Thursday, January 21, 2010

Exxon Is Now A Person

The Supreme Court has spoken. In a 5-4 decision, the court has established that corporations and unions have the same free speech rights as a person under the first amendment of the constitution. They are now free to use their considerable wealth to openly influence elections. Remember all that clatter about "activist judges legislating from the bench"? Well, that's exactly what they did. The supreme court threw out a 63 year old law designed to restrain the influence of big business and unions on elections. The court overturned two of its own decisions as well, and threatens similar limits by 24 states. The basis for the ruling was that not allowing this "speech" to corporations was a form of censorship. "The censorship we now confront is vast in its reach," said Justice Kennedy. Justice Stevens, in dissenting, said,"The court's ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions around the nation". "It's the Super Bowl of bad decisions," said the president of Common Cause. Ads will now be allowed to run right up to the moment of an election and allow them to call for the election or defeat of a candidate as well as an issue. The loudest voices will be those with the most money. And you thought it was bad now?

8 comments:

  1. I'm so disappointed these days I can hardly hold my head up. I was pretty sure this was the decision we were going to get but I don't like it. I'm going to bury my head in the sand when the next election comes. I won't be able to deal with it. Gracious, how bad is it going to get?

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  2. politics unfortunately has always been corrupt...it doesn't take long for a little power and wealth to lead to control of judges, media, etc. All you can do is live your life, vote for those you feel are honest and carry on. There is opposition in this world.

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  3. Arrrrghhhh! I can't stand it!!!

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  4. There must be a silver lining,, maybe someone can find it, but it looks gloomy as Seattle weather!

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  5. I cannot believe what has happened to our political system. At this point, I'm praying for a miracle.

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  6. Though your country's affairs are no concern of mine, I don't like the sound of it Linda? - Dave

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  7. OUCH!!!
    You know that saying "to hell in a hand basket"? Well that's where we are heading. MB

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  8. Everyone else who has posted here said it well!!

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