Posted: July 2, 2012 at 7:38 am

Schweitzer Blasts Supreme Court on MSNBC

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer was on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes yesterday to discuss the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Montana’s Corrupt Practices Act. This is the Citizens United decision, where the Supreme Court ruled that free speech is now for sale to the highest bidder.  The Governor had nothing good to say about the decision, as The Raw Story reports:

“We had a system that actually worked,” Schweitzer went on, as Hayes chortled in the background. “And the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., a place where nothing works, they told us, ‘No, we don’t like your system. We think you ought to go to the corrupt system that we’re using in Washington, D.C.’”

Schweitzer concluded by saying that even the copper kings “were pikers compared to what we’re doing now.” He pointed out that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes it illegal for U.S. corporations to bribe politicians in other countries, but insisted this is only because “we have a monopoly on bribery in this country. If you’re going to bribe a politician and you’re an American company or an American individual, you’ve got to give it to American politicians. You can’t give it to a foreigner.”

Here’s the video:

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30 comments

    • dashbored

      He’s my choice. A real economic populist. When is the last time you even heard a Dem being described as a populist. Much better than Cuomo or Warner. As well as Clinton.

  3. Havre Voter

    The reason the Supreme Court is so bad is that they must be confirmed by Congress in order to get in. Odds are that anything that goes though Congress is likely to be terrible, given the track record of that body.

  4. Norma Duffy (@Ilikewoods)

    You got to remember folks the supreme court doesn’t set policy. it sets which laws are constitutional. Yes Congress has been a mess for for the last 30 years and has written as much bad policy as good. What Roberts did was pretty just in Health care, and totally constitutional. If we detach ourselves momentarily from the Montana case they overturned, they did it in a constitutional manner as well. the problem is certain numbers of Billionaires are abusing it…. just like the copper Kings did in our state 130 years ago.

    The two things we really need is transparency, and public funded election rules period. Overturning Citizens United now will take a constitional Convention.

    BUT,
    Transparency as a referendum in this state is a good start for us as the citizen United laws really weren’t given that by the supreme court justices. So a state can say. “alright for now we will accept a citizens united case, but with total transparency. If GPS or Koch money flows in this state ,we have a right to know who, or what they are funding.”

    You can also help, telling your congressional players in DC to keep Thomas’s raw data open to the public. Unlike Travelocity and the National Weather Service, Congress doesn’t share the data behind THOMAS with anyone. Instead, web developers must reverse-engineer the website to transmute its pages into usable data, like assembling a puzzle from thousands of ragged pieces without a picture on the box as a guide. This slow, difficult, and time-consuming process isn’t perfect, but it’s responsible for how most Americans follow what’s happening in Congress.

    So far this congress, will allow us to keep reverse engineering, but their is a lot of GOP Members who if they hadn’t been pressured by silicone Valley, would have closed that information to us, keeping us in the dark about what they do behind closed doors. You Find the Republican report here: http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/legbranch-fy13-fullcommitteereport.pdf

    Corporations and lobbyists were also hoping to keep us from this information, so we wouldn’t see who is funding who, or what tariff exemptions were happening in Miscellaneous Tariff Bills (MTBs). MTBs waive or substantially reduce government duties charged on a wide variety of imported goods, ranging from ordinary kitchen utensils to complex chemical cocktails, usually for three years.

    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the last MTB, passed in 2010, cost nearly $300 million in uncollected duties over three years, Money the country needed to right itself because of the deficit. And trust me Both Parties members are writing MTBs for stuff we should be making here.

    If we aren’t making these products, from other countries we should be now that we know what is missing from the Gross domestic products list we sell. The tariffs we impose could give someone a chance to build those products right here.

    So as American Montanans we have to get more involved in making sure we have access to Important information, regarding donations, while pressuring our DC Representatives to help us get Public funding of campaigns on the Books! Yep Montanas can do this, and we need too as soon as possible.

  5. Queen City Dem

    I Dvr-ed this yesterday as it was on pretty early. Definitely worth the space. Glad somebody is willing to tell it like it is. I always wonder when I watch the Guv on national television if people in other states who aren’t used to him are sitting there with their hands over their mouths laughing and telling their friends “I can’t believe he just said that.” would be fun to be a fly on the wall.

  6. Another Supreme Court Let Down

    Speaking of the Supreme Court, Ochenski’s column in today’s Missoulian got it exactly right!

    http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/george-ochenski-politics-obscure-truth-of-health-care-ruling/article_5f8d3464-c450-11e1-b446-0019bb2963f4.html

    He basically points out clearly how the Democrats glibly celebrating the disaster that was last week’s Health care decision are in fact, wrong.

