Citizens United Revisited? Buckle Up, Chief Justice Roberts

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/18-5

Citizens United Revisited? Buckle Up, Chief Justice Roberts
by Josh Silver


On Friday night, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the Montana Supreme Court's December, 2011 decision upholding the state's century-old ban on corporate political spending. The implications of this are huge, as it paves the way for a potential re-opening of the disastrous Citizens United decision that has spawned billionaire-sponsored super PACs. And if that happens, Chief Justice John Roberts better buckle up for a grassroots mobilization unlike any the court has seen in years.

snip//

If our current campaign finance system isn't corrupt, what is? A handful of billionaires can decide who the next president will be. If our Supreme Court doesn't find that corrupt, or at least creating the appearance of corruption, then they are using a very different dictionary than the rest of America; one shape-shifted solely to consolidate power into the hands of the super-rich, the rest of us be damned.

From Occupy on the left to the Tea Party on the right, conservatives and liberals agree that crony capitalism is out of control, and is central to our nations myriad problems: banking, energy, jobs, health care... you name it. The people are mad as hell, and they're not going to take it any more.

And if the court takes up Citizens United again, you can be sure the American people won't sit quietly with their hands folded while the high court deliberates. They're going to shake the bars of the prison that our democracy has become, and demand a ruling that protects ordinary people, not plutocrats.

[Old and In the Way]

1. The Republican majority on SCOTUS handed the RNC a fundraising lifeline with Citizens United.

It will be fascinating to watch if this case goes to SCOTUS again and they repeat their ill conceived ruling that makes corporate money equivalent to individual contributions in our election process.

[babylonsister]

2. I'll be watching! nt

[Geoff R. Casavant]

3. All due respect, but why would he care?

Grassroots mobilization, protests, constant media coverage . . . such things would only work if the man possessed a modicum of shame or decency. And we've known for a long time that most members of the Court lack even that.

It's not like he would be running for reelection anytime either. He has no incentive to listen to the grassroots except the threat of impeachment, and we know how likely that will be.

[nolabels]

4. I just hope he is pompous and ignorant enough not to see the train comming

Tone deaf piss-ants through history are so fun to watch. To see them flame into the abyss is just good fun

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.

[Lil Missy]

6. I don't believe they considered Citizens United a fair and principled position to begin with.

I thought it was a blatantly partisan decision to tip the scales in favor of Republicans. Similar to the Bush v Gore "fuck you" decision.

[Blue in Red State]

7. K&R