Supreme Court rolls back campaign spending limits

www.washingtonpost.com...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that corporations may spend as freely as they like to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress, easing decades-old limits on business efforts to influence federal campaigns.

By a 5-4 vote, the court overturned a 20-year-old ruling that said companies can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to produce and run their own campaign ads. The decision, which almost certainly will also allow labor unions to participate more freely in campaigns, threatens similar limits imposed by 24 states.

It leaves in place a prohibition on direct contributions to candidates from corporations and unions.

Critics of the stricter limits have argued that they amount to an unconstitutional restraint of free speech, and the court majority agreed.

I think anyone that even pays remote attention to American politics; saw this coming a mile away.

The US actually is a Corporatacracy and not a Democratic-Republic and Party politics actually is the entertainment arm of the corporations just like G. Carlin said.

reply to post by whaaa

The Court made the correct decision even though you don't like it. The Supreme Court is supposed to abide by the Constitution. So where in the Constitution did it say corporations should not contribute?

Congress would have to make a law declaring it illegal in order for the courts to make a different decision. Remeber, the courts do NOT make law even though a lot of people seem to think otherwise.

Originally posted by WhatTheory
reply to post by whaaa

 

The Court made the correct decision even though you don't like it. The Supreme Court is supposed to abide by the Constitution. So where in the Constitution did it say corporations should not contribute?

Congress would have to make a law declaring it illegal in order for the courts to make a different decision. Remeber, the courts do NOT make law even though a lot of people seem to think otherwise.

So you think it's OK for the big money to have more influence in the nations politics than the voters? Should the constitution be changed to refelect more of the opinions of the taxpayers instead of lobbiest?

Those stupid taxpayers deserve what we give em, eh?

[edit on 21-1-2010 by whaaa]

reply to post by WhatTheory


No, but they interpret the law. They also overruled 2 previous Supreme Court rulings (2003 and 1990) which had set precedent for this case.

In my opinion there should be more of a distinction between a corporation and an individual citizen. I believe corporations should not be protected by the Constitution as individual citizens are. That is a different case which will undoubtedly never make it to a courtroom.

I propose that elected officials wear sponsorship suits like NASCAR drivers do.
Folks, welcome to Rome ca.400AD.

[edit on 21-1-2010 by nydsdan]

this can now only be fixed by amending the constitution or by modifying the campaign laws and forcing a secret ballot that will allow every employee of the corporation to choose which candidate gets the money and then distribute that money based on how many votes each candidate got (40% candidate X, 25 % candidate Y, you get the point).

other possibilities would include a general cap on any entity whether corporation or individual or a total cap on campaign spending (after reaching that cap all money would go to the state or federal budget).

if this doesn't get fixed that the US has truly become a corporate owned entity and we'll pretty soon see candidates being corporations instead of individuals. this is even more dangerous when corporations are owned by foreign entities like china or the saudis who can now openly dictate the president or the congress and as such what laws get passed.

of course they can add a provision to mandate congress members to wear their respective sponsors labels like the nascar or F1 health care brought to you by the senators from ETNA

reply to post by DarkSecret


With this Supreme Court ruling will also come restrictions on free assembly, especially if it involves protest of a corporation and spying on the citizens even more than there is now and control of information via the www. The flood gates are now open for corporate fascism.

It's a brave new world, welcome to the monkey house.





[edit on 21-1-2010 by whaaa]

The last nail in the coffin for democracy
directed by the US Supreme Court of professional career felons

Total US Fascism is inevitable.

I've said this in other threads, but I thought most people on ATS were vehemently opposed to a New World Order or the threat of one.

What could be more NWO than world domination by a few multi-national corporate megalopolies?

Don't be fooled into thinking that would be ok because the corporations would have our welfare in mind.

In the end they are all soulless, country-less, conscience-less, profit-driven juggernauts.

Both left and right should be unified against this Supreme Court travesty.

[edit on 23-1-2010 by Sestias]

Originally posted by Sestias

((snip))

Both left and right should be unified against this Supreme Court travesty.

[edit on 23-1-2010 by Sestias]

Which is why this is GOOD.. gotta start thinking Orwellian like the oligarchs; war = peace, bad = good.

I fully embrace the oligarchs dive into the fascist cesspool, bring it on. Bring on the economic collapse, RFID chips, a new flu, another false flag, indefinite jailing of un-persons, NAU, more super highways.. I want to see it rain all that nasty Illuminati cheese tomorrow.

Americans are heavy sleepers, some people haven't been kicked in the testicles enough times to wake the f up to the fact they're surf slaves of the (DC mafia GOP/DNC) man. The sooner 'they' delve into unapologetic fascism, the faster the final wake up nad stomp will be delivered...

TPTB will find out they would have better luck messaging an angry tigers prostate in a phone booth than controlling 300+ million many armed, very pissed newly awakened surfs..

Once awakened, a-lot of people will realize the tree of liberty is thirsting for oligarch blood... and the feces and fan will meet... similar scenarios have played out in history, empires come and go, govts fail, the elite get challenged by the masses.. we just happen to be living through one of those times.