Mourning the death of democracy

If this were any other day, I would post something quippy about my early season training (it's going well), or about joining a new team (NCVC), and then probably link to a song that you should listen to. That's not what this post is about.

Today, the United States Supreme Court voted in a 5-4 decision to protect corporations' first amendment rights to freedom of speech. Sounds ok, right? Remember T. Boone Pickens' bizarre alternative energy ads in the run up to the 2008 elections? He paid for those with money from his wallet. He's a rich dude, so he can buy airtime on your teevee and say pretty much whatever he wants to say. If he wanted to buy one minute of airtime during the 2009 Super Bowl to say "hey America, good job voting for Obama. Please mail him a used Tickle Me Elmo to welcome him to the White House," he could have. Just that one little statement, then stare at the camera for 56 seconds. He could do that because he, a private citizen with all of the rights and privileges afforded by the United States Constitution and its Amendments, can say whatever he wants. I want my rights protected, and I want all other Americans' rights protected. Keep putting up commercials, T. Boone, and don't be afraid to get creative with it.

Today's decision, Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, extended our rights of free speech, political or otherwise, to corporations. Now any corporation can buy any amount of advertising, bankroll any movie, or donate any amount of money towards advocacy of any cause or campaign (there are still presumably limits to the amount that corporations can donate to an individual electoral campaign). Because of today's decision, when political candidates run for office, there is no limit to how much a corporation can spend to help motivate the public to vote for the now-purchased political campaign. Forget about Joe Congressman (R-TX), and say hello to Jack Representative (I-Exxon). We, the people, have all but lost our collective voice in the political process in our United States.

Fuck that. I need to get out of the US if this is how politics is going to proceed. Unacceptable. Let me know where and when the protest is. See all of you there.