The Supreme Court Broke Politics - How Do We Now Reform the Supreme Court?
By Thom Hartmann A...
We complain about the state of American politics; about a mentally ill billionaire in the White House and a Republican Party crawling with hustlers and conmen, and a few in the Democratic Party as well. The complaints are legitimate, but most people don't realize why the situation is as bad as it is. That tracks back, virtually 100%, to several supreme court decisions starting in 1976 that deregulated money in politics, claiming that political spending was simply First Amendment-protected "free speech." The Supreme Court first ruled that in 1976, setting up the flood of money that poured into Washington DC and brought us Ronald Reagan in 1980. They doubled down with Citizens United in 2010, paving the way for foreign oligarchs to help elect Donald Trump and a completely corrupted Republican-controlled Senate.-Thom
Comments
#2
The Supreme Court should always consist of five Democrats (chosen by Democrats) and five Republicans (chosen by Republicans) reguardless of who happens to be in power when a Justice retires. Always five and five. "Fair and balanced."
#3
You'd probably end up with nothing being decided, given how partisan they are these days.
#4
... and no other cases can be heard until a majority decision has been reached.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"Hartmann combines a remarkable piece of historical research with a brilliant literary style to tell the grand story of corporate corruption and its consequences for society with the force and readability of a great novel."
From Screwed:
"The powers that be are running roughshod over the powers that OUGHT to be. Hartmann tells us what went wrong — and what you and I can do to help set American right again."
From Screwed:
"Hartmann speaks with the straight talking clarity and brilliance of a modern day Tom Paine as he exposes the intentional and systematic destruction of America’s middle class by an alliance of political con artists and outlines a program to restore it. This is Hartmann at his best. Essential reading for those interested in restoring the institution that made America the envy of the world."
It really started when a Supreme Court opinion laid the groundwork for having a corporation granted the legal rights of a person (except when a crime is committed and they fall through the cracks). It is why a corporation, now considered a person, has protections with regard to free speech and so can spend unlimited amounts to put their own servants into office.