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Why this all matters
Author: Raine
Date: 02/28/2008 13:51:11
It is critical that we elect a Democratic Candidate to the Executive office in Novemeber. Critical.
It is critical that we get a super majority in the House and the Senate as well.
Damage Control at High Court:
The Court Justice is more concerned about Poor Exxon and it's corporate profits than it is about the 10's of thousands of people who are plaintiff's in this case? Many of them have since died.
The original decision was Five billion dollars, at this point they are arguing over a mere 2.5 billion. I say mere because that is about 1 months profit for Exxon.
We have a supreme court justice who is worried about Exxon. If it weren't so funny, I'd cry. I guess I should take comfort that Justice Alito is not taking part in the case. I suppose having a few hundred thousand dollars in stock might influence a person. Head Justice Roberts? His stock in far less controversial. He has a few with Coca Cola, AT&T and XM Radio. (source: Judicial Watch; 2003 finacial Disclosure report) You think he will sit out the FISA situation when it comes to the high court?
This election matters. It matters for the VERY least that we must put rational people on the SCOTUS. Not justices who wring their hands over a company instead of the PEOPLE of the United States of America.
Exxon will be fine. They will still have their precious profits. The thousands that have waited 19 years for a decision, they are not fine. And they are the ones who the SCOTUS should be worried about.
This election matters because John McCain is more of the same. More worried about corporations than people. More worried about profits and war than the well being of our citizens.
This election matters for reasons like the Supreme Court.
I will see you inside.
:peace: and
Raine
It is critical that we get a super majority in the House and the Senate as well.
Damage Control at High Court:
Exxon Mobil, the giant oil corporation appearing before the Supreme Court yesterday, had earned a profit of nearly $40 billion in 2006, the largest ever reported by a U.S. company -- but that's not what bothered Roberts. What bothered the chief justice was that Exxon was being ordered to pay $2.5 billion -- roughly three weeks' worth of profits -- for destroying a long swath of the Alaska coastline in the largest oil spill in American history.
"So what can a corporation do to protect itself against punitive-damages awards such as this?" Roberts asked in court.
The lawyer arguing for the Alaska fishermen affected by the spill, Jeffrey Fisher, had an idea. "Well," he said, "it can hire fit and competent people."
The rare sound of laughter rippled through the august chamber. The chief justice did not look amused.
The original decision was Five billion dollars, at this point they are arguing over a mere 2.5 billion. I say mere because that is about 1 months profit for Exxon.
We have a supreme court justice who is worried about Exxon. If it weren't so funny, I'd cry. I guess I should take comfort that Justice Alito is not taking part in the case. I suppose having a few hundred thousand dollars in stock might influence a person. Head Justice Roberts? His stock in far less controversial. He has a few with Coca Cola, AT&T and XM Radio. (source: Judicial Watch; 2003 finacial Disclosure report) You think he will sit out the FISA situation when it comes to the high court?
This election matters. It matters for the VERY least that we must put rational people on the SCOTUS. Not justices who wring their hands over a company instead of the PEOPLE of the United States of America.
Exxon will be fine. They will still have their precious profits. The thousands that have waited 19 years for a decision, they are not fine. And they are the ones who the SCOTUS should be worried about.
This election matters because John McCain is more of the same. More worried about corporations than people. More worried about profits and war than the well being of our citizens.
This election matters for reasons like the Supreme Court.
I will see you inside.
:peace: and
Raine
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:31:25
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:31:25
Good Morning.. Tap tap...
Comment by 
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:32:47
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:32:47
Raine, great blog. I missed most of the news yesterday due to *gasp* work. This whole "work" thing is truly over-rated. Velveeta must make a plan to stop doing it.
Anywho. I agree 100% that we need a Democrat to win the Presidency, we also MUST remember that we must keep the House and Senate as well as Governers and even down to our local County/City representitives.
