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.”
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Comments
Hilary
January 22nd, 2010 - 10:10:45 AM
Corporations are not people. Money is not speech. Only by conveniently-twisted logic could it be argued otherwise. Now that SCOTUS has forced our hand, public campaign finance is the only way to solve the problem of (now) legalized bribery. After all, why shouldn't we, the People, pay for OUR own elections? I can't think of a better use of tax-payer money. In the meantime, the five-justice majority ought to be charged with treason. Petition for a Constitutional amendment at www.citizensamendment.org
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Tom Degan
January 23rd, 2010 - 11:18:50 AM
Are corporations really persons? Do corporations think? Do corporations weep? Do corporations fall in love? Do corporations grieve when a loved one dies as a result of a lack of adequate health care? Do corporations have loved ones? Are corporations even capable of loving? Do corporations sometimes lose sleep at night worrying about disease, violence, destruction, and the suffering of their fellow human beings? Do corporations feel your pain? Is a corporation capable of having a sense of humor? Is it capable of laughing at itself? (EXAMPLE: "So these two corporations walk into a bar....") If a corporation ever committed an unspeakable crime against the American people, could IT be sent to federal prison? (Note the operative word here: "It") Has a corporation ever walked into a voting booth and cast a ballot for the candidate of its choice? We all know that corporations have made a mountain of cash throughout our history by profiting on the unspeakable tragedy of war. But has a corporation ever given its life for its country? Is a corporation capable of raising a child? Has a corporation ever been killed in an accident as the result of a design flaw in the automobile it was driving? Has a corporation ever written a novel or a dramatic play or a song that inspired millions? Has a corporation ever risked its life by climbing a ladder to save a child from a burning house? Has a corporation ever won an Oscar? Or an Emmy? Or a Tony? Or the Nobel Peace Prize? Or a Polk or Peabody Award? Or the Pulitzer Prize in Biography? Has a corporation ever performed Schubert's Ave Maria? Has a corporation ever been shot and killed by someone who was using an illegal and unregistered gun? Has a corporation ever paused to reflect upon the simple beauty of an autumn sunset or a brilliant winter moon rising in the horizon? If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a noise if there are no corporations there to hear it? Should corporations kiss on the first date? Could a corporation resolve to dedicate its vocation to being an artist? Or a musician? Or an opera singer? Or a Catholic priest? Or a Doctor? Or a Dentist? Or a sheet metal worker? Or a gourmet chef? Or a short-order cook? Or a magician? Or a nurse? Or a trapeze artist? Or an author? Or an editor? Or a Thrift Shop owner? Or a EMT worker? Or a book binder? Or a Hardware Store clerk? Or a funeral director? Or a sanitation worker? Or an actor? Or a comedian? Or a glass blower? Or a chamber maid? Or a film director? Or a newspaper reporter? Or a deep sea fisherman? Or a farmer? Or a piano tuner? Or a jeweler? Or a janitor? Or a nun? Or a Trappist Monk? Or a poet? Or a pilgrim? Or a bar tender? Or a used car salesman? Or a brick layer? Or a mayor? Or a soothsayer? Or a Hall-of-Fame football player? Or a soldier? Or a sailor? Or a butcher? Or a baker? Or a candlestick maker? Could a corporation choose to opt out of all the above and merely become a bum? Living life on the road, hopping freight trains and roasting mickeys in the woods? I realize that this is pure theological speculation on my part but the question is just screaming to be posed: When corporations die, do they go to Heaven? Our lives - yours and mine - have more worth than any damned corporation. The Supreme Court's decision on Thursday was beyond wrongheaded. Not only was it obscene - it was an insult to our humanity. http://wwww.tomdegan.blogspot.com Tom Degan Goshen, NY
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Mr. Montano
February 6th, 2010 - 12:42:59 PM
When the Supreme Court decided to remove the limits of hugely rich corporations from investing on candidates of their choice, a terrible terrible future opened up before my eyes. Entities with power must have checks and balances on their influence because if they don't it is us, the people who don't have millions to give, who become slaves to the choices Corporations will now railroad candidates that will focus on their own personal interests. Social reform will evolve into corporate policy. Corporations can now do ANYTHING given enough time. There is no way we, the people, can compete financially with corporate chosen candidates without the necessary limits the Supreme Court just declared unconstitutional. I don't know about you folks, but I can't take this lying down. I am very very afraid at the sort of insanity that would guide such men of learning down a path that will eventually end with the destruction of the small business owner. The possibility for abuse is of such extreme proportions I can't help but be alarmed. I can see News Corp-FOX, Disney, and the other telecommunication giants going nuts with glee at the revenues they will be collecting from this.
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