For Sale- The US Government
It is a "major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and other powerful interests that marshal their power everyday in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans, " said President Obama. Justice Stevens called it a "grave error" and a "radical change in the law".
As special money swamps the political landscape- our little donations will mean nothing, our voices will be drowned out, our interests and needs will be buried. There is already too much money corrupting our system. This tsunami of corporate billions will buy legislators and presidents who will only do the bidding of their corporate masters- like reducing taxes even more for corporations and the rich, keeping defense contractors swimming in money from endless war, destroying the safety net, allowing defective and unsafe products on the market with no accountability, making it harder (or impossible) for workers to organize for fair pay and safe conditions, allowing more pollution and the degradation of our environment... the list is depressingly and dramatically long.
Obama is asking Congress to fight back and Rep. Alan Grayson from FL (who called the ruling "the most irresponsible decision of the Supreme Court since the Dred Scott decision over a century ago") got right on it. He has introduced six bills to counter the "corporate coup". In a short time 25,000 signed his petition "to save our democracy" Sign it here- SaveDemocracy.net.
http://salsa.mydccc.org/o/30019/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4
This is a revolutionary decision with ominous implications for generations to come. As Rep. Barney Frank said tonight on the Rachel Maddow show- "No functioning democracy allows this unlimited corporate spending in campaigns." Senator Schumer called it "poisonous" for democracy. I'm not sure exactly what we need to do- (start with the petition and let everyone you know know about it) but I know we have to speak with one voice to oppose this terrible ruling. Stay tuned.
Linda Abbott said...
ReplyDeleteThis week we can all shed a tear for another major blow to what is left of our democracy. The Supreme Court has trampled on the people while super-sizing the power of corporations. Corporations have long been a powerful force, but now they have risen up with the strength of Godzilla and become human with first amendment rights. If we do not act and either get this ruling reversed or put forth a constitutional amendment to undo it, our country will be heading down a slippery slope towards a total corporate takeover of our government. We may still function with the look of a democracy, but in no way will it be one when corporations call all the shots by making sure that those that are elected will do their dirty little deeds. It is a sad week indeed.
January 22, 2010 9:31 PM
Rosalyn Cherry said...
Linda above has clearly laid out the sad state of affairs. All I can add is that this is another nail in the coffin that is democracy. Yes, with the Supreme Court making decisions like this and the eroding of the election process, both in unreliable counting of votes and now unlimited corporation money, our democracy is slowly going going gone.... The Supreme Court also weakened part of the Feingold-McCain (yes, I changed the name so the Dem's name is first!)campaign finance law. Corporations are no longer prohibited from advertising 30 days ahead of a presidential primary and 60 days ahead of the general election. How can the Supreme Court conclude a corporation has the same First Amendment rights as individuals? The corporations exist for the interests of share holders and not for the interests of society as a whole. Their decision is unconstitutional but there is no place to go except for Congress to enact restrictions. And how easy will that be given the current Congress' track record to pass anything for the interests of society as a whole? I hope I am wrong, very wrong.
January 24, 2010 12:00 PM