It's the money

The 2010 SCOTUS decision ruled that corporations and other outside groups can spend unlimited money on campaigns. The majority ruling was that it was against first amendment rights. This passed 5-4.  A mere five (5) people upended the way elections worked in this Country.  A mere 5 people wielded so much power, that the world is now paying for this decision.  How?  I'll explain.

The decision now also allows this concept of super PACs (Political Action Committees).  These PACs don't work in a campaign, but can advocate, and spend unlimited and unaudited amounts on a campaign.  The result being, that rich individuals and corporations ultimately "buy" candidates. While corporations still can't give directly to candidates, they could donate unlimited amounts to PACs that can then spend on ways to advocate for or fight against a candidate.  SuperPACs have been the cause of 10s of billions of dollars poured into campaigns. Their power is unchecked, and therefore creates an oligarchy which actively suppresses democracy.

Republicans who prior to 2010 were climate change advocates were suddenly climate change deniers. Republicans who were proponents of common sense gun laws were suddenly against these regulations hiding behind the second amendment. PACs have influences in Primaries.  If a candidate doesn't parrot the talking points of the PAC, they run the risk of "getting primaried". This happened in the 2024 primaries where Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman lost to candidates who's primary bid were heavily funded by PACs.  They spoke up against the senseless loss of life. Republicans like Liz Cheney and Jeff Flake were also primaried because they spoke out against January 6th and the actions by that administration. Candidates are essentially bought by their oligarch overlords.

While proponents claim the citizens united ruling protects free speech, these are the same people that deny the charge then that oil and gas companies are the cause of the increased rate of climate change or that gun manufacturers could be sued upon shootings which lead to a loss of life. This ruling, therefore, gave undue influence to the wealthy who don't care about the unhoused, or the plight of immigrants, or the plight of a rape victim who suddenly finds herself pregnant in a state that bans her from looking out for her best interest.

It's the money. A mere 5 people made a decision with far reaching consequence, and oligarchs now run the United States by pulling strings of politicians so that they are mere mouth pieces.  Politicians spend more  than half of their time fund raising as opposed to fulfilling their legislative responsibilities and writing laws. US Senators are instructed to raise 35K a day so that they would be able to spend at election time.  This is extremely unhelpful to citizens, and we should demand better.

Thank you for reading.