[EL] ELB News and Commentary 3/24/12
JBoppjr at aol.com
JBoppjr at aol.com
Sat Mar 24 07:31:33 PDT 2012
This distinction is not so easy to draw. If IEs by everyone but the media
were banned, like in the good old days, then only the media can speak.
Well there is a market for this speech, as Thomas acknowledges. So the
profits of the corporate NYTimes is enhanced by adoption of the very campaign
finance reforms they advocate.
So at least we should agree, if we accept Tom's point, that the NYTimes
should be banned from advocating campaign finance reform -- the adoption of
which would enhance its profits.
And since we are seeking out who "profits" from their advocacy, then who
owns the NYTimes, or "where does the money come from?," as the reformers
ask. Does GE own stock in the NYTimes, since it profits from the NYTimes'
advocacy of the government requiring all of us to buy GE's lightbulb? In Tom's
world, the FEC would have to investigate this. And then they all can be
thrown in jail. How fun. Jim
In a message dated 3/24/2012 9:30:54 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
tomjcares at gmail.com writes:
That comparison really puzzles me.
Can we really not have consensus that there's a difference between a
corporation filling a market demand for election advocacy speech - and profiting
from that just as an energy company profits by filling a market demand for
energy - and an energy company investing in election advocacy speech, not
to fill a market demand for that speech to make a profit from the speech,
but to alter the course of public policy such to increase the profits of
their energy business, both by affecting who gets elected and - even without
necessarily altering who would get elected - corrupting the policy
deliberations of policy-makers by making their elections dependent on their I.E.s
Regardless of whether one agrees with (or was the primary individual to
have accomplished) the CU decision, that distinction should not be difficult
to acknowledge.
-Thomas J. Cares
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 24, 2012, at 1:09 PM, _JBoppjr at aol.com_ (mailto:JBoppjr at aol.com)
wrote:
Thanks to Rick for informing us of another multi-million dollar corporate
expenditure to corrupt the judiciary:
_It’s Not Every Day the Severability Doctrine Makes the NY Times Op-Ed
Page_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32064)
Fortunately, if "corporations are not people" any more, we won't have to
hear from the NYTimes any more. See New York Times v. Sullivan.
And their evil effort to use their vast corporate wealth to corrupt the
judiciary can be stopped. Jim Bopp
In a message dated 3/24/2012 12:46:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
_rhasen at law.uci.edu_ (mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu) writes:
_Update on the South Carolina Voter ID Voting Rights Act Challenge_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32108)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 9:27 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32108)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
_Here_
(http://txredistricting.org/post/19807390090/meanwhile-in-the-south-carolina-voter-id-case) .
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32108&title=Update%20on%20the%20South%20Carolina%20Voter
%20ID%20Voting%20Rights%20Act%20Challenge&description=)
Posted in _voter id_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9) , _Voting Rights
Act_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15) | Comments Off
_“Obama’s Small-Dollar Percentage Down Slightly in February; Santorum’s
Stayed High; Romney’s Stayed Low”_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32105)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 4:59 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32105)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
The Campaign Finance Institute has issued _this press release_
(http://cfinst.org/Press/PReleases/12-03-22/Obama’
s_Small-Dollar_Percentage_Down_Slightly_in_February_Santorum’s_Stayed_High_Romney’s_Stayed_Low.aspx) .
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32105&title=“Obama’
s%20Small-Dollar%20Percentage%20Down%20Slightly%20in%20February;%20Santorum’s%20Stayed%20High;%20Romney’
s%20Stayed%20Low”&description=)
Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10) |
Comments Off
_Minnesota Voter ID Amendment Would End, Without Notice, Same Day Voter
Registration_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32101)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 4:10 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32101)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
Ending same day voter registration is not part of the ballot language for
a constitutional amendment establishing a voter id requirement, leading
Minn. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie _to call it_
(https://twitter.com/#!/mritchie/status/183296071458504704) a “Trojan horse.”
Minnesota’s voter id proposal looks like a _false solution_
(http://www.amazon.com/Fraudulent-Fraud-Squad-Understanding-ebook/dp/B00795X5XI/ref=zg_bs_1
57417011_9) to a non-existent problem.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32101&title=Minnesota%20Voter%20ID%20Amendment%20Would%2
0End,%20Without%20Notice,%20Same%20Day%20Voter%20Registration&description=)
Posted in _election administration_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18)
, _The Voting Wars_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60) , _voter id_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9) | Comments Off
_Lessig Responds to Critics About Supporting Roemer While Holding AE
Leadership Position_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32098)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 4:06 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32098)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
Go to the bottom of the comments on _this post_
(http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2012/03/22/neutrality-americans-elect-leader-tweets-his-h
eart-out-for-buddy-roemer/) at Irregular Times. From my read of Lessig’s
comments, it appears that AE is touting him as part of their leadership in
ways that are inconsistent with his own understanding of his role: “My only
activity with them has been to raise criticisms and concerns with their
management. I helped people concerned about the voting technology get access
to the staff. I have raised concerns about how they frame priorities.”