    Here’s Ochenski:

    While the rest of the industrialized world provides universal health care for their citizens, Baucus relies on the insurance industry. The quid pro quo tradeoff for mandating that tens of millions of Americans would be added to the insurance companies’ profit margins were some restrictions on what those companies could or could not do. The provisions that have so far proved most popular are not being able to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and allowing young people to remain on their parents’ policies until the age of 26.

    What the bill didn’t do, however, was place any containment on the cost of providing that insurance. While federally subsidizing insurance for those in poverty, the law still leaves tens of millions of working Americans who can’t afford insurance now in virtually the same position as prior to the law – making too much to obtain federal subsidies but making too little to afford increasingly expensive insurance premiums.

    It’s difficult to see how the court’s ruling, written by conservative Chief Justice Roberts, could be seen as a victory by Democrats when it is so clearly a victory for corporate health providers, big pharma, and the insurance industry. Hospital stocks jumped at the news because it means the losses for treating individuals without insurance will be covered when everyone has to buy insurance.

    Likewise, it’s tough to see why the Republicans are so disappointed when the model for the law itself came directly from the conservative Heritage Foundation, was implemented by now-presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Massachusetts, and relies not on universal health care but on universal insurance coverage. It is exactly reflective of the Republican ideologies of market-based “solutions” that rely on profit margins as the driving force, rather than actual health outcomes.

    I hope more liberals read this and see the light – they’ve been duped into towing the Baucus line and they needn’t do so.

    • Dan T.

      Ochenski sure got this one write. I’ve been somewhat surprised to see people happy about the ACA decision. If you read no other part of the article, read this:

      “What the bill didn’t do, however, was place any containment on the cost of providing that insurance. While federally subsidizing insurance for those in poverty, the law still leaves tens of millions of working Americans who can’t afford insurance now in virtually the same position as prior to the law – making too much to obtain federal subsidies but making too little to afford increasingly expensive insurance premiums.

      It’s difficult to see how the court’s ruling, written by conservative Chief Justice Roberts, could be seen as a victory by Democrats when it is so clearly a victory for corporate health providers, big pharma, and the insurance industry.”

      I could not agree more.

      • Rob Kailey

        Oh, George is “write” alright. After all, that’s what he does is appeal to fanbois everywhere. He even appeals with his singular effort to slay the great liberal monster “DEMONCRATS”, without ever mentioning that many thoughtful people who aren’t necessarily Democrats are hailing this as a victory as well. Shorter Oschenski:

        “Oh My God, the bath water is dirty! THROW IT OUT! … Wait. What do you mean there was a baby in there?”

        Yes this was a victory for Big Health Care, and Big Pharma, and Big Insurance, and Big Daddy, and Big Booty, and Big Contraception, and Big Wheels, and Big Hot Fudge Sundays and Big SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! Vroom!

        Uhh, how about No? Good on GO for making some bank on writing what appeals to those who haven’t gotten what they want. Good on Lee Newspapers for hiding the fact that if you want George’s pearls of truth, you will eventually have to pay. And especially good on those who realize that the ACA isn’t the end game, but rather one more piece to a very contentious puzzle.

        The SCOTUS ruling now allows the states to move forward with ‘insurance’ exchanges, with little to no restriction on the form that those will take. Vermont is moving ahead with a single payer program. I doubt they will be the only state to do so. Forgive my optimism, but I think those who are telling the celebrants how stupid we are are only helping the right-wing. After all, the left has been duped, right?

        We should support free-market decisions as we have before, and lament that we may never have the beauty of the single payer vision we so desire. Wouldn’t that make a tragic scene in an Oscar nominated film? The sad old man lies dying on his bed. He reaches weakly for his daughter’s arm, and yet they never quite touch. He passes, stating pointedly “I could have had health insurance, but the need for single-payer was too great. I go to my rest knowing that my death will help you, my beloved children, to get the care you need, the care I’ve worked for, the care we all deserve …. Ahhck. (Eye roll, End scene)”

        Stepping back is not an option. And I don’t care how popular George Oschenski is, or thinks he is. It isn’t just Democrats that think we’ve moved forward on controlling health care costs, or protecting those who can’t protect themselves. This ruling needs to be lauded because it needs to be driven home to those who haven’t made up their minds how to vote. If Rmoney wins the White House and the Republicants take the Senate, then GO gets his little wisp of a wish. We will go back to what was before the horror of the ACA. GO will die never having seen his great dream of single payer bliss. That’s okay, he’ll probably die knowing that Medicare was gutted too, but someday, someday …

        “I love you poli-Daddy! If only there had been a means to save you … TO SAVE YOU!”

    • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

      The Billings Gazette gets Ed Kemmick, the Mizoolian George Ochenski, and WE here in GF get some dipshit named Col. Klink V. DUMBschmit! Just doesn’t seem fair. Well, actually, it seems perfectly fair and balanced! What the f*ck was Jimmy Strauss balls (kinda like mouse balls only smaller) THINKING when he gave a weekly column to col. dipshit? WHAT makes this moron qualified to speak on ANYTHING?

      You see, this is so symptomatic of the press. Find the biggest dumbass around, and elevate them to newsworthy status! I mean, look at michelle barfman and sara palin! Ten years ago, who the hell even HEARD of these morons? But now, they must express an opinion on everything!

      If you’re gonna have a local writer for a weekly column, for GOD’S SAKE get someone with some creds, NOT a friggin’ gubmint suckin’ LOSER!

      Hell, one of the best used to be Roger Clawson from Billings. Now that is the kind of writer folks deserve. The once great GF Spitoon has now hit rock bottom. And that’s real sad.

        • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

          It’s impossible to link to the Spitoon sitt any more because they have a firewall of some type. The guy is a retired military col. who whined to the Spitoon that he should have a column in order to present the “military/conservative” perspective, since all journalists are so liberal.

          And what does jimmy strauss balls do? Hell, he gives this moron his own weekly column! By doing this, in one fell stroke, he elevated the Spitoon to the same status as Tricia’s Trader and all the OTHER goofy ag piece of crap papers in the state that carry guys like Cretin Kearns.

          Again, I ask, what the fuck was straussballs thinking? With Moseman runned oft, it seems that the Spitoon headed right into the shitter!

          And that’s a real shame, for we all know that at one time, Montana had only ONE truly independent newspaper, and that was the Tribune.

          Well now, it joins the ranks of Tricia’s Trader as a news source! And that’s real sad. We are treated to Cretin Kearns type writing every WEEK now! How that can be an improvement beats the shit outta me!

          Col. James V. DumbSchmit wrote in his second column how anyone who agrees with the bison transfer should be waterboarded! Yes, the man is a complete moronic asshole! Who would pay to be insulted by such a low IQ Gomer Pyle? Not me.

          • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

            Try this link. It might work. It’s his latest. Seems that Col. Klink is kinda like the Caleefornian that moved to Lincoln, and then got all pissed off at the Forest Service when a griz walked through his property! Poor widdle col. klink don’t LIKE the fact that there’s shit here in Montana that will kill and EAT his sorry butt! Gee, that’s too bad. Maybe he should head on back to CaliFORnyeYAY! What a pathetic loser.

            http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120701/OPINION/207010305/Grizzly-bear-teens-s-reassuring?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|s

              • Havre Voter

                Whoa! This is much worse than I thought. This guy brings new meaning to the phrase “all over the place.” If Turret’s Syndrome was a writing style, this guy would have it.

                • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

                  I wasn’t kidding when I told you the guy was a complete dipshit. Incredible that jimmy strauss balls saw something of merit in the scat when the col. takes a dump in the form of the written word.

                  So now, we get treated to Gomer Pyle style Cretin Kearns once a week in the Spitoon. A guy who has SUCKED offn’ the OD Green Unca Sugartit his entire life has lots of insight to offer everyone about the evils of the hated gubmint! Makes sense to the Spitoon I guess.

                  But in reality, scratch ANY Teatard and what you’ll find is a hugeMUNGOUS tit sucker who don’t want any OTHER piglets nosin’em out at the ol’ gubmint tit! That’s eggsackly who Col. Klink is. Wonder how much hated gubmint tit-suckin’ HEALTH insurance Col. Gump has that he don’t want anyone else to get?

                  • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

                    Sorry for mincing my words……
                    BWHAHAHAHAHAA!

                    But really, Col. Klink had a

                    gubmint job his entire life!

                    gubmint pension for life!

                    gubmint HEALTH care for life!

                    So, why does the dude hate the gubmint?

                    Is Col. Klink willing to give up HIS gubmint benies if everyone ELSE does too? I think not. You see, I’ll lay you good money that he won’t take MY Teatard pledge.

                    And that is that I will take NO gubmint money, NONE, nada, zip, as long as everyone ELSE does the same! Social security, medicaire, military retirment, farm subsidy, etc, etc, etCETera!

                    I have yet to have any tit-suckin’ Teatard sign MY pledge! Hmmm. Wonder why?!

            • Jennifer Davies

              If this guy is getting paid to write this garbage, I am never, ever subscribing to the Great Falls Tribune. Barf.