Another blow to campaign financing reform

[ej510]

The conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court reject a key part of an Arizona public-financing law, again showing their hostility to efforts to reduce the influence of special-interest money in campaigns.

June 30, 2011
In striking down part of an Arizona public financing law, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court has once again shown its hostility to even modest attempts to reduce the enormous influence of special-interest money in elections.

Under the law, candidates who opted in to the program and agreed to abide by spending restrictions would be given a lump sum to be used on their campaign. But that amount would be increased if an opponent who opted out of the program — or independent groups supporting such a candidate — spent beyond a certain amount. (The city of Los Angeles has a similar system.)


Writing for a five-member majority, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. made two key arguments: that the matching-funds system unconstitutionally "burdened" the free speech of independently funded candidates who had opted out; and that the law was unacceptable because it aimed to "level the playing field" between candidates, a justification that seems to particularly incense the court's conservatives.

But those arguments are entirely unpersuasive. As Justice Elena Kagan noted in her dissent, the Arizona law did not set a limit on how much candidates who opted out or their supporters could spend to convey their messages. In fact, rather than restricting or "burdening" anyone's 1st Amendment rights, the law actually expanded free speech by providing extra funds for additional speech.

Kagan also noted that the Arizona law was designed not to level the playing field but to "ensure that … representatives serve the public, and not just the wealthy donors who helped put them in office."

More at the link: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-campaign-20110630,0,6647938.story

The 5 conservative Justices, really hate America. They want fascism to reign supreme.

[AgainsttheCrown]

1. Balls and strikes my ass!

n/t

[ej510]

2. Kagan had it right, but the 5 fascists do no give a fuck, because

they benefit financially.