Only creating two new Supreme Court justices can reverse Citizens United v. FEC. The Supreme Court’s unconstitutional and treasonous handing of our democracy to corporations fully justifies this action. And if we fail to take this action, and corporations begin spending unlimited sums to pay for TV ads for candidates of their choice, we can expect massive losses in November, in 2012, and in every future election at both the state and national level. If we do not neutralize this ruling, it will mean the death of the Democratic Party, and the death of democracy in America.
President Obama recently gave the following rather weak response;
With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. This ruling gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington--while undermining the influence of average Americans who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates. That's why I am instructing my Administration to get to work immediately with Congress on this issue. We are going to talk with bipartisan Congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision. The public interest requires nothing less.
Russ Feingold, who sponsored the McCain-Feingold campaign fiance act of 2001 had the following vague and non-commital response;
The American people will pay dearly for this decision when, more than ever, their voices are drowned out by corporate spending in our federal elections. In the coming weeks, I will work with my colleagues to pass legislation restoring as many of the critical restraints on corporate control of our elections as possible.
Huffington Post recently reported that Alan Grayson had proposed the following half-hearted, facetiously named measures;
The Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act would impose a 500 percent excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns. The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act would require public companies to report what they spend to influence public opinion on any matter other than the promotion of their goods and services. The End Political Kickbacks Act would restrict political contributions by government contractors
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Chuck Schumer says he’s going to hold hearings on the decision in a few weeks. That’s too late.
Let’s consider what our Democratic leaders have been too spineless to say -- Only by Congress creating two new Supreme Court seats, bringing the total to eleven, will the SCOTUS ruling on Citizens United v. FEC be effectively neutralized. A Constitutional Amendment to reverse the decision would take far too long. There are no other viable options.
It seems hopelessly naïve to believe Democrats have the requisite courage on this, or the welfare of the People as their main concern. They seem to be preparing to let the SCOTUS decision stand, and continue to benefit personally, as relatively Rich, well connected individuals, from the corporate takeover of our democracy. Congress could easily change or kill the filibuster, and then create the two new Supreme Court seats needed to overturn the current SCOTUS’ ruling. After Conservative members SCOTUS having stolen the 2000 election for Bush, Americans would ultimately side with Congress on that decision.
But, our Democrats seem spineless, or indifferent, or both. An assault on our democracy like this Citizens United v. FEC ruling requires VERY STRONG, SWIFT AND SURE ACTION. Such a blatant power-grab cannot wait for Schumers’ hearings, and it cannot be addressed in a bi-partisan way. Our politicians don’t get it. Liberal blogs have devoted almost no attention to the nature and extent of this assault on our democracy, and the options available by which to remedy the treason. They don’t get it either.
Left to stand, the ruling will give corporations as much power as they need and care to wield to elect the candidates of their choice. What’s at stake? Corporations do not have much of a conscience. Their board members and executives will not sacrifice corporate profits to address climate change in any significant way. The result will be the global warming-driven future British scientist James Lovelock predicts in the preface of his 2006 book Revenge of Gaia, where he writes,
"We are in a fool’s climate, accidentally kept cool by smoke, and before this century is over, billions of us will die and the few breeding pairs of people that survive will be in the artic region where the climate remains tolerable."
In his An Inconvenient Truth documentary, Gore placed Lovelock’s warning on the pessimistic end of scientific assessments, however ever-improving research methodology and findings since Revenge of Gaia was published are validating Lovelock’s prediction.
The Rich among us think they will be among the "few breeding pairs of people that survive." They can dream about this outcome, however, they are so outnumbered by the middle class and poor that they will surely be the population who suffers the most from the coming climate crisis.
We can either fight this ruling by having our Democratic Congress create two new Supreme Court seats that will overturn Citizens United v. FEC, and then exact a just retribution by strengthening our existing campaign finance and lobbying regulations, or their and our children, grandchildren and beyond will have hell as their future. That is what is at stake here.
Please insist that President Obama, and Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the rest of our Democratic Congress, summon the commensurate moral courage to create the two Supreme Court seats needed to reverse Citizens United v. FEC.