Anywho. I agree 100% that we need a Democrat to win the Presidency, we also MUST remember that we must keep the House and Senate as well as Governers and even down to our local County/City representitives.
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:33:18
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:33:18
BTW: Google is down again!! WTF????
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:36:52
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:36:52
Good Morining bunny!!
Comment by 
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 14:37:15
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 14:37:15
morning.....
Comment by 
shelaghc on 02/28/2008 14:38:30
shelaghc on 02/28/2008 14:38:30
G'mornin'
Can I ask the techies a Q?
Can I ask the techies a Q?
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:38:40
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:38:40
Good Morning Mr. Grumpy!!
Comment by 
starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:38:44
starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:38:44
Raine Raine Raine. . . girl. . . so true. John McCain is absolutely more of the same.
I was listening to the clip of him saying "I've got news for Barack Obama. . . ." and, I must say, he sounded as snarky, and snickery, and frat boy as the current BoyWonder©. Not good folks. Not good. We DO NOT want another sociopath in the White House.
By the way, Mornin' y'all.
I was listening to the clip of him saying "I've got news for Barack Obama. . . ." and, I must say, he sounded as snarky, and snickery, and frat boy as the current BoyWonder©. Not good folks. Not good. We DO NOT want another sociopath in the White House.
By the way, Mornin' y'all.
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 14:39:05
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:39:05
From Greg Palaast, via AfterDowning Street:Nineteen goddamn years is enough. I’m sorry if you don’t like my language, but when I think about what they did to Paul Kompkoff, I’m in no mood to nicey-nice words.
Next month marks 19 years since the Exxon Valdez dumped its load of crude oil across the Prince William Sound, Alaska. A big gooeysmallalaksaoil.jpg load of this crude spilled over the lands of the Chenega Natives. Paul Kompkoff was a seal-hunter for the village. That is, until Exxon’s ship killed the seal and poisoned the rest of Chenega’s food supply.
While cameras rolled, Exxon executives promised they’d compensate everyone. Today, before the US Supreme Court, the big oil company’s lawyers argued that they shouldn’t have to pay Paul or other fishermen the damages ordered by the courts.
They can’t pay Paul anyway. He’s dead.
That was part of Exxon’s plan. They told me that. In 1990 and 1991, I worked for the Chenega and Chugach Natives of Alaska on trying to get Exxon to pay up to save the remote villages of the Sound. Exxon’s response was, “We can hold out in court until you’re all dead.”
Nice guys. But, hell, they were right, weren’t they?
But Exxon didn’t do it alone. They had enablers. One was a failed oil driller named “Dubya.” Exxon was the largest contributor to George W. Bush’s political career after Enron. They were a team, Exxon and Enron. The Chairman of Enron, Ken Lay, prior to his felony convictions, funded a group called Texans for Law Suit Reform. The idea was to prevent Natives, consumers and defrauded stockholders from suing felonious corporations and their chiefs.
====================================
BUT.... here is the kicker, from the article:
====================================
So the Senator did what I call, The McCain Hunch. Again and again he grabbed his ankles and apologized to the K Street lobbyists, reversing his positions on, well, you name it. For example, in 2001, he said of Bush’s tax cuts, “I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us at the expense of middle-class Americans.” Now, in bad conscience, the Senator vows to make these tax cuts permanent.
On “Tort Reform,” the about-face was dizzying. McCain voted to undermine his own 2001 Patients Bill of Rights with votes in 2005 to limit suits to enforce it. He then added his name to a bill that would have thrown sealhunter Kompkoff’s suit out of federal court.
In 2003, McCain voted against Bush’s Energy Plan, an industry oil-gasm. But this week, following Exxon’s report that it sucked in $40.6 billion in earnings last year, the largest profit haul in planetary history, McCain failed to join Clinton, Obama, most Democrats and some Republicans on a bill to require a teeny sliver of industry profit go to alternative energy sources. On oil independence, McCain is AWOL, missing in action.
