Yesterday, the Supreme Court broke America. That may be a little bit hyperbolic, but not by much. If you’re a bit confused about the repercussions of this decision that came down yesterday, this decision that all of your lawyer friends (except those who somehow managed to pass the bar, yet can’t communicate beyond GOP talking points), liberal and conservative, are extremely concerned about, here’s a quick primer. In Citizens United v. FEC (PDF), the Supreme Court struck down over sixty years of precedent and ruled that the government may not regulate spending by corporations in elections. The rules were there for a reason: Because of the deep coffers of, say, Exxon-Mobil or Goldman Sachs, allowing them to spend freely to influence elections very easily overpowers our own rights as citizens. The CEO of Exxon-Mobil was never prohibited from contributing, just like any other citizen. But now the Supreme Court has essentially said that Exxon-Mobil, itself, is a citizen, and entitled to all of the same rights that you and I enjoy in electing our leaders and representatives. Let that sink in for a minute. A little more detail:
It’s that time again, apparently.
No, not for movies or whatever, but (I think?) those are coming soon.*
Peter LaBarbera has been nominating people for his inaugural “Gay Grinch” award**. He’s picked all kinds of people, like our own Wayne Besen, some couple in California whose Halloween decorations aren’t to Pete’s liking, Rachel Maddow…just, you know, random people who have messed with Peter’s mind over the past year. Or whenever. The meaning of the Grinch reference isn’t clear, unless, in Peter’s mind, it’s actually the gays who have stolen Christmas. Anyway, it’s boring, who cares?
The point is that Joe Jervis (another Grinch nominee) is having his own contest, and unlike The Peter, Joe believes in deciding the winner democratically, so here are your choices for the Anti-Gay Douchebag Bigot of 2009:
Bishop Richard Malone
Carrie Prejean
Harry Jackson Jr.
Maggie Gallagher
Matt Barber
Peter LaBarbera
Pope Benedict XVI
Tony Perkins
Now, they’re all fame-seeking malcontents, obviously (especially Ratzi), so we don’t really want to encourage them, but this is funny, so GO VOTE.
*I know, I know, I need to turn in my gay card and be put on probation.
**Ceremony to be held at some hitherto unannounced bathhouse/leather convention, I presume. Stay tuned, I guess?
