the Big Mattress - Freeform Interactive Radio on the Net

Hey Charles, cut out the self-satisfied bullshit! This law forces 30 million people into the predatory embrace of the insurance mafia. This law is Obama's answer to W's Medicare prescription disaster - the only ones who win are the corporations. Fig leaves here and there, you say? Incremental change is fine, but only if you don't give away the entire game in the top of the first. Next time, try supporting single payer.

Diamond Dave is the perfect example of what is wrong with America today. NOT so much the health-care issues or the two wars or the economy. It's only about lashing out without even taking the 3 minutes time to read objective information and factual material.. Reminds me of the construction workers and rednecks who were beating up hippies and ”Negroes“ in the 50's and 60's...
and this from some hard-hat wacko from the Left.
(Scary shit.)

I am not trying to defend the law- I am only saying if you're going to badmouth it, at least know what the law is and what it is not.
By the way, DD-one thing I learned from back in the 60's, was take what you can get and improve on it. I'm still waiting for them to revisit the 14th amendment's handing over our country to corporate America. In the meantime, I'll take any law that works toward that end.
If you sit around waiting for the “perfect legislation” in an imperfect legislative system, you'll grow hair on your ass and spiderwebs over your eyes.

Charles, regarding your comment, "I'm still waiting for them to revisit the 14th amendment's handing over our country to corporate America." The amendment did not do that, it was the 1886 SC headnote, a statement of summary not part of an actual decision, in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad that is cited as using the thrust of the 14th Amendment to grant corporate citizenship.

Here is a neat Wikipedia "Cliff's Note" view of the amendment which correctly states facts about the 14th:

"The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was adopted after the Civil War as one of the Reconstruction Amendments on July 9, 1868.

The Fourteenth Amendment provides a broad definition of citizenship, overruling the decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), which had excluded slaves and their descendants from possessing Constitutional rights.

Its Due Process Clause has been used to apply most of the Bill of Rights to the states. This clause has also been used to recognize substantive due process rights, such as parental and marriage rights, and procedural due process rights. Certain steps are required before depriving a person of their life, liberty, or property.

The amendment's Equal Protection Clause requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all people within their jurisdictions. This clause later became the basis for Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court decision which precipitated the dismantling of racial segregation in the United States.

The amendment also includes a number of clauses dealing with the Confederacy and its officials."

It takes simple legislation or another decision to void the 1886 headnote interpretation, which you are calling "handing over our country". It is not actually written into the Constitution that corporations have the same rights as individuals. You are probably aware of this, however I think it is important to point that distinction out to your readers. The Constitution protects people, only later political interpretation of the laws within it has given corporations unwarranted power.

Went out and mowed the lawn, and realized I needed to change the above a little: where I wrote "you are probably aware of this", of course you are aware of this. Anyone who has read your blog in the past few months knows you are very well tuned to the subject. I meant, I hope people reading what you wrote don't misinterpret it to mean that you are saying the 14th gave away the country to corporations. So don't get mad, I'm not trying to correct you. I only thought someone who read your comment quickly or incorrectly might get the wrong idea.

No need for apologies, Steve. I am glad you expanded (and clarified) this incredibly current and important topic!
Mahalo for that.