The Obama Wink and Roberts Nod
The Moment Both Parties Blessed Corporate-Controlled Elections
President Obama’s 2010 State of the Union address, time stamped at Citizen United decision mention:
”With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests –- including foreign corporations –- to spend without limit in our elections. (Applause.) I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. (Applause.) They should be decided by the American people. And I’d urge Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to correct some of these problems.”
Pssst - He was right! The man was right. Republicans cheered the decision, were mad that a Democrat President called out sitting Republican Supreme Court justices in that formal setting. He was viewed as guilty of trying to hurt R-supporting Big Business that was trying to protect themselves from D-supporting Big Labor. Nice, believable cover story, as it turned out to be. One decade later, the 2020 election results were a direct result of the Citizen United decision. This Time Magazine boasted how corporations, “Saved the 2020 Election.” Turns out Big Business supports D’s after all. Bait-switch. R’s got played.
Precisely what Obama said would happen. I can say with great confidence that most Trump supporters dutifully cheered the Citizen United decision and jeered Obama for these remarks at the time. I know I did. And I wasn’t alone. Reminding us we should never reflexively cheer or jeer one team’s uniform color. It’s lazy. And allows the powerful, skilled manipulators to exploit our loyalty and trust in our “team.”
Well said.
I remember that Rs murmured that they would give up corp donations, if Ds would give up union donations.