The story of Citizens United v. FEC
This is the best short history of the growth of corporate power I've
ever read, heard or seen. It's also a primer on exactly why the Supreme
Court's closely divided Citizens United decision is incompatible with basic notions of democratic governance.
Created by the good folks at The Story of Stuff project, founded by Annie Leonard to creatively amplify public discourse on environmental, social and economic concerns, The Story of Citizens United v FEC
explores the crisis in American democracy sparked by the Court decision
that gave corporations the right to spend unlimited funds to influence
elections.
As The Nation editorialized last January,
"The Citizens United campaign finance decision by Chief Justice John
Roberts and a Supreme Court majority of conservative judicial activists
is a dramatic assault on American democracy, overturning more than a
century of precedent in order to give corporations the ultimate
authority over elections and governing. This decision tips the balance
against active citizenship and the rule of law by making it possible for
the nation's most powerful economic interests to manipulate not just
individual politicians and electoral contests but political discourse
itself. "
And the results of the 2010 election bore out progressive fears as
corporate-front groups flooded the electoral zone with massive
contributions to reactionary Tea Party candidates. In fact, as Leonard's
film makes clear, the kind of independent groups that corporations are
now allowed to support spent $300 million to influence the 2010 midterm
elections, more than every midterm election since 1990 combined.
The problem is that the US Supreme Court has interpreted the
Constitution to extend the First Amendment rights of real people to
corporations. Congress does not have the power to overturn a court
decision based on the Constitution but there are a host of legislative
remedies nonetheless available.
The ultimate solution is the Free Speech for People Amendment to the US Constitution.
Corporations are not people, they do not vote, and they should not be
able to influence election outcomes. But it's (rightfully) difficult to
amend the Constitution so short of that, legislative reforms like full
disclosure of corporate electioneering activities, public financing of
elections and a shareholder protection act could all help mitigate the
damage done.
El texto proviene de Wikipedia. Vealo en The story of stuff Projects
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