Is the Supreme Court’s Citizens United Decision Hurting Democracy?

September 24, 2010 RSS Feed Print
  • Comment (8)

When the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. FEC that corporations could spend money on political campaigns, critics warned it would mean new special interest spending. Others hailed a victory for free speech. With midterms weeks away, how has it played out?
Edited by Robert Schlesinger

Yes

Michael Waldman
Executive director of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University law school

We now approach the first general election of the Citizens United era. The opinion was the most controversial in years. Critics warned it would tilt the playing field of American politics. Citizens United has loosed a tide of massive—and alarmingly sneaky—spending. For all the Tea Party hubbub, this election's major factor could be cold cash.

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No

John Samples
Director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Representative Government

Many people say the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United is harming American democracy. Is it? Everyone knows democracy means "government by the people." But what does that mean concretely? The people should select those who govern. Each citizen should have an equal vote on who holds office.

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Is Citizens United Hurting Democracy?

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Tags:
freedom of speech,
2010 Congressional elections,
Tea Party,
Congress,
campaigns,
Supreme Court

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Most people don't realize that their local school district is also a corporation and a government entity, spending our tax dollars for the personal gain of stakeholders, often referred to as "Friends of the School District," how many local stakeholders are setting on your school boards and in adminstrative positions making decisions with your money? Our children are their new commodity replacing lost industry and jobs. What better commodity then children in a country where children have such a high value to the parents and no rights to speak out against the authority of their school administrators and teachers, who use millions of our tax dollars to hide their sins against humanity in courts littered with their loyalist?

PB of PA 11:45PM April 18, 2011

What is this list?

ftp://ftp.state.pa.us/pub/state/camp_fin/2009_7/expense.txt

PB of PA 11:25PM April 18, 2011

If corporations are people, I want to see a corporation go to prison when it breaks the law. I want to see a corporation serve in the military. I want to see corporations pay tax on the same scale that people do. This court decision is an affront to basic human dignity. And tell me, where are the "strict constructionists" now?

Kent of WI 8:57AM February 20, 2011

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