We've Been Had By The Supreme Beings

Of the $1.4B in campaign funds in the 2008 General Election, which nearly doubled 2004 figures, and covering all political parties in the House and Senate races, $404M came from Political Action Committees and $800M from individual donations, a two-to-one ratio. In the Presidential race, individual donations were $1.4B of the total $1.8B.

The deduction? PACs know their funds are best spent supporting elected officials who have the ultimate power to pass into law legislation that will have an impact on their interests. The influence of the all-mighty dollar at its best.

Data released January 27 by the Federal Election Commission shows nearly $450M has been accumulated for this year’s Midterm Elections among both Democrats and Republicans, new candidates and incumbents inclusive, of which $130M has come from Political Action Committees while individual donations total $275M.

But the recent Supreme Court decision on United Citizens vs the Federal Election Commission will no doubt turn on the spigots of corporate campaign financing, inflicting upon American voters a flurry of lies, half-truths and misrepresentations of candidates and ballot initiatives. And, in spite of the state of the economy, in this election year there will be beaucoup bucks thrown here, there and everywhere the politicians go. Contributions are still regulated (for now) but given the freedom for corporations to ‘speak’ as they will in any venue not resolve the grievous financial plights of American taxpayer.

2009 was totally wasted. Misdirected stimulus funds. Failure to focus on job creation. An inept, disruptive Congress. The redistribution of wealth from the Treasury to Wall Street. And health care reform that has turned the political arena into a self-interest free-for-all. States demanding exemptions, pharmaceutical companies muscling down attempts to contain rising costs, insurance companies refusing to give up even a smattering of their fortunes, and labor unions given exclusive concessions that sidestepped the concessions – all contributed to blocking any chance at health care reform.

Because of mistrust, confusion and worries about the economy, as never before we’ve heard more and more about moderates, centrists, liberals, conservatives and, fresh out of the political coffee pot, comes another breed of political activists, tea party-goers. Our structured democratic state has gone helter-skelter. Because of this myriad of opposing factions within both parties, the Midterm Elections are unpredictable. Corporate maneuvering has been set up to be the determining factor in many Congressional races.

The New York Times called the Court decision “a broad interpretation of free speech rights.”

President Obama said “a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans.” And we all snickered at the posturing of the polished politician.

The Court’s decision played along party lines – Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and Antonin Scalia – all appointed by Republican Presidents and the majority vote. They outnumbered Democrat-appointed Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor.

Justice John Paul Stevens, appointed by Gerald Ford in 1975 and the senior member who’s gotten much wiser in his old age with 35 years on the bench. He wrote, “The difference between selling a vote and selling access is a matter of degree, not kind,” Justice Stevens wrote. “And selling access is not qualitatively different from giving special preference to those who spent money on one’s behalf.”

Lawrence Noble, who serves as general counsel of the Federal Election Commission, speculated corporations can, in essence, threaten, “We have got a million we can spend advertising for you or against you – whichever one you want.” This interpretation is right on the money and suggests that any amount can make or break a candidate’s bid for political office.

Another Republican-appointee from the Reagan era, retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, had a different take on the impact of the Supreme Court decision on Citizen United vs. Federal Election Commission. Referring to the June, 2009, ruling in Caperton vs. Massy, the Supreme Court ruled West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Brent Benjamin should have recused himself from hearing a case where he had voted twice in favor of overturning a $50M decision against the owner of a business who had donated $3M to his campaign to defeat an incumbent. It was the first time the Court had ruled that judges elected to state courts can be required to step down from hearing cases if one party made major contributions to their elected campaigns. O’Connor said that between the two cases it “should be a warning to states that still choose their judges by popular election.” In other words, last week’s decision creates “an increasing problem for maintaining an independent judiciary.”


Looking forward, does this mean that large banking institutions, investors, mortgage lenders – in short, Wall Street – will effectively take on, and manipulate, any financial reform tactics proposed by the Obama Administration? Count on it.
In the Court decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “The fact that a corporation, or any other speaker, is willing to spend money to try to persuade voters presupposes that the people have the ultimate influence over elected officials.”

As The Tampa Tribune opined, “… the ruling affirmed free speech and acknowledged voters can think for themselves.” But voters are easily duped when flashy pictures appear before their eyes and fancy words and sounds fill their minds. Campaign infomercials may decide the upcoming elections.


Money is no object when corporations are given the means to influence American voters. Face it, the Supreme Court sold out America and its citizens to corporate interests in the grandest of all mergers and acquisitions. We, the people, have been had by the supreme beings.

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