Feingold Speaks on Potential Impact of Supreme Court Ruling in Citizens United

[clear eye]

Run time: 06:20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lACObXtlFM   Posted on YouTube: October 22, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: October 31, 2009 By DU Member: clear eye Views on DU: 987

 
Senator Russ Feingold speaks on the potential impact of the Supreme Court ruling on the Citizens United case from the Senate floor on October 21, 2009.

"...it was the first time since the Tillman Act was passed in 1907 prohibiting spending by corporations on elections, and the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947 clarified and strengthened that prohibition, that a majority of the Court has suggested it is prepared to hold that Congress and the many state legislatures that have passed similar laws have violated the Constitution. Such a decision could have a truly calamitous impact on our democracy."

For Senator Feingold's full remarks, please click here: http://feingold.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=319214

[ihavenobias]

1. K & R n/t

[intheflow]

2. K&R

:kick:

[Independent_Liberal]

3. K&R

[Wilms]

4. Ouch. n/t

[slipslidingaway]

5. knr - nt

[mzmolly]

6. K n R

:kick:

[MrsCorleone]

7. Thanks for posting this, clear eye. nt

[Bill Bored]

8. kick nt

[Why Syzygy]

9. posting to bookmark

I'll have to watch this when I'm feeling stronger. This ruling has me beat down at the moment.

[Bruxley]

10. 99% of corporations are SMALL BUSINESSES

I'm a small business owner and if your not you should be aware that being in business without the protection provided by forming a separate entity (a corporation) puts your personal property at sever undo risk. They are easy and inexpensive to form on your own and provide a legal barrier between your personal assets and the business liabilities and risk.

I realize the worry is that the uber corporations will get big unequal influence but right now they get it anyway by end-around means that us small guys can't. They can offer friends and family nice jobs, grant access to inside business information, etc. I can't do those things.

The people effectively shut out are us small corporations. WE drive the American economy NOT those uber waste corps. WE employ most Americans NOT those guys, why should WE get cut out of having a voice in the political process then? It's US that deserves a voice because WE contribute the most to this economy a little piece at a time.

I want this corporate gag removed. Small business drives this economy. It's unfair that because the big corps are villianized that small business has to stand by and be quiet.

Sorry if I sounded like I was ranting but people everywhere automatically think of the uber corp when the word corporation is used and don't realize those guys aren't going to gain near ass much as us small guys will in this.

Food for thought.

[bjobotts]

11. That's not true, nor should you for one moment think samll business is not under the thumbs of "uber

corps. You want a "corporate gag removed" under the guise that small business (99% you claim are corps and make up the corporate world) does not have enough influence and their voices can't be heard...have you ever looked at a NASCAR racers suit. How many small businesses do you see on their suits.

"They do it anyway" completely ignores what Russ was saying...you have no concept of how heavily it will increase...when right now they have to doante to PACs that would change to millions being donated to candidates...millions.

Make no mistake, if this passes it will mean the end of our democracy and will usher in the corporatocracy that will also have the monopolies to drive any thriving small business out of the market by unfair competition or take overs.

Either you're a troll or haven't deliberated much on what this means to our nation with its unintended consequences...unintended at least in the eyes of people like you.