In addition to being a blatant political decision based on shoddy research, the Supreme Court's Citizen United decision may have unintended consequences. The five conservative Republican-appointed justices decided that the free speech provisions of the First Amendment could be applied to corporations as well as individuals. As a result huge, multi-national corporations, in addition to spending millions on lobbying, are now allowed spend as much as they want to influence U.S. elections.
It goes without saying that these corporations, with one check, can wield more influence than thousands of individual contributors. It is now become "government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations. Corporations have the rights of individuals, but on the other hand they cannot be penalized like individuals. Not a bad deal--for wealthy corporations.
In addition to the anti-democratic aspects of this decision, it also provides an avenue for foriegn entities to influence U.S. elections. "A very large percentage of U.S. corporations are owned by foreign persons or entities. In 2006, USA Today reported: 'Nearly one in five U.S. oil refineries is owned by foreign companies. Foreign companies also have a sizable presence in running power plants, chemical factories and water treatment facilities in the United States.' It was also reported that, 'Roads and bridges built by U.S. taxpayers are starting to be sold off, and so far foreign-owned companies are doing the buying.' In 2008, it was reported that foreign ownership of U.S. companies 'more than doubled' between 1996 and 2005. To get a fix on the spending power, consider this: 'The total receipts of foreign-owned companies were $1.7 trillion in 1996 and just $39 billion in 1971.'" (Jason Linkins, HuffingtonPost, 1/21/2010)
These five conservative and activist justices have given foreign persons and entities a monumental opportunity to influence U.S. elections.
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