Posted on Sun, Jan 31, 2010 : 1:46 p.m.
Supreme Court ruling is abomination to our Constitution
By Letters to the Editor
The recent Supreme Court decision to grant corporations the same rights as a human being and foreign held corporations the status of American citizens is an abomination to the Constitution and the American way of life.
This extreme right wing judicial activism has effectively ruined our democracy (which was already on life support) and rendered the voice of the people irrelevant. Now that corporations and the super wealthy will rule America from now on, all those afraid of socialism can now relax as we are officially a fascist police state now. The legacy of the illegitimate presidency of George Bush has reached out to harm America once more.
Mike P. Villwock Ypsilanti
Comments
shepard145
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 12:09 a.m.
Oh yea, "good one Mike". Amusing to read all these democrat tears over this decision. Where was your outrage over unions and Acorn activists propping up the nitwit we now have occupying the White House and leftist loon Eric Holder refusing to prosecute the Black Panthers holding clubs outside a polling place in TN? AA democrats are a bunch of hypocrites with zero credibility, which is why, after 135 years, the AAN was finally bankrupted under the weight of the same kind of irrational yellow hate editorializing.....I mean reporting.
David Briegel
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 8:56 p.m.
Because they are the hired hands of the corporations! I love the cartoon of the evil 5 in their NASCAR like robes with the corporate logos emblazoned all over!
picabia
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 6:44 p.m.
Wondering how the Supreme Court came to the conclusion that a corporation is the same thing as a person... "Corporations have neither bodies to be punished, nor souls to be condemned, they therefore do as they like." -Edward Thurlow
treetowncartel
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 3:21 p.m.
Now if only they would get rid of term limits and bring back the line item veto.
John Galt
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 12:17 p.m.
A correct ruling by the Supreme Court. Free speech allows us to form into groups and pool our limited individual resources to advocate for our causes. It is not just corporations, but also voluntary organizations like the NRA, Sierra Club, Unions and other groups that were affected by the law. Muzzling the public before elections was unconstitutional. And Obama embarrased himself by ambushing the justices in his speech. The sooner he is voted out of office the safer will be freedom in America.
Top Cat
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 10:50 a.m.
Public Financing. Great idea. Oborrow's latest budget deficit is $1.6 trillion. So let's spend more money. Can you imagine the results if hack political appointees and bureaucrats start determining who gets what money? I'll donate my money to whom I please.
David Briegel
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 10:21 a.m.
What a triumph! As if there wasn't enough money in our campaigns as it is now. Which representative or senator will you be renting? It will be physically impossible to separate "foreign" from "domestic" in corporate money! Why not public financing to "level the playing field"? Oh, I get it. That might result in a govt of, by and for the people!
Top Cat
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 : 9:06 a.m.
The ruling was a triumph for the First Amendment.
clara
Sun, Jan 31, 2010 : 10:33 p.m.
President Barack Obama was wrong and Justice Samuel Alito was right. During his first State of the Union speech on Wednesday, President Barack Obama incorrectly stated that foreign nationals and foreign entities can now contribute unlimited amounts of money to U.S. political campaigns because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling lifting certain campaign finance restrictions. This prompted an immediate reaction from Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who, sitting directly in front of the president, shook his head and apparently mouthed the words not true when Obama made his remark. The high courts 5-4 ruling in a First Amendment case, Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission (FEC), lifted restrictions for companies, unions, and other organizations to make independent expenditures in political campaigns. The court decision, however does not allow corporations to contribute directly to a campaign or coordinate expenditures with a campaign. Nor did the ruling lift existing law that blocks foreign contributions to political campaigns. Obama also claimed the court reversed 100 years of law when, in fact, it overturned a 1990 decision in Austin vs. Michigan Chamber of Commerce. Also, parts of the McCain-Feingold reform bill from 2002 that restricted independent political advertising in the closing days of an election were struck down. Under the FEC regulation 11 CFR 110.20(i): A foreign national shall not direct, dictate, control, or directly or indirectly participate in the decision-making process of any person, such as a corporation, labor organization, political committee, or political organization with regard to such person's Federal or non-Federal election-related activities, such as decisions concerning the making of contributions, donations, expenditures, or disbursements in connection with elections for any Federal, State, or local office or decisions concerning the administration of a political committee. Further, federal law, under 2 USC 441-Sec. 441e, also prohibits foreign donations. Even a posting on the liberal blog Huffington Post by Adam Winkler, a law professor at University of California-Los Angeles, partly took Alitos side. Winklers piece was entitled, Alito was rude (but right) and further said, Alito was right. The president was wrong about the Supreme Court decision.
David Briegel
Sun, Jan 31, 2010 : 6:06 p.m.
Good one Mike, Remember when the Republicans were outraged the Clintons were so evil because they took all that Chinese money? Well, where is the outrage now that the "right wing judicial activists" have declared that our govt is now for sale to the highest bidder. Deafening silence! You are absolutely correct about that product of affirmative action for the semi-literate offspring of rich white guys. What a contrast to the current President who earned every single thing in his life! Thanks to Bush and his "not so strict constructionists" bribery is now all nice and legal. Nice and tidy! They really believe that the rich can buy or rent every single "value". The Republican right wingers are truly the "abomination" to truth, justice and the American way of our once proud nation!!