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TODAY is GEORGE WASHINGTON’s REAL Birthday! Potpourri...

TODAY is GEORGE WASHINGTON’s REAL Birthday! Potpourri...

Today, is George Washington’s actual/real Birthday! I prefer that we continue using the popular identity, “Presidents’ Day” for the 3rd Monday of February… WHY not make it the LEGAL IDENTITY? I realize that it does NOT have any significant difference. So… As we have been moving through this last full (all 7 days) week of February, I have noted numerous topics/issues which I HOPE the readers of my WE THE PEOPLE blog have been giving attention to. I decided that I’d make today a potpourri day on my blog noting that “potpourri” means, “any mixture, especially of unrelate

I had a good time reviewing the FEDERAL HOLIDAY last Monday, 2/20 with TIM BREMEL, Host, YOUR TALK SHOW live on air. IF you want to hear our discussion, the podcast is, “It’s President’s Day…or ‘is’ it?”

We talked about the LEGAL identity of the FEDERAL HOLIDAY. Late in the hour of discussion, TIM moved us into discussion of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision which opened the door to SuperPacs.

I felt sorry for TIM yesterday when I heard him live on air unable to connect with his planned interviewee, David Cobb.

VERY GLAD to hear the discussion about the Parkview School District! If you want to hear the podcast, the link is: “Parkview School District.”

IF you are interested in the campain to Amend our US Constitution to repeal corporate personhood, here is the link to that website, “Move to Amend”.

The website does have a valuable list of ONLINE resources, here is that link, “Learn More."

Today is REALLY George Washington’s Birthday! I prefer that we continue using the popular identity, “Presidents’ Day” for the 3rd Monday of February… WHY not make it the LEGAL IDENTITY? I realize that it does NOT have any significant difference. So…

As we have been moving through this last full (all 7 days) week of February, I have noted numerous topics/issues which I HOPE the readers of my WE THE PEOPLE blog have been giving attention to. I decided that I’d make today a potpourri day on my blog noting that “potpourri” means, “any mixture, especially of unrelated objects, subjects, etc.”

My WE THE PEOPLE post yesterday discussed our WI state budget accounting, “WI State Budget: ‘Surplus or Deficit? Depends on Whom You Ask.”

I myself strongly advocate that WI needs to implement the use of the GAAP! At the same time, I expressed concern about the Resolution in our State Assembly to require GAAP and other provisions through a CONSTITUTONAL AMENDMENT.

Last night the ASSEMBLY did pass the Resolution on an essentially PARTISAN VOTE of 69-25. Today Jon Peacock followed-up to analyze the amended Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 100, “Assembly Approves Constitutional Amendment to Narrow Budget Options.”

I hope we are able to move WI to the GAAP accounting, but I agree with Jon’s argument that a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT would create a legal constraint which could prove dysfunctional. Why NOT provide for reasonable flexibility? Actually, we need ONLY for Scott Walker to fulfill his campaign promise to implement GAAP. WHY NOT NOW?

Following-up on Tim Bremel’s questions about our US Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision in anticipate of a guest interview planned live on air yesterday (Tuesday, 2/21), I have continued to follow the tsunami-like wave of news articles about the consequences of that decision. I honestly do NOT think the US Supreme Court expected this level of MONEY! You may want to read some of the feature articles dealing with the SUPER PAC situation in our US Presidential campaign this year.

Promoting its feature article by Dan Eggen and T.W. Farnam, the Washington Post asserts, “A rarefied group of millionaires and billionaires is acting as kingmakers in the Republican presidential contest, often helping to decide, with a simple transfer of money, which candidate might survive another day in race.” Here is the link to the article, “Super PAC donors revealed: Who are the power players in the GOP primary?”

And then, the New York Times draws attention to its feature article by Nicholas Confessore, Michael Luo and Mike McIntire by asserting, “An exclusive club in presidential politics includes individuals, couples or corporations that have given $1 million or more to "super PACs." Here is the link to the article, “In Republican Race, a New Breed of Superdonor.”

I was interested to read the report in the Washington Post last Thursday, 2/16, “Two justices suggest Citizens United ruling should be reconsidered in Montana case."

Yesterday the New York Times editorialized that NOW is the time for our US Supreme Court to review its “Citizens United” decision, “The Court and Citizens United II.”

I agree with the editorial’s assertion that the Citizens United decision has proven “disastrous.” “The damaging effects of unlimited spending by corporations and unions on elections – honestly examined – should cause the court to overturn or, at the very least, limit that ruling.” I agree! What do YOU think?

One gains valuable information and perspective reading the editorial’s quote of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s support of review NOW, “Montana’s experience, and experience elsewhere since this court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission make it exceedingly difficult to maintain that independent expenditures by corporations ‘do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.’ ” It is IMPORTANT to know that she was quoting Justice Anthony Kennedy’s majority opinion in Citizens United, in which he claimed that expenditures might result in “influence over or access to elected officials” but would not “corrupt” them.

I think the New York Times editorial hits the nail on the head stating, “The gap between the court’s mistaken assumptions (“the appearance of influence or access, furthermore, will not cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy”) and the real-world effect of the cash unleashed by the decision could not be more glaring.” What do YOU think?

I have the AUDACITY of HOPE that our US Supreme Court will proceed to issue a writ of certiorari as soon as it has opportunity to review its Citizens United decision. In the meantime, we are going to have to manage/cope with the SUPER PACS through our 2012 presidential campaign and election cycle.

There are numerous other topics/issues which deserve attention… knowing that some of the readers of my WE THE PEOPLE blog complain about lengthy posts, I shall end this post here…

Here we go…

Mr. E.

John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.