Ode To Odious Corporate Personhood
There’s nothing funny about the U.S. Supreme Court’s activist ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Overruling long-held precedents, it gives corporations free rein to buy political influence, all in the name of “corporate personhood” and “free speech.”
Nor is there anything funny about the hypocrisy of self-described anti-judicial-activism Republicans who laud this calamitous decision.
And, alas, there’s nothing funny about this limerick:
Democracy’s Demise?
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Justice Roberts and co are unbound,
Driving precedents precious aground.
Yet Republicans cheer,
And the sobs that we hear
Are the sounds of democracy drowned.
********
Lance Mannion managed to extract some humor from this judicial travesty.
Tags: Campaign Finance Reform, Citizens United, Corporate Personhood, Democracy, First Amendment, Free Speech, Justice John Roberts, Legal Verse, U.S. Supreme Court
Now rightwingers rule on the court
And money will be first resort
Of big oil and big banks–
Honest pols get no thanks
As A.K. cuts democracy short.
hahaha . . . very cleaver poem. :)
However, the your summation of what the ruling does is incorrect. The rules on donations hasn’t changed, as it was spelled out in the joint statement of the Court. So the precendents remain in tack. However, it does remove the cencorship block that barred companies and unions from running ads, releasing videos, or publishing books within the black-out period before an election.
Nate, thanks, for your verse!
And U.S. Common Sense, I’m glad you enjoyed my limerick, even if you didn’t agree with my conclusions as to the impact and import of this decision. :)