Would You Like Marlboro Tattooed on Your Lungs or Kool-Aid On Your Throat?

The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision has left the sewer door open and the rats are getting bolder and bolder. 

Look at what's happening in Australia. 

Sales of cigarettes in Australia were about $10.4 billion in 2009, Reuters reports l, and they add, " Smoking-related illnesses kill more than 15,000 Australians each year and cost the economy A$31.5 billion in health costs, according to Australian government health authorities." 

The Aussie government has passed a law that requires that most of the cigarette package be covered with warnings and ugly images of cancer, bulging eyes, the most unappealing green colors.  The manufacturer's branding will be allowed only on a small part of the package, in smaller letters. 

flickr image  By foboat, with caption:  Australian Dunhills

Philip Morris company has responded with a lawsuit, complaining that this will hurt the value of their trademarks and their profits and have suggested that the losses they sue for could be in the billions. 

The Philip Morris company is basing its damage threats on  Australia's bilateral investment treaty with Hong Kong. That treaty, similar to ones the US has signed, like the WTO, holds the Australian government responsible to protect Hong Kong investments in Australia. 

To fight the legislation, Philip Morris run ads accusing the Australian government of being a "nanny state."

If they don't get satisfaction after three months,  they will seek arbitration through the United Nations. 

You have to wonder what will come next. Will Philip Morris go to the Supreme Court of the United States, and claiming rights of free speech that come with corporate personhood, ask the five corrupt, corpo-whores on the court to void laws prevent advertising of cigarettes on television?

Or why not go further? Perhaps they'll put small print--and let's face it, nobody every reads the terms of use legal talk on websites, software, etc.-- on tickets on stadiums they own, making people agree to get tattoos on their throats or wherever. Yes I'm stretching things. But could you imagine, just a few years ago, a corporation going to the supreme court and overturning almost a century's laws protecting the sanctity of the vote. 

The utter scum in the Supreme Court have proven themselves willing to give big corporations almost anything they ask for. What the hell. Clarence Thomas' wife will get paid. Scalia will accept trips and hunting excursion and speaking invitations that scream conflict of interest. 

So maybe I'm over the top on the tattoos, but the idea of rolling back regulations of advertising of tobacco and other things banned from TV-- get used to it. We really should be changing the name of the nation to the CSA-- Corporate States of America.  

Will the Democrats do anything about this CSA situation? Don't hold your breath waiting. 

Will Obama do anything about it? My guess is he'll consult with his advisors. Oh, that's right. They're all corpo-whores. Good luck. 

Here's a very partial list of some of the Brands Philip Morris Owns. A more complete list is here.

tobacco products

Marlboro 
Virginia Slims 
Merit 
Parliament 
Benson &Hedges 
L&M 
Chesterfield 
Lark 
Cambridge 
Basic 

foods and beverages:

Capri Sun 
Country Time 
Crystal Light 
Kool-Aid 
Tang  
General Foods International Coffees 
Gevalia 
Maxim 
Maxwell House 
Sanka 

Cool Whip 
Dream Whip 
Jell-O 

Philadelphia and Kraft Cheeses

Cream of Wheat

Grape Nuts

Oreos

Raisin Bran

Shredded Wheat

Chips Ahoy

Ritz crackers

Life Savers

Velveeta

Breyers Yoghurt

Stove Top

Miracle Whip

Oscar Mayer

Claussen

DiGiorno and Tombstone Pizzas

Fleischmann's 
Kraft Lunchables 

This is a small portion of the brands the own. the brands they are trying to stuff the branding of down the throats of the Australian people in spite of laws democratically elected officials have enacted. 

international treaties should not be allowed to over-ride national or even state or provincial laws. Period. 

They are designed to protect corporations before humans and that's just wrong.