Supreme Court Blocks Arizona Clean Money Campaign

It was bad enough when the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that corporate money could be spent on political speech without limits. But now it has really gone over the line in issuing an immediate stay against Arizona's 10-year-old campaign finance system.

Though I don't agree with the first ruling, I can understand it. If you grant that a corporation is a "person" entitled to First Amendment protection and that society has no interest in trying to maintain fairness in political campaigns (two very big ifs) then I can see where the conservative court majority is coming from. They say you can't restrict advertising from any quarter.

Yesterday's intervention in Arizona's clean money system is a different animal altogether. Before even hearing the case, they issued an emergency order to prevent the state from disbursing matching funds to candidates already entitled to it under existing law in the middle of a campaign. Somehow they seem to feel that "First Amendment free speech rights of wealthy or well-heeled candidates are violated when extra money flows to their opponents." The Arizona system results in a greater amount and more balanced speech, not less. And talk about "judicial activism." Governor Jan Brewer, who had $1.4 million in matching funding pulled from her by the ruling after her primary opponent Buz Mills had already spent over $2 million, lamented, "It is extremely unusual for the judicial branch to change the rules of an election while it is being held."

The current court is more and more brazenly favoring corporations and the wealthy over any and all attempts to level the playing field. This shows how crucial appointments to the high court truly are. Without a countervailing check soon, America is headed ever more inexorably toward an unabashed plutocracy.

I have two digressions to make here at the end. First, you might have noticed I have had to go to moderated comments recently. I started to get comments with links to pornographic sites and I want no part of that kind of stuff in my blog. So please go ahead and post, but just be aware that I'll have to take a look at it and approve it before it appears. Secondly, yes, I was elected to the Democratic County Central Committee in Tuesday's election. Many thanks to everyone who gave me your vote, your encouragement or recommended me to your friends. I will work to be worthy of your trust.