Oh No! Liberals are taking a beating; on Tuesday they lose their filibuster proof super-majority, on Wednesday Obama Care is thrown under the bus by Obama himself, and now on Thursday the SCOTUS in a 5-4 decision written by Justice Kennedy declares the major provisions of MaCain/Feingold’s limiting individual and corporate advocacy speech unconstitutional!

Supreme Court rules against McCain-Feingold

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has determined that campaign finance laws that restrict donations from corporate entities are in violation of the 1st Amendment. For almost a century, the government has been working actively to regulate campaign contributions in an attempt to halt influence of unions and corporations.
The most significant law on the subject, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, placed strict limitations on campaign contributions. Lower courts have upheld campaign finance regulation in two seperate cases, McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, which relied on the precedent set by Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce. These decisions held that corporate donations to influence candidates and the electoral process did not constitute speech, and could thus be regulated by the government.
The case before the court, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, involved the production of Hillary: The Movie, a documentary produced by a conservative group opposed to Senator Clinton’s 2008 bid for the presidency. The dispute regarded the financing of the film, and whether or not it violated federal law.
Justice Anthony Kennedy delivered the majority opinion. “The Government may regulate corporate political speech through disclaimer and disclosure requirements, but it may not suppress that speech altogether.” Non-profit and for-profit groups are now free from the restrictions of McCain-Feingold, and can more easily produce advertisements and media operations for or against particular candidates or initiatives.
“”Our nation’s speech dynamic is changing, and informative voices should not have to circumvent onerous restrictions to exercise their First Amendment rights,” Justice Kennedy continued.
Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the dissenting opinion, with Justices Breyer, Ginsberg, and Sotomayor concurring in part. “The Court’s ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution.”
This decision will no doubt have a tremendous impact on future elections. It also comes at a particularly important time, as the 2010 midterm elections are just around the corner.

http://informed-dissent.com/blog/?p=599

SCOTUS Opinion - Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-205.pdf

McCain is a leftist?

This decision is a disaster for America right up there with Dred Scott. The idea that corporations are "persons" under the COTUS is a radical idea, it is the "making of law" from the bench worthy of any leftists. You cheer for the Dictatorship of the Corporations, the new form of government in the US. This is a sad day for all of us. You are also so blinded by ideology that you can't even see the harm this will do to the right as well, since unions are considered a corporation under the law. Everyone loses.

Head Like A Hole

God money i'll do anything for you.
God money just tell me what you want me to.
God money nail me up against the wall.
God money don't want everything he wants it all.
No you can't take it
No you can't take it
No you can't take that away from me
No you can't take it
No you can't take it
No you can't take that away from me
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I'd rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I'd rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
God money's not looking for the cure.
God money's not concerned with the sick among the pure.
God money let's go dancing on the backs of the bruised.
God money's not one to choose
No you can't take it
No you can't take it
No you can't take that away from me
No you can't take it
No you can't take it
No you can't take that away from me
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I'd rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I'd rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I'd rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
I'd rather die than give you control.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
You're going to get what you deserve.
You know who you are.

-David Bowie

Trent Reznor. That's nine inch nails, dude.

For some reason I thought Reznor was doing a cover of a tune Bowie originally wrote, my apologies to Trent...

When it comes to the first amendment there is no question McCain is a leftist! This was one of the very reasons many on the right did not support him even though they may have eventually cast a vote for him in 2008.

George Soros is happy too! If leftist corporations are successful they will be able to compete, if not so be it!

Best of all it’s probably a death knell for the Fairness Doctrine in any of its future disguises!

Serious question how is even more corporate money getting infused into politics a good thing? Don't big business and lobbyists of said people already have too much influence?

Myself, I am amazed that these people, who are always obsessed with "sovereignty" and all, think this is some sort of victory. Been in a corporate board room these days? I have, hell most of the directors aren't even Americans anymore. Now we are going to give any foreigner with the cash the ability to directly participate in US elections. Welcome the the United States of Saudi Arabia.

This decision has absolutely nothing to do with the "Fairness Doctrine", it is about corporate power. Bow down before the ones you serve, billy boy.

The court already decided the Fairness Doctrine is constitutional, a long, long time ago. The public owns the broadcast spectrum, it is one of the few things left the corporations don't own.

uh, there's no left in american politics.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

THAT is an excellent point. Propaganda has been honed to a fine art in America. Video is some kinda tool. You can spend hundreds of man hours and thousands of dollars per second producing/crafting a campaign spot. There was a recent example of a corporation getting a judge to their liking elected, bumping an uncooperative judge from his position. Their money was well spent. Excellent return on investment.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

For those with short memories or who haven't been paying attention...




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_United_States_campaign_finance_controversy

__________________

1983 300D

How did the wise latina vote on this one?

So am still curious how does more corporate money in the hands of elected officials benefit anyone? Really doesn't that mean they can be bought earlier rather than later? On both sides!

If the GOP is going to win so many battles now that corporate campaign contributions are easier, why did Obama outspend McCain in 2008 by a factor of 2 ?

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/

I don't see any party winning, I see TV viewers losing by having to watch more attack ads.

-John

__________________
2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Too embarrassed to put a link that would identify Connolly's employer as Newsweek or forgetful! Is Obama on the cover again?

Hard to believe Connolly would have such and opinion after all Katie received her Master of Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, where she was the 2005 Menzies Scholar.