Our View: Court ruling a troubling turn (Norwich Bulletin)

[struggle4progress]

For The Norwich Bulletin
Posted Jan 22, 2010 @ 10:04 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court decision this week allowing corporations and unions to freely pump as much money as they want into political campaigns is a major step backward in efforts to curtail special interest influence on the political process.

The majority of justices in the 5-4 decision justified the ruling by claiming the prohibition against corporate and union participation was a form of censorship. We are strong advocates of free speech, but considering the hundreds of millions spent annually on political action committees and lobbyists, we find it hard to understand how anyone could claim special interests are being denied the opportunity to make their case.

Special interest groups should have the right to make their case, but not carte blanche to drown out an opposing point of view simply because they can afford it.

Although the court left in place a direct ban on corporations and unions contributing to candidates, special interest groups should be subject to limitations on what they spend to pursue their own agendas. To impose no limit is not a protection of free speech, nor is it in the spirit of democracy ...

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/Opinion/x1090816958/Our-View-Court-ruling-a-troubling-turn

[oneblonde]

1. supreme court bought and sold?

If the Mafia could buy judges, why not the corps who are already buying our congressmen? We should demand an FBI investigation into their finances. We need the same monthly public revelation of every dollar that comes to our legislators' pockets, because the taxpayers pay them and the judges a salary and job benefits and that is all they deserve. Anything more is graft and bribery.
Off shore hidden money should be revealed and the taxes paid just as though it were deposited here in the states. Is this at all doable with this corrupt government?