Next month marks 19 years since the Exxon Valdez dumped its load of crude oil across the Prince William Sound, Alaska. A big gooeysmallalaksaoil.jpg load of this crude spilled over the lands of the Chenega Natives. Paul Kompkoff was a seal-hunter for the village. That is, until Exxon’s ship killed the seal and poisoned the rest of Chenega’s food supply.
While cameras rolled, Exxon executives promised they’d compensate everyone. Today, before the US Supreme Court, the big oil company’s lawyers argued that they shouldn’t have to pay Paul or other fishermen the damages ordered by the courts.
They can’t pay Paul anyway. He’s dead.
That was part of Exxon’s plan. They told me that. In 1990 and 1991, I worked for the Chenega and Chugach Natives of Alaska on trying to get Exxon to pay up to save the remote villages of the Sound. Exxon’s response was, “We can hold out in court until you’re all dead.”
Nice guys. But, hell, they were right, weren’t they?
But Exxon didn’t do it alone. They had enablers. One was a failed oil driller named “Dubya.” Exxon was the largest contributor to George W. Bush’s political career after Enron. They were a team, Exxon and Enron. The Chairman of Enron, Ken Lay, prior to his felony convictions, funded a group called Texans for Law Suit Reform. The idea was to prevent Natives, consumers and defrauded stockholders from suing felonious corporations and their chiefs.
====================================
BUT.... here is the kicker, from the article:
====================================
So the Senator did what I call, The McCain Hunch. Again and again he grabbed his ankles and apologized to the K Street lobbyists, reversing his positions on, well, you name it. For example, in 2001, he said of Bush’s tax cuts, “I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us at the expense of middle-class Americans.” Now, in bad conscience, the Senator vows to make these tax cuts permanent.
On “Tort Reform,” the about-face was dizzying. McCain voted to undermine his own 2001 Patients Bill of Rights with votes in 2005 to limit suits to enforce it. He then added his name to a bill that would have thrown sealhunter Kompkoff’s suit out of federal court.
In 2003, McCain voted against Bush’s Energy Plan, an industry oil-gasm. But this week, following Exxon’s report that it sucked in $40.6 billion in earnings last year, the largest profit haul in planetary history, McCain failed to join Clinton, Obama, most Democrats and some Republicans on a bill to require a teeny sliver of industry profit go to alternative energy sources. On oil independence, McCain is AWOL, missing in action.
Comment by starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:40:21
starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:40:21
Ya know who is inconsequential??? Dennis Miller.
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 14:41:01
BobR is en route to work.... I am pretty useless with the tech and the flaven.
and top o' the morn to ya :ireland:!
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:41:01
Quote by shelaghc: G'mornin'
Can I ask the techies a Q?
and top o' the morn to ya :ireland:!
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 14:41:46
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:41:46
And also Good morning to ms Jones, :star:ling and grump!
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:42:35
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:42:35
Hey, I suggest we get 8x10 photo's of the oil spill and send them, repeatedly and en mass, to the Exxon Board and executives. Just as a reminder.
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 14:43:47
It's working for me.
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:43:47
Quote by velveeta jones: BTW: Google is down again!! WTF????
Comment by starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:43:47
starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:43:47
Communities like the "Ideal Mushroom land" of The Smurfs. : drama sting :
Comment by 
livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:45:21
livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:45:21
Good morning everyone. 
Spring cannot come fast enough for me.
Spring cannot come fast enough for me.
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:46:05
And also the Supreme Court justices.
livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:46:05
Quote by velveeta jones: Hey, I suggest we get 8x10 photo's of the oil spill and send them, repeatedly and en mass, to the Exxon Board and executives. Just as a reminder.
And also the Supreme Court justices.
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 14:46:43
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:46:43
Just for the hellovit... The drama prairie dog!
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:49:21
livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:49:21
Crony McSnowjob was on last night's Colbert Report.
