Supreme Court Ruling: Corporations Can Buy Elections
The US Supreme Court made a shocking ruling yesterday, overturning an Iowa campaign finance law that previously banned businesses and labor unions from spending money to support political candidates. According to ABC News, corporations are now free to fund campaigns (for example, buying time for television ads supporting a candidate). While they still can’t give money directly to candidates, they’ll be able to undirectly fund candidates and issues without limit.
Basically, corporations can now buy elections. How is this good for the public? How could the Supreme Court be in favor of this? The last Presidential election was the most expensive ever, and now it’s only going to get worse. So much money will be in play that it will be all about elections, not serving the people — and when people do get elected, they’ll be forced to act as corporate puppets. Are we in an alternate universe? First, Scott Brown gets elected, and now this.
I’m not the only one who thinks this is bogus. ”It’s absolutely outrageous and we’ve got to find a way to deal with it,” said Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs. “I am on the side of ordinary working families when it comes to political campaigns. We are going to do our very best to deal with this issue.”
“We’re going to do everything in our power to try and prevent this corporate decision from influencing our politics,” said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines. “If there are any options we have we will move extremely quickly to pass legislation.”
