SCOTUS Reaffirms Disdain for Democracy

In good news for big business and conservatives and bad news for democracy, the Supreme Court has again sided with the rich over democracy – in this case by eliminating the overall limit on what individuals can contribute to individual campaigns. (NY Times) Following in the footsteps of the Citizens United decision of 2010, a 5-4 majority decided in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, No. 12-536  to stike down a decade-long limit on individual contributions to candidates. The reason? The conflating of the first amendment with spending money has been the legal legitimation of undercutting democracy for several years now. But the real reason is to ensure that the pesky will of the people not interfere with the interests of corporations and the elite.

And the results have been largely positive, except at the Presidential level the past two cycles. The Koch brothers have sold America a “populist” movement that was secretly and largely sponsored by their $50 billion plus  fortune. Right wing media sells the “silent majority” their racist, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic messages of hate. And the dollars behind the machine so outstrip those of their opponents that the Senate might actually turn because the GOP is really good at ensuring that nothing of note happens whenever a “liberal” is in the highest office in the land. It is an extraordinary strategy and one that is sure to continue the slow but steady decline of America as an economic and political superpower, the land of opportunity and a “beacon for democracy.” Ironically, as with the Tea Party movement itself – the very people voting with this “silent money” will be destroying the very thing they so rapidly support. Go America! No, serious … go!