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 14:49:43
Raine on 02/28/2008 14:49:43
Actually last night on Colbert, he did a segment called *ThreatDown* it was a total Ripoff of Countdown. Funny stuff.
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:52:27
That too.
livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:52:27
Quote by Raine: Actually last night on Colbert, he did a segment called *ThreatDown* it was a total Ripoff of Countdown. Funny stuff.
That too.
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:53:48
livingonli on 02/28/2008 14:53:48
C'mon, Hannity is not going to let a thing like facts get in the way of his talking points.
Comment by starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:53:48
starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:53:48
I, for one, ALWAYS refer to Reagan as Ronald WILSON Reagan.
Comment by 
TriSec on 02/28/2008 14:54:24
TriSec on 02/28/2008 14:54:24
Good Morning, comrades!
I'm here briefly today...it's an early release day in the Waltham School System, so we set up a tour of the State House with our representative Thomas M. Stanley this afternoon.
We may even get a brief audience with Governor Patrick...if he's not off in Texas gladhanding for Obama, that is.
I'll of course put in a good word for a certain little website that I tend to frequent...
I'm here briefly today...it's an early release day in the Waltham School System, so we set up a tour of the State House with our representative Thomas M. Stanley this afternoon.
We may even get a brief audience with Governor Patrick...if he's not off in Texas gladhanding for Obama, that is.
I'll of course put in a good word for a certain little website that I tend to frequent...
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:54:50
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:54:50
Actually "Osama" is a very common name in the Arab world. Britney Spears' manager, Sam, is short for Osama! Hussain is also fairly common.
The Repubs are just idiots.............. as per usual.
The Repubs are just idiots.............. as per usual.
Comment by Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 14:54:57
What do you need?
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 14:54:57
Quote by shelaghc: G'mornin'
Can I ask the techies a Q?
What do you need?
Comment by Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 14:55:53
I called him a waste of a busted nut.....
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 14:55:53
Quote by starling310: I, for one, ALWAYS refer to Reagan as Ronald WILSON Reagan.
I called him a waste of a busted nut.....
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:56:10
If you had put a gun to my head, I would not have remembered his middle name.
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:56:10
Quote by starling310: I, for one, ALWAYS refer to Reagan as Ronald WILSON Reagan.
If you had put a gun to my head, I would not have remembered his middle name.
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:57:04
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:57:04
OH!! I LOVED that ad!!
Comment by starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:58:37
zzzzackly
starling310 on 02/28/2008 14:58:37
Quote by velveeta jones:Quote by starling310: I, for one, ALWAYS refer to Reagan as Ronald WILSON Reagan.
If you had put a gun to my head, I would not have remembered his middle name.
zzzzackly
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:59:55
Here is that ad.
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 14:59:55
Here is that ad.
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 15:01:30
livingonli on 02/28/2008 15:01:30
Is everyone ready for Chimpy's press conference?
Comment by Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:05:29
Can't wait!
To fall asleep........
Or Puke.....................
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:05:29
Quote by livingonli: Is everyone ready for Chimpy's press conference?
Can't wait!
To fall asleep........
Or Puke.....................
Comment by 
BobR on 02/28/2008 15:06:59
BobR on 02/28/2008 15:06:59
Morning, folks... :coffee:
Comment by starling310 on 02/28/2008 15:07:21
starling310 on 02/28/2008 15:07:21
Ooh. . . Bradley Whitford. 
Comment by Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:07:38
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:07:38
Oh I know it's the FEAR THE HOMEGROWN TERRISTS meme!
They havn't done that one in a while!
They havn't done that one in a while!
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 15:08:00
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 15:08:00
I'm in need of some comedy relief, so I'm going to listen to the press conference.
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 15:08:12
Raine on 02/28/2008 15:08:12
a few days ago, the government announced the Virtual Fence was ready to go. Today. not so much.
A complete clusterf*ck from our government.
A complete clusterf*ck from our government.
