Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Supreme Court overturns ban on direct corporate spending on elections

Baraka_Guru · 01-29-2010, 07:19 AM

I'd like to post a succinct little tidbit that outlines the difference caused by the outcome of this ruling.

[Again, I will state that I live in a country where only individuals can contribute funds to political parties, and a maximum of $1,100 annually at that. Also the governing body of communications (CRTC) restricts the purchasing of political advertisements to registered political parties, and they are limited to 6.5 hours each.]

Today I read that before this ruling, "corporations and unions could run election-period ads only by setting up a political action committee, which can raise money only from employees or union members, each of whom face a $5,000 cap on annual contributions."*

But now, both corporations and unions can spend directly from their own coffers...and at their discretion.

I think this is an astounding difference, and it didn't really hit me until I read it this morning.

*Obama, court at public odds on campaign spending - The Globe and Mail

01-29-2010, 07:19 AM	#53 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	I'd like to post a succinct little tidbit that outlines the difference caused by the outcome of this ruling. [Again, I will state that I live in a country where only individuals can contribute funds to political parties, and a maximum of $1,100 annually at that. Also the governing body of communications (CRTC) restricts the purchasing of political advertisements to registered political parties, and they are limited to 6.5 hours each.] Today I read that before this ruling, "corporations and unions could run election-period ads only by setting up a political action committee, which can raise money only from employees or union members, each of whom face a $5,000 cap on annual contributions."* But now, both corporations and unions can spend directly from their own coffers...and at their discretion. I think this is an astounding difference, and it didn't really hit me until I read it this morning. Obama, court at public odds on campaign spending - The Globe and Mail __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?* —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot