A Democratic Foe Emerges From the Dark Swamp (my words)

[Joinfortmill]

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-22-2022

As always the 'Letter' is chock full of information. This is what stood out for me.

Letters from an American: Heather Cox Richardson

'(A) $1.6 billion donation to a right-wing nonprofit organized in May 2020...is the largest known single donation made to a political influence organization. The money came from Barre Seid, a 90-year-old electronics company executive, and the new organization, Marble Freedom Trust, is controlled by Leonard A. Leo, the co-chair of the Federalist Society, who has been behind the right-wing takeover of the Supreme Court.

This massive donation is an example of so-called “dark money”...that do not have to disclose their donors. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC) decision, the Supreme Court said that limiting the ability of corporations and other entities to advertise their political preferences violates their First Amendment right to free speech...They cannot collaborate directly with candidates or campaigns, but they can promote a candidate’s policies and attack opponents, all without identifying their donors.

[Demovictory9]

1. Why do very old right-wing farts try to control future populations?

[Joinfortmill]

2. Good question. I wondered that myself. Just go fishing for God's sake!

[Ford_Prefect]

3. Because they can and because it makes them richer still. He is addicted to power and assumes

that his wishes and desires are sufficient to guide the country, just like Trump.

[Pepsidog]

4. When Dems reform SCOTUS Citizen's United should be given the same deference as Roe.

I would love to see a progressive SCOTUS Justice write an excoriating take down of CU and then shove it up Roberts and Alito’s ass.

[Joinfortmill]

5. Absolutely

[Lonestarblue]

6. I'm sorry to say this, but current Democrats in Congress are too timid to reform SCOTUS.

If we can keep Warnock and all other Democrats up for re-election and add Ryan, Demings, Barnes, Beasley, and Fetterman, we might have a more progressive Senate that is willing to get rid of the filibuster to accomplish more. They can pass legislation neutering Citizens United, protect voting rights (including making gerrymandering illegal), reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and add DC and Puerto Rico as states.

While the SC would most likely try to overturn such laws, I would think the Constitution gives Congress the legal authority to codify rights of citizens.

[Dwild]

7. Legislate against it

I dont believe they need they need to reform the SC to fix this they just have enact legislation to say money isn't speech and corporations aren't people. I really believed Sanders would've have put this forward and am disappointed that he didn't