in the country, and the highest percentage of uninsured residents in the nation. Now he is poised to sign the most draconian state budget in modern history, one that slashes essential services for the poor and middle class while potentially laying off hundreds of thousands of public school teachers.

He has a history of using religion for perceived political gain, courting the most extreme religious conservatives as he has flirted with a run for the White House. Last week Perry invited other governors to join him at a prayer event in Houston this summer, hosted by the stridently bigoted American Family Association. Last month, over Easter weekend, he extolled Texans to “pray for rain” ... even as he tried to cut funding for the agency battling the wildfires.

Rick Perry's Dominionism is at the heart of his political hypocrisy, and in the wake of some pundits declaring him the "winner" of the debate last night in which he made no appearance, it's important that the national media -- and the voters in Iowa and New Hampshire and elsewhere -- understand precisely what a miserable, epic failure he is.

But he's not simply a poor governor and an even poorer human being, he's got a significant and dangerous God complex. Perry doesn't just talk to God in public and with the cameras rolling; it's not even that God talks back to him (like George W Bush, with whom he famously does not get along). Rick Perry believes -- this is so ironic because it's the same thing that the conservative minions continually carp about Obama -- that he is the Chosen One. The prophet. The Messiah.

In that classy "eat the poor", neoFascist kinda way, of course.

Update: Richard Connelly at the Houston Press adds a take.

Progressive Democratic Caucus sponsors 'Good Jobs' tour

It's coming to Houston on July 21st:

With the debate on Capitol Hill having shifted from job creation to deficit reduction, the Congressional Progressive Caucus on Tuesday launched a 12-city summer listening tour aimed at refocusing the economic discussion on the unemployment rate.

"The Republican majority has not offered one bill, one proposal, one concrete idea that would put Americans back to work," Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) told reporters on Capitol Hill. "Instead they only talk about cutting spending in ways that would hurt seniors, children, the middle class and the economy -- so that they can protect tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires."

"What Republicans don't want to talk about is what Democrats know to be true: jobs equal deficit reduction," she added. "That are fifteen million Americans out there and many of the millions of them who are getting unemployment checks would instead love to be paying taxes and lowering the deficit in America. This would boost our federal revenues, bringing down the deficit."

Over the next two months, House liberals and ProgressiveCongress.org plan to "get the progressive bus on the road" and take this message to Minneapolis, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York City, Miami, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, Portland, Seattle and Oakland.

"Our biggest challenges are not half-way around the world, they're half-way down the block," said Jim McGovern (D-MA). "We need to do a little bit more nation building in the United States of America."

"So let's get mad, you guys. And let's tell the man that we love in the White House to get off his butt and start supporting some legislation for jobs," added Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). "We want some action, President Obama."

The "Speak Out for Good Jobs Tour" opens June 18 in Minneapolis. Go here for additional dates and locations. Leave it to the progressives to get things moving (as usual).