I was as upset as most liberals (most of the rest of liberals that is, being one myself) at the “Citizens United” decision yesterday. I did not, however, see the sun imploding or the United States flag turning into some sort of dishrag. I see democracy becoming a bit more difficult, but it’s not all that easy right now.
Corporations will play a bigger role in government because of this decision. Well, haven’t we been complaining for years that corporations already control government? Haven’t we been complaining for years about the influence of lobbyists that flood Washington? So where is the radical change as a result of this decision?
Was there not a Democratic primary just two years ago where one candidate took in a record amount of money, and none of it was corporate donations? Is not that candidate our President as we speak?
Juan Cole at Informed Comment sums it up nicely and saves me a lot of space. Go read what he says. His, and mine, are the “still small voices crying in the wilderness; democracy lives.”
Update: Friday 1:50pm
Glenn Greenwald not only sounds the same caution against hyperbole that Juan Cole and I do, but maintains that the Supreme Court made the correct decision. I'm not certain that I am entirely pursuaded, but he makes a very powerful arguement for freedom of speech.
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