You didn't miss this did you?
The “little guy” just got a whole lot smaller due to the Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission decision of the U.S. Supreme Court last Thursday. This 5 to 4 decision overturns a century of election and campaign finance law. It opens the flood gates, allowing unlimited corporate campaign donations and campaign manipulation. A corporation can “swift boat” a candidate right up to election day, without having to tell the truth, without having to disclose their involvement, without having to disclose how much money was spent. Does that sound like the American way to you?
Just when you thought our government couldn’t be more dysfunctional and removed from the concerns of the average citizen, guess what? They literally don’t need us anymore. Your $25 donation to the candidate of your choice is now laughable compared to a million dollars from Exxon, the Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft, the “Clean Coal” group, a timber industry lobbying group, or a health insurance consortium. Got to buy more TV ads and smear my opponent. And when key votes for health care, the environment, education, tax policy, war, telecommunications, banking regulations, etc. come before our representative’s committee, what will they be thinking about? What politician will be willing to stick his/her neck out in our interest during an election year? Politicians from both parties know these corporations have given a million to them and not their opponent in the upcoming election, and they know to listen carefully to those corporate interests. Keep in mind, there are no restrictions on multinational and foreign corporations either.
It is only the people who have rights independent of law, independent of status and birthright, rights that are inherent. It means the little guy has the same rights as the CEO. Our rights are not bestowed upon us by government, or by the constitution. That’s what inalienable means. Nowhere in the constitution are corporations acknowledged to have the same inalienable rights as people. Corporations are wholly and artificially created by laws and government. Any rights they may have are only those given to them by the people. Therefore corporations should exist to serve people. What a revolutionary thought. How different than today’s reality!
This is the final corruption of our political system. It comes from a Court infected with corporate lawyers, who jumped on this case to make law. Yes, supposedly conservative judges who have become “activists.” It is corporate domination of the individual. It is tyranny. If Congress allows it to go forward unchecked, it will be the end of our little 234 year experiment with Democracy.
Corporations are not people. Congress must act to limit their involvement with elections and government. This is not a conservative or liberal issue. It’s not a Democrat or Republican issue, although it appears the Republicans are pretty happy about this. It is an affront to Democracy itself. If this rising power is not curbed quickly, all those labels will become meaningless. Our “Representatives” won’t be representing us anymore. It may be our last chance so please contact Brian Baird, Patty Murray, and Maria Cantwell know that you still count. Contact President Obama. Call on them to act with courage and conviction like the founding fathers and mothers of this great country. Call on them to support campaign finance reform and end dictatorship from the boardroom.
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Jim Ebacher, 1-23-10
