Al Franken prescient about Trump?

"I think he's a joke, but maybe he's exactly the kind of joke the American people would like to see in the White House for the next four years."

- fictional Bill Kristol on fake "This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts"

"He" is Al Franken whose only issue is ATM fees in "Why Not Me? The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency".

He followed "Kristol's" statement with one by "George Will": "Well, if he's a joke, he's a very bad joke."  And more about sex and drug use.

Franken's book is a very off-the-wall take on a very disorganized campaign in which he says what he wants and does what he wants.  He wrote it in 1999.

It is rather obvious that Franken didn't take himself seriously.  Sometimes Trump doesn't either, but that was early on.

See also "If a clown can be President, why not a comedian?"

Trump doesn’t want to be president?

Stephanie Ciegelski, former communications of a Trump super-PAC, writes that Trump ran only to prove a point.  He didn’t expect to take the lead but to come in second.  When it comes down to it, Trump’s campaign is not about the disgruntled but about Trump.

See http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ex-trump-insider-donald-doesn-191100209.html.

All's fair in love and war and elections, too?

I looked at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to get some feel for the turnout in today's recall election in Wisconsin.  It looks like the turnout is mixed as are the reactions.  Some polling places have short lines, some long.  Some people are happy to vote Scott Walker out, some are unhappy that there is even an election.

One item in particular caught my eye.  It was about a mailing designed to increase turnout.  Using public records, the mailing gave the voting record of individuals and their immediate neighbors.  It was sent out by a liberal group.  Will it get more people to vote in general, or will it get more people to vote for Walker?  Judge for yourself.  See "Mailings that list voting records set off some neighbors", Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2012-06-05.

If you live in Wisconsin and the polls haven't closed, make sure you vote.

Freedom of anonymous speech?

I was inspired to write the following by "How I Became Stephen Colbert's Lawyer -- And Joined the Fight to Rescue Our Democracy from Citizens United", Trevor Potter, 2012-05-23, speech at the Annual Meeting of th American Law Institute.

I wonder what the writers of Bill of Rights would think of the Supreme Court interpreting the first amendment as "freedom of anonymous speech".  Speech is meant to be heard.  If it is heard, those hearing it know who said it.

Second, if someone started a whisper campaign that disparaged you or your business and you found out who and were able to afford the right lawyer, wouldn't you probably win a defamation case?

If you started a campaign making false (or even damagingly true) accusations against a large corporation, wouldn't its lawyers be doing their best to get you into court?

So, why do large corporations or wealthy donors get to make scurrilous, misleading statements without identifying themselves or being held accountable for libel?

Oh, I forgot.  Although corporations are people, they are super-people who are above the law.