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32098&title=Lessig%20Responds%20to%20Critics%20About%20S
upporting%20Roemer%20While%20Holding%20AE%20Leadership%20Position&descriptio
n=)
Posted in _third parties_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=47) |
Comments Off
_“Photo ID marches on, but critics vow litigation”_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32095)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 3:59 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32095)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
_The latest_
(http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Photo-ID-marches-on-but-critics-vow-litigation-3430780.php) from Minnesota.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32095&title=“
Photo%20ID%20marches%20on,%20but%20critics%20vow%20litigation”&description=)
Posted in _election administration_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18)
, _The Voting Wars_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60) , _voter id_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9) , _Voting Rights Act_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15) | Comments Off
_Will Buddy Roemer Pick Abramoff or Lessig as His VP Choice on AE Ticket?_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32092)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 3:25 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32092)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
Or maybe someone else. Roemer _has promised_
(http://www.politico.com/politicoinfluence/0312/politicoinfluence225.html) we will be “shocked, pleased
and surprised.”
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32092&title=Will%20Buddy%20Roemer%20Pick%20Abramoff%20or
%20Lessig%20as%20His%20VP%20Choice%20on%20AE%20Ticket?&description=)
Posted in _Uncategorized_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1) | Comments
Off
_“Romney’s road to nomination paved by dedicated delegate counter”_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32089)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 2:03 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32089)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
WaPo offers_ this profile_
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romneys-road-to-nomination-paved-by-dedicated-delegate-counter/2012/03/20/gIQAKAWaRS
_story.html) of Katie Biber Chen. See also this _brief GQ profile_
(http://www.gq.com/news-politics/blogs/death-race/2012/03/the-weekly-power-list-03
0912.html) in which I am quoted on the importance of Biber’s work for
Romney.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32089&title=“Romney’
s%20road%20to%20nomination%20paved%20by%20dedicated%20delegate%20counter”&description=)
Posted in _election law biz_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=51) |
Comments Off
_“Republican primary turnout rebounds, is up overall”_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32086)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 1:45 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32086)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
The Fix _reports._
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/republican-primary-turnout-rebounds-is-up-overall/2012/03/23/gIQAOeCNWS_blog.html)
_<share_save_171_16.png>_ (http://www.addtoany.com/sha
re_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32086&title=“
Republican%20primary%20turnout%20rebounds,%20is%20up%20overall”&description=)
Posted in _political parties_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=25) ,
_primaries_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=32) | Comments Off
_“Congressional Redistricting Matters, and It’s Hurting This Country: a
Response to Michael Barone”_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32083)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 1:42 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32083)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
FairVote _responds_
(http://www.fairvote.org/congressional-redistricting-matters#.T2zgK9nwDAJ) .
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32083&title=“
Congressional%20Redistricting%20Matters,%20and%20It’
s%20Hurting%20This%20Country:%20a%20Response%20to%20Michael%20Barone”&description=)
Posted in _redistricting_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6) | Comments
Off
_“Mistrial declared in Troy ballot fraud trial”_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32079)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 9:00 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32079)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
I had missed _this development_
(http://www.benningtonbanner.com/local/ci_20167729/mistrial-declared-troy-voting-fraud-trial) .
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32079&title=“
Mistrial%20declared%20in%20Troy%20ballot%20fraud%20trial”&description=)
Posted in _chicanery_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12) | Comments
Off
_Shorter Dahlia Lithwick_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32076)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 8:55 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32076)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
Conservatives _will uphold_
(http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/03/the_supreme_court_is_more_concerned_with_the_politic
s_of_the_health_care_debate_than_the_law_.single.html) health care now to
dismantle affirmative action and Voting Rights Act later.
_Similar thoughts_
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/18/health-care-reform-supreme-court-obamacare_n_1354804.html) from Mike Sacks.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32076&title=Shorter%20Dahlia%20Lithwick&description=)
Posted in _Supreme Court_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29) |
Comments Off
_How I Would Like To Reverse Citizens United: A More Modest Proposal_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32073)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 8:42 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32073)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
Unlike Larry’s _broader dreams_
(http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/03/an-open-letter-to-the-citizens-against-i-citizens-united-i/254902/
) , I _discuss evidence_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=31998) showing
Super PACs and 501c4s can corrupt, and this is a basis to overturn Citizens
United
Then again, Larry is trying to foment a popular movement. I just need the
change of one Justice on the Supreme Court.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32073&title=How%20I%20Would%20Like%20To%20Reverse%20Citi
zens%20United:%20A%20More%20Modest%20Proposal&description=)
Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10) |
Comments Off
_“An Open Letter to the Citizens Against Citizens United”_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32070)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 8:37 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32070)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
Larry Lessig _blogs_
(http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/03/an-open-letter-to-the-citizens-against-i-citizens-united-i/254902/) at the
Atlantic. What does he want?
I believe the Court’s reasoning was mistaken. But to respond to its
mistake with a declaration that “corporations are not persons” alone is also a
mistake. Citizens United would be reversed by granting Congress the explicit
power to limit independent expenditures. And that is the call that these
citizen movements need to be making, whatever else they ask for as well.
