Supreme Court - campaign spending

It's time for the Supreme Court to get younger w/more flavor. They put the kabosh to the American citizen today. I wonder how much $$$ will be transferred from Corporation coffers from hiring to campaign spending? This should really help w/job creation, right? Interesting that at the same time, in NJ, Governor Christie (R) signed a bill limiting political donations by labor unions w/state contracts. Why? Because NJ is a state controlled by unions. Not that this bill is a bad thing BUT, Republicans and big money have just won BIG today. The poor and middle class are taking hits and it shows no sign of slowing. I always knew that Roberts and his cronies were SOB's. They confirmed it today.

 

From bloomberg.com

Business political action committees outspent labor committees $323.7 million to $73.1 million in the 2008 elections, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group. Republicans got 51 percent of donations from business political action committee; Democrats received 92 percent of labor money, according to the center.

So with 51 percent of business politcal action money going to Republicans and 92% of union labor money going to democrats, how exactly is it that Republicans have won BIG???

This is an issue of free speech... you do remember free speech?

 

If I recall the decision doesn't overturn the mandate they say WHO is paying for particular advertising so people can always investigate that on their own. This is a simple case of every party having equal rights to political speech.

 

It is possible that I'm missing something BUT if I'm correct, using simple math........
Republicans rec'd 165 mil
Democrats rec'd 67 mil

This is based on your info. Now, I'm assuming the other percentages didn't specifically go to the other party. Had the Republicans been outspent, they would attack this ruling vehemently. As per your figures, and they will go up dramatically for corporations/big business and not as much for labor. After all, they don't have the same size pockets. Your going for an MBA so you obviously can understand how this ruling benefits business? So the framers of our Constitution were thinking about big business? They didn't forsee the level of the electronic media and how a ruling such as this favors the wealthy. Their voice will speak much louder than the average citizen. Free speech my butt, they'll be disturbing the peace.

 

Exactly Steve! I’m hopeful this most recent Senate race outcome in Massachusetts will be a viable wake-up to both the Democrat and Republican monopoly political parties. However, I’m uncertain the Party in executive and legislative power for now has grasped the anger of the citizens in the political process. But I do believe change is coming; but that change may well be unsympathetic to personal and/or political agendas.

 

There ARE other parties, these are the major crooked ones. Democrats are just as deceitful as Republicans. What I see happening is only the wealthy will eventually be able to retire, at basically any age they want. The rest of the populace will be controlled by big business. The lower and middle class will work until death or poor health forces them to the sidelines. C'mon, really, smart folk on here know this. I am a believer in profit sharing. What I believe will now happen is less money from the pie will go to retirements and profit sharing and more will go toward corporations agenda. Some on here will say that this campaign money will lead to a better environment for business which will correlate into more $$$ for employees. I predict the future will show this to be a farce. The claws of greed and corruption spread far and wide and the wealth stays close to home. The separation between classes is becoming more evident. Those now w/good paying jobs are OK w/that, and why not? The Supreme Court is becoming more like the Vatican every day. Their interpretations change to the point where they've bastardized the Constitution and Bible. How about term limits for the "Black Robes" of SCOTUS?

 

The middle class is eroding in this country because more and more corporations have shat away many of the decent living wage jobs via outsourcing, all the while taking some of our tax money in the form of corporate welfare/tax breaks. On this very same board years ago I used to hear shouts of "But Abner, the poor do not produce jobs!" Guess what? Many of these giant mega corporations are producing slave labor jobs in other countries, and we reward them for it.

Sad state of affairs.

Abner

 

Scotus

The tribe has spoken. SCOTUS, you can't be trusted. You've formed an alliance w/big business over your fellow man/woman. Your voted off the big island. Guards, lead these thieves away..........It would make a good story for "THE TWILIGHT ZONE", if only!

 

May all nine of the black-robed priests on Satan on the Supreme Court of the United States be carried away to the great guillotine of history and sent along on a flying leap into Hell. Wasn't it Shakespeare who said something like "Kill all the lawyers ... that'd be a good start" ?

 

For whom? Corporations? As Justice Stevens pointed out, corporations don't vote, so why do they get to push out people who do vote? And will this open pathways for foreign governments and/or corporations to actively participate in our electoral process? Gee, won't that be great.

This is a stupid decision, and the Republican idiots who decried "activist jurists" can just eat their hypocritical stances.

"The Chair recognizes the honorable senator from Exxon-Mobil...." Great.

 

The problem in America is the crazies are targeting the wrong people. Not that I'm suggesting anything BUT the well connected are well protected. They live in gated communities, make decisions that negatively affect the lower & middle classes and remain cocooned from it all. The judicial system is a farce in this country. One day, when the populace gets fed up, it will be showtime in their communities. Maybe then they'll listen to the silenced!