Comment by BobR on 02/28/2008 15:09:25
lessee.... barf bucket?: check
alcohol?.... DAMN! - I'm at work!!
BobR on 02/28/2008 15:09:25
Quote by livingonli: Is everyone ready for Chimpy's press conference?
lessee.... barf bucket?: check
alcohol?.... DAMN! - I'm at work!!
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 15:10:04
livingonli on 02/28/2008 15:10:04
BTW, the phone companies were spying on us before 9-11 so they must be doing a really good job. 
Comment by shelaghc on 02/28/2008 15:10:04
Hi GM. Just trying to find out why my DSL connection seems so poor for downloading and podcasting and why I have so much trouble with even the small Sammy Cam.
I've been told my connection is 768k and that's only supposed to be good fro websurfing etc. Is that true?
shelaghc on 02/28/2008 15:10:04
Quote by Grumpymann:Quote by shelaghc: G'mornin'
Can I ask the techies a Q?
What do you need?
Hi GM. Just trying to find out why my DSL connection seems so poor for downloading and podcasting and why I have so much trouble with even the small Sammy Cam.
I've been told my connection is 768k and that's only supposed to be good fro websurfing etc. Is that true?
Comment by 
wickedpam on 02/28/2008 15:10:25
wickedpam on 02/28/2008 15:10:25
Morning! :hug:
Comment by Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:10:27
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:10:27
"Have you no honor sir?"
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 15:10:36
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 15:10:36
Oh Jim................ there ya go being all "realistic" again.................... :rofl:
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 15:10:36
Raine on 02/28/2008 15:10:36
Fish rots from the head! Good one 
This man makes my blood boil.
This man makes my blood boil.
Comment by livingonli on 02/28/2008 15:11:47
Too bad drinking on the job is not encourgaed.
Morning BobR and Mala.
livingonli on 02/28/2008 15:11:47
Quote by BobR:Quote by livingonli: Is everyone ready for Chimpy's press conference?
lessee.... barf bucket?: check
alcohol?.... DAMN! - I'm at work!!
Too bad drinking on the job is not encourgaed.
Morning BobR and Mala.
Comment by BobR on 02/28/2008 15:12:13
BobR on 02/28/2008 15:12:13
Dubya - a reminder: From Article 1 Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution (the one you're supposed to protect, remember?):
"No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed."
Granting them retroactive immunity is unconstitutional...
"No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed."
Granting them retroactive immunity is unconstitutional...
Comment by Raine on 02/28/2008 15:13:02
that sounds fab!
Raine on 02/28/2008 15:13:02
Quote by TriSec: Good Morning, comrades!
I'm here briefly today...it's an early release day in the Waltham School System, so we set up a tour of the State House with our representative Thomas M. Stanley this afternoon.
We may even get a brief audience with Governor Patrick...if he's not off in Texas gladhanding for Obama, that is.
I'll of course put in a good word for a certain little website that I tend to frequent...
that sounds fab!
Comment by velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 15:13:20
velveeta jones on 02/28/2008 15:13:20
I might make Obama a Pin-Jacket! A suit made of nothing but pins. 
Comment by Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:13:51
To the best of my knowledge they can't say what your downloading. But you can go to a web site and what your speed is.
You can Google and find the web site.
(Note: you can check your connection by using a DOS window and typing Ping www.yahoo.com )
Grumpymann on 02/28/2008 15:13:51
Quote by shelaghc:Quote by Grumpymann:Quote by shelaghc: G'mornin'
Can I ask the techies a Q?
What do you need?
Hi GM. Just trying to find out why my DSL connection seems so poor for downloading and podcasting and why I have so much trouble with even the small Sammy Cam.
I've been told my connection is 768k and that's only supposed to be good fro websurfing etc. Is that true?
To the best of my knowledge they can't say what your downloading. But you can go to a web site and what your speed is.
You can Google and find the web site.
(Note: you can check your connection by using a DOS window and typing Ping www.yahoo.com )