Consider the effect of the Bush appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Repugnican and Democratic "corpor-rats" are elated these days because their "activist" Supreme Court just handed the reins of the U.S. government over to their corporate owners.
This was made possible by the justices appointed by G.W. Bush to the Court.
(And isn't it interesting that so-called "conservatives," who in the past have railed against the U.S. Supreme "activist" Court, remain silent in the midst of this most tragic recent event? It appears that if the Supremes rule in favor of the poor, or women's rights or justice for the have-nots, they are "activists" ignoring their role as clearly defined in the Constitution. If they rule in favor of the moneyed powers, revoking years of precedent, they are just doing their job as described by the Constitution.)
The Nation had this to say (Feb. 15 issue):
"The Citizens United campaign finance decision by Chief Justice Roberts and a Supreme Court majority of conservative judicial activists is a dramatic assault on American democracy, overturning more than a century of precedent in order to give corporations the ultimate authority over elections and governing. This decision tips the balance against active citizenship and the rule of law by making it possible for the nation's most powerful economic interests to manipulate not just individual politicians and electoral contests, but political discourse itself."
What this decision did, says The Nation, is give corporations the same rights as human beings - citizens!
From the onset of our nation, leaders have warned against such a thing! Chief Justice John Marshall said a corporation was an "artificial being, invisible, intangible." And Jefferson warned that the new nation must "crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." (The Nation, Feb. 15, p. 3)
President Dwight Eisenhower, at the end of his term, warned us of the terrible threat of what he called the "military-industrial complex."
What the Supremes have done is unleashed the money of the corporate world. Prepare for an onslaught. The international corporations control most of the wealth in the world. Money is power. That money will be used to control the U.S. government to an extent never before seen in history!
Again, from The Nation:
"Already the Chamber of Commerce is promising to unleash the 'largest, most aggressive' election-season spending spree in the organization's history. Chamber officials promise to 'highlight lawmakers and candidates' who toe the corporate line, and 'hold accountable those who don't.'"
The foundation of our democracy is in peril!
What can be done? Congress can act. We can enact a Constitutional amendment. The problem is that many, if not most, members of Congress are already bought and paid for by corporate monies and are "toeing" the corporate line.
But not all! Thank the gods for Democratic Congressman, Alan Grayson, from Florida. Grayson says that this decision by the Supremes "is the worst Supreme Court ruling in more than a century. In my opinion, it opened the door to political bribery and corruption on the largest scale imaginable. Corporations, foreign-owned businesses and foreign governments will be allowed to spend unlimited amounts of cash on propaganda to dictate the outcomes of our elections."
Grayson insists that this decision has "put the law up for sale" and awards our government "to the highest bidder."
So, Mr. Grayson has introduced eight bills into the House of Representatives "to prevent a corporate takeover of government in America. ... Each of these bills is clear and concise; none is longer than four pages."
[Which means that even the dumbest in that legislative body, like the moron from Minnesota, ought to be able to read them!]
Here's a summary:
1. The Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act - "Implements a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns.
2. The Public Company Responsibility Act - "Prevents companies making political contributions and expenditures from trading their stock on national exchanges."
3. The End Political Kickbacks Act - "Prevents for-profit corporations that receive money from the government from making political contributions, and limits the amounts that employees of those companies can contribute."
Well, there are five more: The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act, The Ending Corporate Collusion Act, The End the Hijacking of Shareholder Funds Act, The America is for Americans Act, and the Pick Your Poison Act, each of which deals with commonsense controls which should have been in place years ago!
Congress can make a difference in muting the terrible effects of the Supreme Court's decision! Unfortunately, there are too few Alan Grayson's on Capitol Hill!
You can read much more about Grayson's proposals here.
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