Once more we are hearing from the right-wing corporate lap-dog organization called "Citizens United", a right-wing (more properly, Reich-wing) political action group funded primarily by the infamous Koch Brothers. Yes, I realize that I put my life in jeopardy by criticizing these people, but I have, on several occasions, taken a solemn vow to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic".
The Supreme Court of the United States has made a few serious blunders in it's history, and the current right-wing dominated court made one of the most serious in the history of the court when it flew in the face of the intent of our Founding Fathers by not only granting PERSONHOOD to corporations, but giving them unlimited political power by allowing corporations to spend unrestricted amounts of money on political propaganda. Joseph Goebbels would be proud, and the organization so misnamed as "Citizens United" seems to be reveling in the prospect of being free to further the aims of fascism in America. My father fought in WWII to keep fascism out of America, yet here it is. Many Americans are alarmed by the rise of fascism in America, and we see a current emphasis on limiting the militarization of our police forces with the creation of SS style strike forces masquerading as emergency response units (SWAT units). Small towns that may need such a force every half-century now have ill-trained units with lots of fancy, expensive, and dangerous weapons that they really want to use.
The true citizens (HUMAN) of our country have the opportunity to become united in repealing this wholly un-American court ruling. A proposed constitutional amendment would do that. Last year the Senate approved a proposed amendment, but that seems to have died in the water, since the House refused to consider it even though it would have passed with an overwhelming bipartisan vote. We now have to hope for a movement to force the issue, hopefully by returning the control of congress to the people rather than corporations and a hand-full of robber barons. There is a movement to call for a constitutional convention, but we can hope that such a movement will result in pressure on Congress to act. Perhaps enough people will vote in the next election to return control of Congress to the electorate.
The Supreme Court of the United States has made a few serious blunders in it's history, and the current right-wing dominated court made one of the most serious in the history of the court when it flew in the face of the intent of our Founding Fathers by not only granting PERSONHOOD to corporations, but giving them unlimited political power by allowing corporations to spend unrestricted amounts of money on political propaganda. Joseph Goebbels would be proud, and the organization so misnamed as "Citizens United" seems to be reveling in the prospect of being free to further the aims of fascism in America. My father fought in WWII to keep fascism out of America, yet here it is. Many Americans are alarmed by the rise of fascism in America, and we see a current emphasis on limiting the militarization of our police forces with the creation of SS style strike forces masquerading as emergency response units (SWAT units). Small towns that may need such a force every half-century now have ill-trained units with lots of fancy, expensive, and dangerous weapons that they really want to use.
The true citizens (HUMAN) of our country have the opportunity to become united in repealing this wholly un-American court ruling. A proposed constitutional amendment would do that. Last year the Senate approved a proposed amendment, but that seems to have died in the water, since the House refused to consider it even though it would have passed with an overwhelming bipartisan vote. We now have to hope for a movement to force the issue, hopefully by returning the control of congress to the people rather than corporations and a hand-full of robber barons. There is a movement to call for a constitutional convention, but we can hope that such a movement will result in pressure on Congress to act. Perhaps enough people will vote in the next election to return control of Congress to the electorate.
