Caveat Lectores on the Supreme Court and Campaign Finance

Last week was a veritable triple play for those who want to harm working people. Here is a bit of political intercourse between wjc and good friend and modern times commiserator IAFF 12th District VP Larry Osborne. He agreed to take credit for this week’s Caveat Lectores Rant. His views are welcome anytime, and he writes with much more civility than do I.

Monday, January 25, 2010
After just getting off of the phone with Jeff Carnes, I can't help myself. Those people who like those offensive pictures of President Obama as Hitler should take note of something, in view of this Supreme Court ruling. Before Hitler and his henchmen tried to get rid of Jews, they got rid of the independent judiciary and impartial judges and justices. Without doing that, they could not have done their other mischief and evil.Larry O.

Sunday, January 24, 2010
Thanks for taking up the slack in my resolve. Frankly, I spent the weekend so disgusted with the current state of affairs I decided to remain silent lest I publish something I would regret. You are much more polished than I in moments of utter angst. I am angry at the conservative courts and legislators but angrier at those who put them and keep them in office so they can destroy so much so many have worked for. With your permission, I will make you the Caveat Lectores spokesman for the week.
and Oh yes... Have a nice day?wjc

Sunday, January 24, 2010
Brothers,
I have been thinking about how I could beat my pal, attorney Jeff Carnes, to a Sunday rant. Then it struck me. I wonder how those Brothers who complain about union dues, endorsements, and support going to candidates who they don't like will like a part of the price of the goods and services which they use and purchase going to political candidates? They will have a hell of a lot less to say about who those candidates will be than they do at the local, state association, and IAFF level. (And, they too often forget that IAFF dues do not go to candidates, hence the importance of FIREPAC.)

Do you think that there is the slightest chance that the legislative directors and liaisons for these now politically freewheeling corporations will look kindly upon Representatives and Senators who support our "National Collective Bargaining" Bill, never mind something like EFCA? And, they don't really like FLSA applying to their own employees, never mind public employees. Better hope that this same court doesn't get a shot at Garcia.
One thing about it though, it will give some of us an idea of where to spend our money. All we need to do is look at the corporate campaign contributions to swell guys like Jim DeMint in South Carolina (stay in touch Mike!), or Marco Rubio in Florida.
Can't help thinking now, that if Al Gore and/or John Kerry had been elected President when the IAFF endorsed them, the Supreme Court, and the Federal District and Circuit courts would have been very different. But, that's some more of them "liberals" some of us support, you know, the ones who really support free speech and freedom of association. Of course, those two things make up the cause of most of the Guardian and EDF requests in the 12th District. Go figure.

Fraternally,Larry O.