 

And of course democrat politicians /candidates and the DNC eagerly refuse political contributions from corporate PAC’s and even labor unions. Democrats don’t buy /bribe legislator’s for their votes with tax payer dollars either (e.g., U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb. “kickback” – most notably a commitment from the federal government to fully fund ONLY his state's expanded Medicaid population at an est. cost of $45 million; U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s $300 million earmark for La.; I-Vt. Sen. Bernie Sanders (democratic socialist who caucuses with the Democratic Party) secured $10 billion to increase community health centers around the country, including two in his home state; D-Mont. Sen. Max Baucus, Finance Committee Chairman, expansion of Medicare to cover people exposed to asbestos from a Libby, Mont., mine.; or D-Florida Sen. Bill Nelson’s $5 Billion grandfathered Medicare Advantage enrollees in Florida) … Just Republicans right. Moreover, I’m quite sure the Obama political "Chicago" machine is strictly a grass root endeavor consisting of $10, $15, $20, $25 - $50 individual contributions particularly in that Chicago /Cook Co. (Democrat-dominated since the 1930's, e.g., the Richard Joseph Daley family) is so well known for its forthrightness when it comes to championing a virtuous political process.

Regarding foreign influence attempts in the U.S. political process: Recollect (1996) Charlie Trie, Maria Hsia, James Riady, or Johnny Chung during the Clinton-Gore administration years.

 

I don't think anyone questions that both parties are crooked. In this decision, the Republicans are ecstatic and the Democrats are not. The common persons voice will be drowned out by corporate dollars. I seriously doubt our founding fathers intended for Walmart and Boeing to be the loudspeaker for elections. Maybe they were visionaries, but this????? Nah! You can quote what you want from the Constitution, plain and simple......it was not their intention.

 

I would differ in that both Parties are corrupt (possibly a too broad conclusion); but will concede that due to fraudulent actions by individuals in BOTH political parties – both the Democrat and Republican Party’s “corporate” images are, and have been far too long, severely damaged within the electorate. The organizational cultures of both political parties are unsound; this happens with monopolies and duopolies. My comments were to address the poster’s apparent politically subjective remark/s.

And as far as our founding fathers intention for this Nation compared to what the jurists, executive, legislative and voting public perceive, comprehend or appraise that intention; volumes have and will continue to be published regarding just this issue of variance, as well as infinite discussion and debate …

 

Your math is a bit off here... Assuming that all money went to either Republicans or Democrats (which it does not... I mean, do you really think that 8% of labor money goes to the Republicans?)

Anyway... assuming that all money goes to the 2 big parties...

Republicans:
(323.3 million x 51%) + (73.1 million x 8%) = $170.73 million

Democrats:
(323.3 million x 49%) + (73.1 million x 92%) = $225.67 million

So, it looks like the democrats made out pretty well...

That's not to say that corporate spending on campaign contributions is not likely to increase after this ruling and that will likely help the Republicans... bu the disparity and inequality is far over-blown.

And yes, even "EVIL CORPORATIONS", who employ the majority of the American population, have a right to free speech and political influence.

 

This is based on your info. Now, I'm assuming the other percentages didn't specifically go to the other party. Had the Republicans been outspent, they would attack this ruling vehemently. As per your figures, and they will go up dramatically for corporations/big business and not as much for labor. After all, they don't have the same size pockets. Your going for an MBA so you obviously can understand how this ruling benefits business? So the framers of our Constitution were thinking about big business? They didn't forsee the level of the electronic media and how a ruling such as this favors the wealthy. Their voice will speak much louder than the average citizen. Free speech my butt, they'll be disturbing the peace.

 

As Supreme Court decisions go this one didn't screw over the general public nearly as much as the New London case on the purpose of eminent domain, but for some reason few people seemed as up in arms.

The fact of the matter is we GOP and Democrats that are interested in one thing, getting in and staying in power. They'll do anything to do so...

Look at the Governor's race in Texas, Rick Perry (a certified moron and jack booted thug) is running for the umpteenth time. I don't know what he expects to do in office in the next term that he hasn't done in the last decade and a half. Now soon to be former senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is running against him for the GOP nomiation and she's been in politics her whole life. We have some new blood running but they're being excluded from debates, get pitiful little press coverage and in the meantime we have a choice of bad and bad. Why do these people insist on staying in power? Who are they really helping? When is enough, enough?

Of course we could render this all moot with term limits and by chucking incumbants out on their collective ears.

There should be term limits for all offices including the high courts. I understand the idea for lifetime appointments, to place the court above the fray, but look how well it's worked out for us thus far.

 

YUP! And as far as eminent domain goes, what a crock. They took prime waterfront real estate, once again the wealthy won. I don't know if you've ever been to Connecticut, home of Frogface (Lieberman; wolve in sheeps clothes), but the well not to do own much of the oceanside property. How the hell did that happen? You can't even walk the beach, just drive by and look for the small rocky sections. Sign on 95 South going into New York..."Thanks for visiting our state, now get out"!

 

I try not to get to the East Coast unless I absolutely have to and usually that means unless being paid to do so.

I'm not terribly partial to the West Coast either but at least California has pretty good weather.