So...according to the SCOTUS, money has the freedom of speech!

[AndyA]

I've yet to meet a hundred dollar bill that could speak. Those coins jingling around in our pockets must be talking to us in Klingon or something.

The more I think about this, the more outraged I get. What a ridiculous theory that corporations are people. And if that's the case, then corporations must be held responsible like every other person. CRIMINALLY LIABLE if they do harm to another.

It can't be either or.

[kenny blankenship]

1. Money talks and bullshit walks

(and the money for our walking shoes will be deducted from our wages)

[cliffordu]

3. BEAT ME TO IT!!!!!!!

:rofl:

[yourout]

2. Now the Gieco bundle of cash will be able to talk on the commercials. It was waiting...

for the SCOTUS ruling.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Devil's advocate.

Is it a bad thing because corporations will be paying a lot of money to networks?

Or is it a bad thing that corporations will be airing their political message on those networks?

[depakid]

8. Both of those are "bad things."

The American corporate media is already dishonest and dysfuntional- and the American political system is already, to put it bluntly- driven by bribery.

This decision makes matters exponentially worse in terms of the ability to enact responsible reforms and respond in a timely manner to the myriad challenges of the 21st Century.

I rather feel sorry for Americans at this point- even though many us us saw this coming since last summer, it still a huge step toward Gilded Age style corruption and abuse, coupled with increasingly third world style economic conditions.

Could be that the members of the court and the weathy elite don't think this will adversely affect them.

They are wrong.

[madinmaryland]

11. "is it a bad thing that corporations will be airing their political message on those networks?"

YES.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. Exactly.

So it's not an issue of money being speech.

[Bitwit1234]

5. How do you think the five

goodness knows whatchamecallems got where they are.. money money money money. And the surely have to pay everyone of them back.

[thereismore]

6. SCOTUS then (Dred Scott): persons are property. SCOTUS now: peoperties are persons. nt

[bridgit]

7. Money has always had 'the freedom of speech', it's prolly best to admit it & codify it as such

[joeybee12]

9. No, just richer people's speech is freer than your's and mine...n/t

[sendero]

10. One dollar..

... one vote.

[WeDidIt]

12. Every dollar is equal.

Properties are people.

[gkhouston]

13. Sadly, most of my dollars have choo-choo trains on them. n/t

[spanone]

15. hell, moneys talked in the halls of congress for many, many years

[Writer]

16. That's because money is a form of "symbolic speech."

And one need not actually speak in order for it to be "symbolic speech." Burning the flag, as another example, is a form of symbolic speech.

However, I do wish that this measure would be more thoughtfully rendered. Money in politics needs to be constitutionally defined and adjudicated, because it challenges the democratic process.

[librechik]

17. I'm gaining a new respect for the Geico little pile of cash with the googly eyes

I feel like electing him to the Senate instead of Lieberman.

[harkadog]

18. Corporations are held criminally liable for crimes.

That is long standing law. Nothing needs to be changed there.

[AndyA]

19. Oh really?

When are Goldman Sachs, AIG, etc., showing up to serve their prison terms for the (almost) worldwide financial collapse they caused in 2008?

[harkadog]

21. Ask DOJ about that.

They would have to indict them and prosecute them in a trial.

[slampoet]

20. Name one person who is serving time for the death of a worker.

Not a fine. Real hard time.


otherwise stop spreading your ignorance.

[harkadog]

22. There are many cases of prison time.

It looks like you are the ignorant one here. But I'm sure it is not the first itme. http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/reprint/90/4/535.pdf