Far be it for me to argue with a Supreme Court justice, but I do have an argument with Justice Alito’s defense of Citizens United. He said that newspapers and TV networks can print and say what they wish. Because they are corporations, he argued, other corporations should be allowed to do the same, using money instead of speech.
While it is true that newspapers and television networks are owned by corporations, I can write a letter in response to an editorial or cancel a subscription. I can also not watch a television station and thereby affect ratings which, in turn, affects revenue.
Under Citizens United, PACs are not required to divulge contributors, so that I have no way to show my opposition by not owning stocks in those companies or not buying their products.
Free speech is a sacred part of this nation's democracy, but just as I must sign my name to this letter I should be able to know who is “speaking with money.”
Nancy Hanger, Waterford
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Ehhh...
See, part of me agrees that companies should have the same right to free speech that people do.
Another part of me sees that things have gotten out of control.
So I say put a sales tax on political speech ads of say...50%.
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...with your argument is that corporations are NOT expressing free speech - they are buying it with the kind of money neither you nor I have. So if thr Supreme Court is going to be fair, these companies need to give each member of the public the kind of money they're spending. It is a totally unfair - and for most of us, unwanted - ruling.
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Life isn't fair. People and groups with money will have the means to get out their message better than those without.
And until the Supreme Court reverses it's decision on Citizens VS United, Companies have free speech rights. So the best we could do is tax the hell out of political speech
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