Corporations trump individuals say the Supremes
The Supreme Court today overturned a century-old restriction on corporations using their money to sway federal elections and ruled that companies have a free-speech right to spend as much as they wish to persuade voters to elect or defeat candidates for Congress and the White House.
In a 5-4 decision, the court’s conservative bloc said corporations have the same 1st Amendment rights as individuals and, for that reason, the government may not stop corporations from spending freely to influence the outcome of federal elections. The decision is probably the most sweeping and consequential handed down under Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr…
Until now, corporations and unions have been barred from spending their own treasury funds on broadcast ads or billboards that urge the election or defeat of a federal candidate. This restriction dates back to 1907, when President Theodore Roosevelt called on Congress to forbid corporations, railroads and national banks from using their money in federal election campaigns. After World War II, Congress extended this ban to labor unions.
In today’s decision, the high court struck down that restriction and said the 1st Amendment gives corporations, just like individuals, a right to spend their own money on political ads…
Most election-law expert have predicted a court decision freeing corporations will send millions of extra dollars flooding into this fall’s contests for Congress. And they predict Republicans will be the main beneficiaries.
Today’s decision was supported by five justices who were Republican nominees. They include Kennedy and Roberts along with Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr…
But Stevens and the dissenters said the majority was ignoring the long-understood rule that the government could limit election money from corporations, unions and others, such as foreign governments. “Under today’s decision, multinational corporations controlled by foreign governments” would have the same rights as Americans to spend money to tilt U.S. elections. “Corporations are not human beings. They can’t vote and can’t run for office,” Stevens said, and should be subject to restrictions under the election laws.
None of which bothers the Republican Party. Regardless of populist pretense to sucker teabaggers into the grunt work, the only flag Republicans really care about is Green and doesn’t stand for the environment.
You don’t often see a node in our history when the Supreme Court not only overturns a political point of law – but, moves in the opposite direction from the nation’s history and tendencies.
The last one that comes quickly to mind was the Dred Scott decision – reinforcing the favorite money-making institution of the Confederacy, slavery.
Seeing the rejoicing in Republican ranks, today. Listening to reactionary thugs planning out loud to take us back to the era before World War 1. I wonder (and hope) if there are enough courageous people of voting age in this benighted land to stir the Liberal Dems into a bit of backbone – and join Progressives in a fight for a better land.
At the moment, it appears the fight will continue to be centered on hanging onto what freedoms we have remaining.
moss
January 21, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Apparently one year of sanity was slightly longer than the United States of America could comfortably maintain.
Cinaedh
January 22, 2010 at 6:58 am
letting something like a corporation that has no voting rights, bank role a politicians campaign is complete insanity. These judges need to be removed from power. If you have no voting rights, why should you even be allowed to have any influence of any kind on an election? If you allow influence, then you in reality, are issuing voting rights. And not just one vote, you are getting the opportunity to sway masses of votes, which is even worse. It opens the doors for more corruption. And, who is to say that we cannot be taken over by a foreign power. If you allow corruption to slip into the cracks, you will have money coming in from all kinds of places to spend on campaigns to dishonest politicians to sway laws and open up all kinds of loopholes. We will have terrorists and drug lords laundering campaign contributions to get their “guys” in office. This was an absolute horrible decision, that was a mistake that an elementary kid wouln’t make.
John W
March 13, 2010 at 7:51 am
youstreet.org is the website for an organization that is trying to correct the wrong imposed upon the People by the Supreme Court. There, everyone who is concerned can do something about this insane, anti-voter atrocity.
Please participate, the United States and her citizenry should not and cannot be destroyed – it is far too important for humanity to be lost.
E Trams
March 14, 2010 at 4:55 am