Again, I quibble over Casey Sullivan’s hierarchy, if not his choices. (And I apologize if I’ve misidentified Casey’s gender.)
13. Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Perhaps the most hated decision from the Roberts Court, Citizens United held that political donations are speech protected by the First Amendment, opening the floodgates to unlimited personal and corporate donations to “super PACs.” Though widely unpopular, the ruling isn’t going away anytime soon. It would take a constitutional amendment or a new Supreme Court makeup to reverse the decision.
Here’s a remarkably calm analysis of Citizens United by the Center for Public Integrity. Which told me something I wanted to know but was way too leery of learning: the groups Citizens United permitted–those mysterious, dark money groups started by lots of rotten oligarchs–are…pro bono. Which means: unlike the rest of us actual citizen human beings, who fervently donate money to political groups and individual politicians but can’t deduct political contributions from our taxes, the lots of rotten oligarchs who give money to Citizens United dark groups CAN DEDUCT THOSE $ZILLIONS$ FROM THEIR TAXES.
So not only can lots of rotten oligarchs buy individual politicians, entire states and even one country, they can deduct those purchases from their taxes. The Koch Bros one-upped Hitler with their final solution to democracy. I’ll bet Hitler couldn’t deduct the expenses that the Wannsee Conference eventuated from his taxes. Must be rolling in his grave.
All right, writing that gave me my first sick moment of the day. I have to take a break right now to do something…other.