An activist Supreme Court opens the political money floodgates (Keene Sentinel editorial)

[struggle4progress]

... The 5-4 majority in this awful decision — most of whose members have in other contexts decried “activist” judges — said the First Amendment was unreasonably denied corporations, and it was only proper to to return it to them.

Hogwash. Corporate interests had plenty of legal opportunities to express themselves in political campaigns; the rules rejected last week merely limited the timing of electioneering activity close to elections, and restricted some other spending. Monied interests had not been silenced by prior campaign finance reforms; they just couldn’t shout as often as they wanted.

Asked about the ruling last week, Granny D got it right. The decision “usher(s) in a new tsunami of corporate money into politics,” she said. That’s of no apparent concern to the court majority, but it will be of consequence to most of their countrymen.

http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2010/01/24/opinion/sentinel_editorial/free/id_387598.txt