Stephen Colbert's SuperPAC hurts the Supreme Court's feelings? {video at link}

[xchrom]

http://boingboing.net/2012/02/04/stephen-colberts-superpac-hu.html

In Slate, Dahlia Lithwick examines the impact that Stephen Colbert's SuperPAC is having on public perception of the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United, which establishes that "corporate personhood" means that corporations can make unlimited contributions to political campaigns. Dahlia implies that the Court, which has always maintained an aloofness from public life (no cameras, no press office) is smarting under Colbert's withering sarcasm, and that people are responding as well. For example, Colbert's SuperPAC backed Herman Cain (not a candidate) in the South Carolina race, and the voters put him ahead of Rick Perry, Jon Huntsman, and Michele Bachmann.

Then last June, like a winking, eyebrow-wagging Mr. Smith, Colbert went to Washington and testified before the FEC, which granted him permission to launch his super PAC (over the objections of his parent company Viacom) and accept unlimited contributions from his fans so he might sway elections. (He tweeted before his FEC appearance that PAC stands for "Plastic And/Or Cash.&quot In recent weeks, Colbert has run several truly insane attack ads (including one accusing Mitt Romney of being a serial killer). Then, with perfect comedic pitch, Colbert handed off control of his super PAC to Jon Stewart (lampooning the FEC rules about coordination between “independent PACS” and candidates with a one-page legal document and a Vulcan mind meld). Colbert then managed to throw his support to non-candidate Herman Cain in the South Carolina primary, placing higher on the ballot than Rick Perry, Jon Huntsman, and Michele Bachmann.

The line between entertainment and the court blurred even further late last month when Colbert had former Justice John Paul Stevens on his show to discuss his dissent in Citizens United. When a 91-year-old former justice is patiently explaining to a comedian that corporations are not people, it’s clear that everything about the majority opinion has been reduced to a punch line.

[hlthe2b]

1. I LOVE it! Take that Chuck the Toady Todd, who derided Colbert for this...

It may be the comedians that save us yet. Gawd knows the best comedians are the most highly intelligent people as well.

Go, Colbert and Stewart. Carry on!

[localroger]

3. Only the court jester can speak the truth. /nt

[leftyohiolib]

6. corprate dems dont like people upsetting the status quo

[tomp]

2. colbert-incredibly brilliant as ever. nt

[qb]

4. I saw the interview Colbert did with Justice Stevens, and it was entertaining.

However, I was disturbed to hear Justice Stevens maintain that in some cases there are "corporate persons". We need a constitutional amendment.

[hlthe2b]

5. Worth reading the entire article on Slate.... link below

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/02/stephen_colbert_is_winning_the_war_against_the_supreme_court_and_citizens_united_.single.html

Dahlia Lithwick is always a good read.

[xchrom]

7. +1

[Solly Mack]

8. K&R

[saras]

9. "everything about the majority opinion has been reduced to a punch line" - best summary of the era

That is how the end of the twentieth century in America will be remembered in the world's history books.

[jonthebru]

10. Tippecanoe and Tyler too.

Give me liberty or give me death. Remember Pearl Harbor. Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes. Go West, Young Man! Corporations are people, my friend!

[The Wizard]

11. The Supreme Court has

devolved into the mediocre Court. Thomas, Scalia, Alito and Roberts are mere punch lines to bad joke on jurisprudence and American democracy. Supreme Hacks is more like it.

[pansypoo53219]

12. john paul stevens rocks!

loved that interview.

[MADem]

13. Colbert is funny as hell, but more importantly, he's a freaking genius! nt

[DirkGently]

14. Stevens is still sharp as a razor. Colbert never got him off balance.

[Bill USA]

15. Colbert is brilliant at satire and the transparent fascist SC judgement in the Citizens United

case - intended to forward Corporate ownership of government - demands satirical treatment.... and inpeachment of the fascist judges who crafted it.

recommended!

[valerief]

16. If money is speech, then speech must be money, so I don't have to pay my mortgage

anymore. I just have to phone the bank and talk, talk, talk, talk.

[rwsanders]

18. The constitution says you have the right to confront your accuser in court....

Therefore if you didn't pay and the "corporation" couldn't show up to testify (not a representative the corporation), then you wouldn't have to pay anyway right???
I'm wondering if that would work, but not willing to bet the house on it yet.

[aquart]

21. Good point.

[Tanelorn]

17. Can a person be respectfully eviscerating. If so Dr. Stephen does it at every interview.

[tavalon]

19. Yeah, and his roast of Dubya hurt the pResident's feelings. Whaah. Truth hurts.

[GTurck]

20. Proper perspective...

on politics: it is all a farce with very real consequences. Love what Stewart and Colbert are doing to remind us of that.