Thanks to the Supreme Court, our democracy is now in deep trouble.
Fueled by tens of millions of dollars in out-of-state corporate and
billionaire cash - giving him an 8-to-1 spending advantage over his
Democratic opponent - Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker prevailed in
Tuesday night's recall election. This is the second major election in
the post-Citizens United era - and for the second straight time
organized money beat organized people - just like what happened in 2010
when Tea Party Republicans swept into Congress with the help of over
$300 million in outside corporate cash. In a slight consolation -
Democrats may take control of the state Senate - as one Republican state
Senator out of four facing a recall appears to be headed for a defeat.
Despite reports of massive voter turnout around the state Tuesday
afternoon - the turnout was actually closer to 2010 levels when more
than 2 million Wisconsinites voted and Republicans won big - rather than
2008 levels when closer to 3 million Wisconsinites elected President
Obama and Democrats.
So what does all this mean? It means that things really are as bad
as we think they are - and the Supreme Court really has handed over our
democracy to the highest bidders - giant corporations, foreign
governments, and the likes of the Koch brothers. Wisconsin gives us a
glimpse into the election coming this November - and patriotic Americans
have five months to figure out how to overcome these oligarchs - and
undo the incredible damage the Roberts Court has done to democracy in
the nation of its modern-era birth. Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders
are fighting against the cancer in our democracy - Citizens United - and
you can join their efforts at sherrodbrown.com and bernie.org, and
movetoamend.org.
-Thom
(How would you overcome big money to save democracy? Tell us here.)
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