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	August 14, 2003

CORPORATIONS VS. CITIZENS - WE LOSE ANOTHER ROUND Incredibly, Consumers' Union, publisher of Consumer Reports has been told it must go to trial after all to defend itself, and all of us, from Suzuki's claim that CU's 1996 'Not Acceptable' safety rating of the Suzuki Samurai (because of high rollover risk), 'disparaged' the product. The case, which was originally thrown out for lack of evidence, was reinstated by a higher court, and recently the federal Court of Appeals refused, 13-11, to throw the case out. It now goes to the US Supreme Court for final assessment of whether it should be tried, and we all know how that bench is stacked. So expect an expensive court case pitting the $13B Suzuki and its controlling shareholder, the $186B GM, against the not-for-profit $165M CU. Here's what the Court of Appeals' dissenting opinion said about the decision: If Suzuki can get to trial on evidence this flimsy, no consumer group in the country will be safe from assault by hordes of handsomely paid lawyers deploying scorched-earth litigation tactics. The ultimate losers will be American consumers denied access to independent information about the safety and usefulness of products they buy with their hard-earned dollars. Stack this one on top of Nike's lawsuit to protect its right to lie to consumers with impunity about its shoddy products and practices (Update: the US Supreme Court brushed off Nike's dismissal request in June, calling it 'premature', but left no doubt it would decide in Nike's favour should Nike lose at the lower court level). Big business already has the Bush administration in its back pocket, and both sides of both houses of Congress bowing to its every demand, and now it's entrenching its hold over the judiciary branch. If Suzuki wins this, there is nowhere left to hide. Corporations will become the privileged, first-class citizens with all the power and resources, and 'we the people' will become second-class citizens without recourse, reduced, as the big corporations desire, to mere, and silent, consumers. 9:06:38 AM  trackback []  comment []

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOWARD DEAN I was a bit concerned when I took the survey to discover who's policies are closest to mine and found, like many fellow bloggers, the answer was Kucinich, not Dean. In recent weeks, the DLC and other party hacks have suggested that Dean is 'too liberal' to be electable. I don't know what they're smoking. The more I look at Dean the more worries I have that he's too conservative, and that if I had to choose between Dean and a truly liberal Green candidate it would be agonizing. Consider what Josh Frank has to say about Dean's positions this week in the liberal Counterpunch: Supported the unilateral invasion of Iraq Supports committing more troops to Iraq now Unwavering support for Sharon's extremist policies in the Middle East Supports the death penalty Supported the Clinton Welfare Reform Act (reducing benefits) Opposes campaign finance reform Supports expansion of NAFTA and WTO globalization agendas On his own site, Dean makes it clear he will not sign the Kyoto Accord until there are changes to accommodate American interests. And his position on gun control is wishy-washy and inconsistent. Except for his commendable position on women's reproductive freedom and gay rights, is he liberal? Are we so desperate to get rid of Bush that we're willing to put a neocon in liberal clothing in power? Is it too late to find a real liberal to support, and the DLC be damned? Clark, Gore, you listening? 9:05:18 AM  trackback []  comment []

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