Pecunia Rex (updated with additional graphic)

As Watertiger puts it:

So much for Scalia's "strict construction" of the Constitution. SCOTUS just handed down its decision in FEC v. Citizens United, and it's the most blatant piece of judicial activism you'll read.

Nice Republic we had. Shame something happened to it.

Adam B has a nice post up at Daily Kos on today's decision. You may read it all here. In a nutshell:

In a long-awaited 5-4 decision today, the Supreme Court of the United States has overturned its 1990 decision in Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce which had allowed states to ban corporations from using treasury money to support or oppose candidates through independent expenditures. [Bans on direct corporate contributions to candidates were not at issue in this case; you'll have to wait a few years on that one.]

Arthur Delaney also writes about it at Huffington Post. The President was not amused.

"With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics," said President Obama in a statement. "It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans... That's why I am instructing my Administration to get to work immediately with Congress on this issue. We are going to talk with bipartisan Congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision."

Rep. Alan Grayson is fighting back. His bills have blunt, humorous titles but that makes for clear concepts and the intent is serious.

As Randi Rhodes has said on several occasions, when corporations have colonoscopies we can start considering them persons.

Bush succeeded in creating the most "business-friendly" Supreme Court in history. For "business-friendly" you may read "friendly to the corporatocracy."

Put another way, the corporations can haz all ur chezeburgers. The American People can suck eggs.


--the BB