So these are the first changes that this democracy needs:
1. Citizen-funded elections — elections funded by citizens, not
corporations (for whether or not a corporation is a person, no one has ever
suggested corporations are federal citizens), and elections funded by all
citizens, not just a tiny fraction of the 1 percent;
2. Limits on independent expenditures — whether by individuals or
corporations, Congress must have the power to make sure this important
political speech doesn’t dominate our democracy, and thereby distract our
representatives from a dependence “upon the People alone;”
3. An express recognition in our constitution that only persons are
persons — that when the Declaration of Independence spoke of entities “
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” it was speaking of
natural persons only.
These changes would restore a dependence upon “the People alone.” They
are the changes that these movements should be pushing.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32070&title=“
An%20Open%20Letter%20to%20the%20Citizens%20Against%20Citizens%20United”&description=)
Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10) |
Comments Off
_The Democracy Deficit Widens at Americans Elect_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32067)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 7:23 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32067)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
_NOLA_
(http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/03/is_americans_elect_the_adjustm.html) :
Meanwhile, there are four Feb. 29 postings on the Americans Elect site,
under the heading “_board decisions_
(http://www.americanselect.org/board-decisions) ,” indicating changes to the bylaws and pre-convention rules that,
it says, have been posted for delegates review. But it is not apparent what
the changes are or where any more detailed explanation of the changes can
be found for purposes of review. Next to each of the four items, it says, “
this decision has been approved,” and if you roll your cursor over the
question mark alongside, it says, “This decision was unanimously approved by
the Board and is not subject to delegate review.” It is not clear from the
site when the board was vested with that power….
On the site’s _news page_ (http://www.americanselect.org/news) , there is
notice of another meeting of the board, by telephone, to be held today “to
vote on the following items: adoption of amendments to the Pre-Convention
Rules, to post the Post-Election Rules on the website for public comment and
to adopt amendments to the Bylaws,” but no other specifics are provided.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32067&title=The%20Democracy%20Deficit%20Widens%20at%20Am
ericans%20Elect&description=)
Posted in _chicanery_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12) , _third
parties_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=47) | Comments Off
_It’s Not Every Day the Severability Doctrine Makes the NY Times Op-Ed
Page_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32064)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 7:18 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32064)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
_Must-read_
(http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/opinion/the-severability-doctrine.html?_r=1&hp) Abbe Gluck and Michael Graetz on the severability
argument in the health care case. It concludes:
It’s not clear why the Obama administration has chosen this course.
Perhaps it made a strategic choice to raise the stakes of striking down the
mandate by asking the court to also invalidate the law’s more popular
provisions. Or it may be concerned that, if the mandate alone is struck down, there
would not be enough votes in Congress to pass new provisions to compensate
the insurance industry for its loss. But as a legal matter, the court should
reject the argument.
We believe that imposing the mandate was within Congress’s powers to
regulate commerce and that the legislation should be upheld. But if the Supreme
Court strikes the mandate down, the rest of the law should stand, and
Congress should have to decide what happens next.
Why should an unelected court free the insurance industry from having to
do its own political lobbying work in Congress? Why should the court choose
whether or not to deny injured and sick Americans health insurance? These
crucial decisions must be left to our elected officials, who — unlike the
Supreme Court — can then be held accountable for them by the voting public.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32064&title=It’
s%20Not%20Every%20Day%20the%20Severability%20Doctrine%20Makes%20the%20NY%20Times%20Op-Ed%20Page&description=)
Posted in _legislation and legislatures_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27) , _statutory interpretation_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=21) |
Comments Off
_Sad News: The NAACP LDF’s John Payton Has Passed Away_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32061)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 7:16 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32061)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
_A leading lawyer_
(http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/03/obama-mourns-naacp-lawyer-payton/1#.T2yFaNnwDAI) in the civil rights
and voting rights world.
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32061&title=Sad%20News:%20The%20NAACP%20LDF’
s%20John%20Payton%20Has%20Passed%20Away&description=)
Posted in _election law biz_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=51) |
Comments Off
_“On health care, Supreme Court loss could be electoral win”_
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32058)
Posted on _March 23, 2012 7:09 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32058)
by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)
The Fix _reports_
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/on-health-care-supreme-court-loss-could-be-electoral-win/2012/03/22/gIQAresaUS_blog.
html) . I made a similar argument back in _September._
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=23578)
_<share_save_171_16.png>_
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=32058&title=“
On%20health%20care,%20Supreme%20Court%20loss%20could%20be%20electoral%20win”&description=)
Posted in _campaigns_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59) , _Supreme
Court_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29) | Comments Off
--
Rick Hasen
Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science
UC Irvine School of Law
401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000
Irvine, CA 92697-8000
949.824.3072 - office
949.824.0495 - fax
_rhasen at law.uci.edu_ (mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu)
_http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html_
(http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html)
_http://electionlawblog.org_ (http://electionlawblog.org/)
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